The Ghosts of Cougar Island (Liza, Bill & Jed Mysteries) [Paperback]

Peggy Parish (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up | Series: Liza, Bill & Jed Mysteries

Summer vacation is nearly over, and Liza, Bill, and Jed know it’s almost time to leave their grandparents and the exciting adventures they’ve shared on Pirate Island.

Before they head home, the trio is itching to solve the mystery of Cougar Island. But it’s private property, and according to legend, trespassers will be haunted forever by the ghosts of the Cougar family. Ghosts or no ghosts, Liza, Bill, and Jed won’t be satisfied until they’ve done some exploring.

And when they do, they make the most amazing discovery! Are those old stories true? Could the island be haunted after all?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6 One of the more believable, and yet exciting, juvenile mysteries available. Liza, Bill, and Jed, characters from five previous mysteries by Parish, notice flickering lights on uninhabited Cougar Island, which, according to legend, is haunted. Following other mysterious incidents, the three siblings set forth in their boat to investigate. Parish includes many of the elements that young readers loveghosts, animals, orphans, and, best of all, a happy ending. Liza and her brothers are realistic, occasionally squabbling siblings, but their grandparents are surely every child's dream: trusting enough to let the children set forth on their adventure, yet always concerned and loving. The short chapters help keep the pace moving nicely, and the few sketchy but well-done black-and-white illustrations will help sustain the interest of reluctant readers. The vocabulary is fairly easy, and the text relies heavily on convincing dialogue. Given the popularity of juvenile mysteries, this mystery-adventure should be a worthwhile addition to school and public libraries. Ruth Reutter, Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, Ohio
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Praise for the Liza, Bill, & Jed Mystery series:

“Liza, Bill, and Jed are sleuths again. . . . Believable characters, surroundings, and situations and an action-packed plot which thickens steadily and surely to a logical solution make a book sure to win Miss Parish even more young fans.”—School Library Journal

“Young readers will be immediately involved . . . and can share the fun and excitement of unscrambling the codes and deciphering the cryptic instructions.”—The Horn Book Magazine

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Yearling (June 14, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440428726
• ISBN-13: 978-0440428725
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.4 x 7.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #495,931 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #20 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( P ) > Parish, Peggy

More About the Author

The late Peggy Parish, well known for her stories about Amelia Bedelia, wrote many popular books for children, including Dinosaur Time, illustrated by Arnold Lobel.

"I hate reading but your books are changing my opinion." This letter, from a young Peggy Parish fan, comes as no surprise to the teachers and librarians who have put her books in the hands of children over the years. Ms. Parish wrote nearly three dozen children's books-many of which include her most famous character, the literal-minded maid named Amelia Bedelia.

Peggy Parish knew what children like to read. After graduating from the University of South Carolina with a degree in English, she taught school in Oklahoma, Kentucky, and, for over 15 years, at the well-known, progressive Dalton School in New York City. It was at Dalton that she began to find ways to release her creative ideas and energy, Though she never took a writing course, "writing stories for children came naturally." Her first book, published in 1961, was followed with Let's Be Indians and in 1963 with her unforgettable Amelia Bedelia.

Always involved with education in some way, Peggy Parish did television pieces on preschool education and children's books, wrote children's book review columns, and led numerous in-service training workshops for teachers. In discussing her ideas about education, she said, "Children's rights are taken away from them when they enter school. What I try to show teachers is that all the skills needed to read can be taught outside of textbooks. Today's children are not going to read what they are not interested in. And if a positive attitude toward reading is not developed during the first three years of school, it is virtually impossible to develop it later."

After living in New York for many years, Peggy Parish returned to her native South Carolina. She died in November, 1988. But Ameila Bedelia did not die. Peggy Parish's nephew, Herman Parish, has written Good Driving, Amelia Bedelia and Bravo, Amelia Bedelia!, published by Greenwillow Books in 1995 and 1997 respectively.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ghosts of Cougar Island, April 17, 2003

By 

Norwood School (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ghosts of Cougar Island (Liza, Bill & Jed Mysteries) (Paperback)

...Have you ever had a spooky summer break? Well, I'll tell you this, Liza, Jed, and Bill had one spooky break that could go in the record books. Three siblings go on a vacation to their grandparent's house on Pirate Island. Bill, Liza, and Jed find a little opening in some bushes near their grandparent's house, which leads them right up to a beach that shows Cougar Island. After asking their Gran and Grandpa, they realize a rich family once owned it and when they died out, legend says whoever trespasses on the land will be haunted for life. That makes the three even more eager to go and see if the legend is true. Locals of the Island say they see ghost lights at night on Cougar Island. When Jed, Liza, and Bill find out its true, they aren't as excited about going to the Island. Then one of the neighbors, Hermit Dan, is missing some of his stuff. And the newspaper says that they still can't find the thieves who stole from several banks in the area. Do you think Jed, Liza, and Bill will have the guts to go and find who this ghost thief is?
I think this fictional book is excellent because it has many problems that come together into one big plot. It keeps you reading because when the book gets kind of boring with one problem, another one jumps in. One thing I don't like about this book is that there is so much dialogue that it gets annoying.
This book is great for mystery lovers and scary ghost book lovers. Both boys and girls would like this book. I enjoy, "The Ghost of Cougar Island," and hopefully you will too.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Timeless Classic, November 5, 2006

By 

K. Onines - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Ghosts of Cougar Island (Liza, Bill & Jed Mysteries) (Paperback)

I read the Liza, Bill and Jed mysteries when I was young, and now my daughter loves them just as much. They were even around a generation before I came along! This has been, and continues to be, a great series for pre-teens.

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ghosts of Cougar Island, September 23, 2011

By 

Book-Lover - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Ghosts of Cougar Island (Liza, Bill & Jed Mysteries) (Paperback)

We lent this out to "Someone" years ago & never got it back! It was out of print, so when I saw this I had to have it. Love this series of books. Recommend them all HIGHLY. It's for beginner reader's & the stories are well written & keep your interest throughout! For boys as well as girls!