Christina's Ghost [Paperback]

Betty Ren Wright (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2008 | Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

Christina is not looking forward to spending the summer with Uncle Ralph. She dreads the long days in the spooky, isolated Victorian mansion especially because Uncle Ralph dislikes her and there are no childen nearby to play with. Things change, however, when she sees the ghostly figure of a small, sad boy who mysteriously disappears before she can talk to him. Convinced that he's a ghost, Christina sets out to discover why he's there. Could he be linked to the murders that happened in the house thirty years before? And what evil, chilling presence is lurking in the attic? Betty Ren Wright adroitly combines a suspenseful tale fo the supernatural with the touching story of two very different people who learn to like each other.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6-Carol Jordan Stewart's expert narration adds distinction to Betty Wright's fairly routine but entertaining ghost story (Holiday, 1985). Stewart does a wonderful job of voicing Christina, a lonely girl forced to spend some time with her grumpy Uncle Ralph in an isolated mansion, and bringing gruff yet vulnerable Uncle Ralph to life. His exchanges with the riddle-loving Christina keep listeners hooked. The fast-moving story kicks into high gear when Christina sees a young boy in a blue sailor suit watching her swim. He vanishes, but she keeps spotting this fleeting mysterious figure, and speculates about him being a ghost. Some sleuthing leads to the discovery that the boy was Russell Charles, the victim of a crime committed in the mansion 30 years ago. To Christina's dismay, she discovers that the evil spirit responsible for his death is residing in the ice cold attic. Although it possesses many familiar elements (secret rooms, an unsolved crime), this ghost story will captivate young listeners. As Christina joins forces with her crusty uncle, Wright adds surprising poignancy to the family dynamics. And by introducing an ill-tempered small town newspaper editor who thinks women should not pursue careers, Wright adds a welcome commentary about sexism, helping Christina realize that she must defy traditional gender roles and embrace her inner girl-power. Stewart reads this formulaic story with heart and a surprising sense of humanity.
Brian E. Wilson, Evanston Public Library, IL
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Review

Reviewers called this middle-grade ghost story by state-award favourite Betty Ren Wright "convincing" and "terrifying." (School Library Journal )

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 105 pages
• Publisher: Holiday House; Reissue edition (October 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823421716
• ISBN-13: 978-0823421718
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #502,564 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I read this book a thousand times it's so interesting!, July 1, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Christina's Ghost (Paperback)

This book by Betty Ren Wright is marvelous. Everytime I read it I gasp at how interesting it is. It's about two girls who's parents went on a business trip to Alaska and planned to leave their kids at their grandmother's house, but their grandmother had a blatter attack and couldn't keep them. So Christina ends up going to her crabby Uncle Ralphs friend's cottage to work on his work. Christina's parents call throughout the story adn tell her to stay out of her uncles way and find something constructive to do. Christinna and her uncle end up solving a mystery that happened thirty years ago. The ghost in the attic does not want them to find his stamps that he stole thirty years ago so he warns them everytime they get close. I shouldn't tell you too much so you know all about it so go get this book from your local library and curl up with it anytime or anywhere.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars scary and awesome, January 24, 2007

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Christina's Ghost (Hardcover)

The book Christina's Ghost is about a girl that goes with her uncle to a little house in the woods. She meets a ghost boy who only comes around when she laughs so she reads a riddle book. When she gets close to the end, something in the attic starts coming down stairs. My favorite part was when she was with her sister because I feel the same way when I'm with my sister. I recommend this book to people who like mystery and scary stories. It is scary at one part and it makes you want to look for the second book.

By: Nicole

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A GREAT BOOK, September 1, 2008

By 

Ky - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Christina's Ghost (Hardcover)

again another great book i read as a child and have so since bought for my daughter....a great read for kids!!!!