Customer Reviews

Ghosthunters #1: Ghosthunters and the Incredibly Revolting Ghost

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a cute little twist to the haunted house/ghost hunter type of story...in Ghosthunter's and the Incredibly Revolting Ghost we met Tom (9 years old BTW) who has a few problems of his own (besides the ASG that he's just discovered in the cellar of his apartment building...that's an ASG is an Average Spooky Ghost, for those not in the know). Tom's a bit of a klutz, his sister's always picking on him (she is a BIG sister after all), and his parent's are a little worried about his strange behavior...lucky for Tom, his grandmother is a bit more understanding AND happens to be best buds with one of the best ghost hunters around! Under her supervision, Tom is taught the tools of the trade (hot water bottles, mirrors, Mozart music, ect...) to rid is cellar of the ASG...and he's quite successful until he discovers that his ASG has been evicted from his normal haunt by a IRG (incredibly REVOLTING ghost) and would really like to go back home...what ensues is exactly what the title suggests!

Tom and Hattie (the world famous ghost hunter) set off with the ASG to oust it from its current location so that Tom's ASG can go back to his regular haunt! What happens next? Well, you'll have to read to find out...and I don't think you'll be disappointed! This book has scares, humor and a pretty good story line. Great for young readers, especially around Halloween time! This book is a great beginner chapter book (ages 7-9 I think would be ideal) and it still has some illustrations to help flesh out the story for young readers. Book comes complete with a list of acronyms at the end, so you can brush up on your ghost hunting terminology and some handy ghost hunting tips! This book would make a fine read aloud too, but probably not for children under 5...there are not a lot of pictures and there is a lot of detail that might be best appreciated by kids over 5, but that's just my opinion! I give it a solid A, it's that kind of campy scary/funny/creepy/spooky combination that is just right for kids! We all loved it...my kids are 6 (boy) and 8 (girl) and they both got a real kick out of Tom's adventure and are looking forward to the next in the series!

Kids who read the Goosebumps books
Or show a lot of spunk
Will really, really like this one
By Ms. Cornelia Funke

Tom was scared of many things
That lived down in the cellar
But then he found to his dismay
There was a ghostly dweller

His grandma knew just what to do
She gave him the address
Of Hetty Hyssop, Ghosthunter
To ease the boy's distress

She told him how to hunt his ghost
And even though quite scared
He went down there and did his thing
And soon had that ghost snared

You might think this is the end
But that's where you'd be wrong
If I were singing, this would be
The middle of the song

One ghost hunt led to the next
And now instead of bolting
They face an even tougher ghost
That's Incredibly Revolting

Sparklers, mirrors, graveyard dirt
Clothes each shade of red
These are some essential tools
To fight the haunting dead

An entertaining spooky tale
For kids from eight to ten
I'd like to think that this is one
They'll want to read again



Amanda Richards, January 13, 2007


Ghosthunters And The Gruesome Invincible Lightning Ghost (Ghosthunters)

Ghosthunters And The Totally Moldy Baroness! (Ghosthunters)

Ghosthunters And The Muddy Monster Of Doom! (Ghosthunters)

While looking for Funke's other book "Dragon Rider", I saw this one and picked it up. My eight year old son, who has just about refused to read anything but a favorite sci-fi series, found it very easy to read and very entertaining. He could not wait for book #2 which we have already purchased and read.

I think it's a very good book because of how it says how to defeat the ghosts the people have to fight. Also, I like how the ghosts look. The book wasn't scary at all and it only took me two days to read it. The book was exciting because you know when they're about to fight the monsters.

I thought it was an excellent book.

Published in 2006, Ghosthunters And The Incredibly Revolting Ghost is the first of a four book series by Cornelia Funke. For those of you not aware, this is the same author who wrote the Inkheart Trilogy, The Thief Lord, and Igraine The Brave.

Story overview:

Nine year old Tom lives in an apartment complex. A new resident recently moves in, but unlike the typical occupant who rents an apartment, this one is a ghost (named Hugo) who haunts the cellar. At first Tom is scared away, but his Grandmother's friend, Hetty Hyssop, tells him that the ghost is just an ASG (Averagely Scary Ghost)--which is mostly harmless.

When Tom confronts Hugo, he finds that the ghost was chased out of his former home by an IRG (Incredibly Revolting Ghost). Thankfully for both Tom and Hugo, Hetty Hyssop is an expert ghost hunter.

After collecting supplies, the three of them set out to chase away the IRG so that Hugo can have his home back. Once they arrive at the old house, Hetty Hyssop quickly discovers that this IRG is the most powerful one she's ever dealt with.

My thoughts:

I enjoyed the lightheartedness of this story. Funke creatively uses objects to fight against ghosts, such as eggs, graveyard dirt, and mirrors. Keep in mind that unlike her other works [mentioned above], this one is geared to a slightly younger audience.

Things to consider:

There's no inappropriate language, violence, or sexual situations. However, if taken in the wrong light, situations such as the IRG removing its head might come across as slightly disturbing to some children. Overall I'd say this is a safe read and one good for children ages seven to preteens.

James D. Maxon

Author of, The Cat That Made Nothing Something Again

Manga and speculative fiction reviewer:
[...]

My daughters, ages 6 and a half and 5, absolutely loved this book. My younger daughter has never been able to sit long for read alouds without pictures (we've tried all the best...Dahl, EB White, the first Molly Moon, Ramona, you name it) but with this I think she could have gone nonstop cover to cover. We've just received the next two in the series and we're already almost finished with #2. I highly recommend this book.

My 6/just turned 7-year-old son loved this book! He couldn't wait for bedtime to read, and even brought it to me on a Sunday afternoon for us to read together at a very exciting part of the book. A good book for little boys to get hooked on reading.

Great audio book. My children, ages 9, 7, and 5, listened intently in the car. They discussed the story among themselves. We are going to the public library to look for the other books in the series.

My 6-year old son is certainly capable of reading but never wanted to do so on his own. He was happy browsing the multitude of dinosaur reference books that populate his room. He brought this book home from school and whipped through it in a few days. I was shocked since he never read anything beyond the level of the Magic Tree House books, and not without severe prompting. (This series is rated at reading levels from 4th - 5th grade, by the way.) I immediately purchased the other three books in this series -- he finished them in a week. My older daughter has enjoyed many of Cornelia Funk's books for older readers (Thief Lord, Inkheart, Dragonrider), and I'm pleased that she has brought out shorter books aimed at younger kids. The books include simple illustrations, and a flip-o-rama "flying ghost". I have purchased many books that never leave the shelf (sigh). I believe this book (and series) was intellectually engaging enough for my gifted son, beyond what most stories typically offer for this age group, with a format that was friendly to his emotional age.

An ASG - Averagely Spooky Ghost - is hanging out in Tom's cellar - it's afraid because it too is being haunted, by a bigger ghost. This ghost uses its head as a bowling ball... curious antics and zany events ensue as Tom tries to get to the bottom of unwanted ghosts in this hilarious tale, perfect not just for seasonal Halloween reading but for year-round enjoyment for elementary-level libraries catering to grades 3-5.