Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Funke reaches out to newly independent readers with this first-in-a-series installment about beleaguered nine-year-old Tom, who bests his nasty older sister, Lola, by honing his ghosthunting skills. Sent to the cellar for orange juice, Tom, a 'fraidy cat, encounters an ASG, (Averagely Spooky Ghost), who nearly scares him out of his skin. No one in his family believes him except his sympathetic grandmother who "listened to him without constantly frowning unlike his parents." Grandma also has a friend, Hetty Hyssop, who specializes in spectral exorcisms. Turns out that the ASG is being bullied himself, cast out of his familiar haunt by the IRG of the title. Tom and Hetty conspire to put things right and give Lola her due, too. The story is not really funny enough to appeal to kids who want humor, and not scary enough to raise goosebumps; the text tends to rely on exclamation points to inject excitement. Funke's half-tone illustrations add appeal for readers just getting the hang of chapter books but, overall, this is a somewhat pedestrian offering from the talented creator of Inkheart and The Thief Lord. Ages 7-10. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-4-Something wicked is in the cellar, and it's up to nine-year-old Tom to eradicate it in Cornelia Funke's light-hearted thriller (Chicken House, pap. 2006). Cellar dweller Hugo turns out to be an ASG (Averagely Spooky Ghost), blown out of his villa and into Tom's cellar by an IRG (Incredibly Revolting Ghost). Hugo and Tom join forces with ghost hunter Heady Hyssop to expel the IRG from Hugo's villa. Along the way they meet the cookie-baking Mr. Lovely, who provides the solution to a provoking problem. The trio's exploits are related through John Beach's warm narration. He's a master of Hugo's wobbly whooooing and the IRG's harrumphing vibrato. In spite of the IRG's penchant for removing his head at key moments, children won't be unduly frightened by this tale.-Erin B. Allen, Rowan Public Library, Salisbury, NC (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Young Tom teams up with his grandmother's sprightly ghost-hunting friend, Hetty, and an ""Averagely Spooky Ghost"" named Hugo to fight each of the titular baddies. The stories are formulaic but lively, and the interspersed caricature-ish illustrations and humor-leavened spookiness make these excellent Halloween reads (or read-alouds) for those not up to truly scary fare. A ghost protection manual is included. [Review covers these titles: Ghosthunters and the Gruesome Invincible Lightning Ghost and Ghosthunters and the Incredibly Revolting Ghost.] (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
