Customer Reviews

The Ghost Cadet

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Picture soldiers marching in from all directions with large guns, or in this case muskets. Would you want to be there? Would you want everything you're used to vanishing? Well at least you have nothing keeping you there. Benjy, the main character in Elaine Marie Alpfins historical fiction book, Ghost Cadet, was lead into a repetition of the battle of New Market searching for a friend. Benjy comes to his conclusion by deciding to help Hugh and make a ghostly friend.
Hugh, a soldier who died, has become friends with Benjy. Hugh haunts the battlefield in search of a goldwatch that he lost when he died. He leads Benjy into the repetition of this battle hoping to rediscover the watch. Will they suceed?
As they enter the battlefield Hugh leaves to find his regiment and also leaves Benjy to find that all modern things vanish. Soon the grass sways and ghost soldiers come marching in from all directions. Guns fire and soon Hugh falls down dead (again). Trembling while watching his ghostly friend die, will Benjy see the watch?
Hugh went to VMI college long ago. During this battle, Hugh lost his family's pride, a very old gold watch. Now, will Benjy rediscover it and make a new friend? Most important will he get it restored to Hughs family in time for Hugh to join his ghostly regiment in the parade?
6th Grade student ay OHES

Ghost Cadet
Imagine a fifteen-year-old cadet, struggling to survive on a battlefield. He's just barely alive when he hides his grandfather's watch in a hole. Hugh is now dead, but everyday he struggles to find his watch. In this book, Ghost Cadet, by Elaine Marie Alphin, brings back a real story and gives Hugh an adventure.
Hugh's hope turns all around when he meets Benjy. Not only is he a human (which means he can dig for things and do normal things you and I can do), he is willing to help Hugh. Because of Benjy, they don't only become friends, but they might find the watch before the ceremony in which the cadets come together in pride for serving get called (As you can see Hugh would feel dishonored without a relative having the watch. That's one reason why he needs the watch before the ceremony.) .
Hugh makes Benjy search everyday on the New Market Battlefield. Hugh even makes Benjy dig by old buildings on the field. As Hugh and Benjy get closer to the day of the ceremony, Hugh tells Benjy about the BATTLE!
Do you think that Hugh's watch will be found in time? Read Ghost Cadet, and I guarantee you'll find out!

6th grade student from OHES

This was my absolute favorite book in 5th grade. It was the best as far as I was concerned. It had a shy, bookish boy that reminded me of myself and had a quick, interesting plot that keeps the story moving. Up until I read this book I had a simplistic view that North was good, South was bad this book tore down those views and made me realize that both sides had good people, making the war tragic for me when before it had simply been a black and white good and evil concept.

This was a very good book! There were interesting characters, historical fiction and easy to read. Everything you need for a good 5th grade book...especially a boy.

I thought that the story was good. IT had a good topic, because I happen to like War stories myself. I thought it was different from the ghost part though, put that is my opinion. It is a good history book and im glad I picked it as my book report. I encourage others to read this book as well.

Suddenly, it becomes dark, and ghostly soldiers materialize in front of you. The Battle of New Market has begun, and you are there, in the field. Worst of all, you have no idea what is going to happen.
Ghost Cadet, by Elaine Marie Alphin, is a thought provoking book about a cadet who fought in the Civil War. William Hugh McDowell, our ghost cadet, hid a gold watch between two rocks, from the Yankees, over one hundred years ago. This book is all about recovering the watch.
Benjy Stark is just a kid who can't do anything right, can't make friends, can't understand why his older sister, Fran, just won't play with him anymore. He is teased, and no one likes
him-- until Hugh. Hugh needs a living person to help him find the watch, because he can't handle solid objects. So, after Benjy, who is currently on vacation, listens to Hugh's story, he feels obligated to help Hugh find his grandfather's watch. Benjy could never imagine valuing as strongly about his family honor as Hugh values his own, and Benjy understands Hugh's mission. So the two boys begin to search the field. Soon, the Battle of New Market begins to "relive," and Benjy is pulled into a ghostly world filled with war, fear, hope, courage, and death.
By the end of the book, Benjy has learned a few things. He is going to be a much more social person. You can tell. But the most important is that friendship is forever.
Oh, and I'm not going to tell you how they find the watch-- that is IF they find the Watch. You have to read it for yourself. You'll get more out it that way. Much more.
- Sixth Grader at OHES

What if you could see ghosts? Wouldn't that be pretty scary? Well Benjy can. Benjy is very easy to become friends with even if he does not think so, in the book Ghost Cadet by Elaine Marie Alphin.
The first clue that made me think that Benjy is friendly is because he befriended a ghost named William. That seems like it would be kind of hard to do to me. Secondly, he made friends with his grandma (Miss Leota) which his sister probably could not have done, even if her life depended on it. The final reason that made me think he's affectionate is because he made a friend quickly with Colonel Samuel Edbridge Marshall when he really needed to.
Overall, I thought this book was pretty good. Although it was a bit boring in some parts, I still liked reading it. Now I hope you agree with me and think Benjy is friendly.

6th grade student at OHES

Its dark. Benjy is curious. The grass is waving, while the trees disepear and the ghost cadets slowly march, appearing out of nowhere. Misteriously Benjy sees them marching towards him. A few fall down being shot. Where is Hugh? Its quiet as the rain trickles down their faces. Where is Hugh though? Could he not make it? Had he already been shot like a few of the other young boys? The wind whispered through Benjys hair as he was searching through his nervous and patient eyes for the cadet that had become his new best and only friend. At his grandmas house, which was clean, dry, and warm, is where he first met Hugh. Ah, yes! There he was behind all of the other marching cadets. Benjy was staring, proudly at him, watching every single little move that Hugh had made. Benjy was very proud, he was the only human who would ever get to see something so amazing. He felt special and loved because, he, Benjy, the one with no friends, had been chosen to be the best friend of Hugh, a cadet, a ghost cadet!

Elane Marie Alphin is very descriptive in this well written novel. I had a picture moving around in my head. It was almost like watching a movie! Throughout this book, Benjy learns that Hugh has some important mystery in his family history. This is why Benjy was at the battlefield, watching very closely what Hughs every move was. A watch had been passed down the family of Hugh, it had very important information on it. If Benjy could find this watch, then Hugh would be able to find his family. Do you think Benjy will be able to find it? What if he doesnt? Then, Hughs dream could possibly dissolve over time. If you are interested in a fun adventerous book, this is the one for you!
6th grade student at OHES

Ghost Cadet by Elane Marie Alphin is one of my favorite books to read. The only books to surpass this one is the Harry Potter books.
This book is about a boy who is an out cast, and makes a new friend and saves his new friend's family honor.
I enjoyed this book, I would recommend this book to any 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th graders who likes a ghost story with a twist.

Ghost Cadet by Elane Marie Alphin is one of my favorite books to read. The only books to surpass this one is the Harry Potter books.
This book is about a boy who is an out cast, and makes a new friend and saves his new friend's family honor.
I enjoyed this book, I would recommend this book to any 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th graders who likes a ghost story with a twist.