A Ghost Named Wanda (Zack Files (Prebound)) [Hardcover]

Dan Greenburg (Author), Jack E. Davis (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1996 | Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up | Series: Zack Files (Prebound) (Book 3)

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Zack feels that a supernatural force is at work in his apartment when he encounters floating television sets, pancakes that flip by themselves, and a ghost named Wanda.

--This text refers to the School & Library Binding edition.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5. Zack is a normal 10-year-old boy with a knack for getting into weird situations. In Wanda, he attempts to rid his apartment of a rude eight-year-old poltergeist who communicates by spelling out words with peanut M&Ms. In Litter Box, he plans to adopt a kitten but instead acquires a cantankerous talking cat that claims to be the reincarnation of his great-grandfather. He sees his reflection in the Medicine Cabinet mirror and falls through into a skewed world that its inhabitants consider much "cooler" than ours. An electrical accident occurs at school and Zap!?Zack can hear thoughts, including a bloodthirsty voice expressing an eagerness to kill. The stories have a whacked-out, off-the-wall humor that is reminiscent of the work of Daniel Pinkwater. At the same time, they neatly poke fun at the conventions of popular horror series. Kids will find some of the episodes tremendously funny. Great-Grandpa the cat threatens to "take a leak" on the sofa if Zack doesn't provide him with his preferred food (herring with sour cream!); Wanda and a fellow ghost yank down a bully's pants. The books are short without looking babyish and would appeal to reluctant readers as well as those with a taste for oddball humor.?Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Dan Greenburg has known success as a humorist, a novelist, a journalist, a screenwriter, and a playwright. Now he has turned his considerable talent to writing an original new series of books for a younger audience. Inspired by his own son Zack, for whom the hero of his new series, The Zack Files, is named, Greenburg has combined his love of humor, his interest in things paranormal, and his talent for writing to create books that kids like Zack will want to read. With 18 books to his credit, Dan Greenburg's work has been translated into 19 languages and is available in 22 countries. His best-selling titles for adults include How to Be a Jewish Mother, How to Make Yourself Miserable, Scoring, Love Kills, How to Avoid Love and Marriage and Exes. His previous books for children include Young Santa, The Bed Who Ran Away From Home, Jumbo the Boy and Arnold the Elephant. His articles have appeared in the New Yorker, Esquire, Ms., Time, Newsweek, Life, New York magazine, Cosmopolitan, the New York Times Book Review, Vanity Fair, Playboy, and have been reprinted in 33 anthologies of humor and satire in the United States and England. Born and raised in Chicago, Dan Greenburg received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Illinois, and his M.A. from UCLA. He is the father of Zack, a teenage son, who played the title role in the motion picture, LORENZO'S OIL, and served as the inspiration for The Zack Files. Mr. Greenburg lives in Westchester County, New York.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 59 pages
• Publisher: Perfection Learning (August 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0780776321
• ISBN-13: 978-0780776326
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,752,781 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dan Greenburg has known success as a humorist, a novelist, a journalist, a screenwriter, and a playwright. Now he has turned his considerable talent to writing an original new series of books for a younger audience. Inspired by his own son Zack, for whom the hero of his new series, The Zack Files, is named, Greenburg has combined his love of humor, his interest in things paranormal, and his talent for writing to create books that kids like Zack will want to read. With 18 books to his credit, Dan Greenburg's work has been translated into 19 languages and is available in 22 countries. His best-selling titles for adults include How to Be a Jewish Mother, How to Make Yourself Miserable, Scoring, Love Kills, How to Avoid Love and Marriage and Exes. His previous books for children include Young Santa, The Bed Who Ran Away From Home, Jumbo the Boy and Arnold the Elephant. His articles have appeared in the New Yorker, Esquire, Ms., Time, Newsweek, Life, New York magazine, Cosmopolitan, the New York Times Book Review, Vanity Fair, Playboy, and have been reprinted in 33 anthologies of humor and satire in the United States and England. Born and raised in Chicago, Dan Greenburg received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Illinois, and his M.A. from UCLA. He is the father of Zack, a teenage son, who played the title role in the motion picture, LORENZO'S OIL, and served as the inspiration for The Zack Files. Mr. Greenburg lives in Westchester County, New York.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars VERY INTERESTING, April 18, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Zack Files 03: A Ghost Named Wanda (Paperback)

IT'S FACISNATING. THERE IS A LOT OF MYSTERY. IT'S ABOUT A GHOST , NAMED WANDA, WHO IS 8 YEARS OLD AND IS FINDING SOMEBODY TO PLAY WITH. WANDA FINDS AN APARTMENT AND MAKES A MESS OF THE FURNITURE IN THE ROOM . SHE WANTS ZACK TO PLAY WITH HER. BUT ZACK FINDS VERNON WHO HAS A GHOST NAMED CECIL. WANDA HATES CECIL . BUT WANDA AND CECIL PULLS DOWN VERNON'S PANT BECAUSE THEY GET ANGRY WITH VERNON. THE STORY HAS A NICE ENDING BECAUSE WANDA AND CECIL FIND A TOWN CALLED SPOOKSVILLE WHICH CAN'T EVEN SCARE A 5-YEAR OLD. SPOOKSVILLE IS IN THE AMUSEMENT PARK.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Zach Files A Ghost Named Wanda, November 19, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Zack Files 03: A Ghost Named Wanda (Paperback)

I liked this book because i thought it was funny. i also liked it because Zach the little boy acts just like me for example he explianed how he always had a messy room which really relates to me ,and his dad is always is worried well for me it's my mom who worries about me.

I think the worst part was when wanda the ghost met cecil the ghost and they got into a big argument. The only reason i dident like it was because it really dident go along with the moral of the story because Wanda liked to be messy and cecil was very neat and at the end they ended up living together in a haunted house.

I think that the most vivid parts to me were the the setting and the plot .The setting was easy to visualize and see .For an example when wanda messed up the appartment and put suran wrap under the tolite seat ,and the the food falling out of the refrigorator .The plot of the characters was easy to see also like Zach a en year old boy with dark brown hair and blue eyes was easy to see because i think the author Dan Grennburg did an excellent job explaning!!!

5.0 out of 5 stars this book is a good book, March 21, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Zack Files 03: A Ghost Named Wanda (Paperback)

I chose this book as my favorite book. This book it is funny. It funny because one time Zack was sleeping his room was clean but someone did it meessing. He clean it again. When he wet to brush his teeth it was meesing aging.