Jinnie Ghost [Hardcover]

Berlie Doherty (Author), Jane Ray (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Jinnie Ghost is as thin as the wind, with hair as white as the feathers of owls and eyes like water. Jinnie whispers dreams to children as they sleep: she brings Charlotte’s dolls to life, makes Amy’s carpet bubble with frogs and toads, and conjures up a giant to carry Joe off to a castle in the sky. But at the break of dawn, Jinnie hurries away, leaving only half-formed memories of her ghostly visit. Hauntingly illustrated, this perfectly pitched poem celebrates the power of the imagination, taking readers on a fantastic journey while sending a shiver down the spine.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2–Jinnie Ghost appears at nighttime, flitting through childrens rooms and leaving dreams in her wake. The youngsters dreams are custom-fit to their desires: a boy with a monster action figure dreams of giants; a witchy girl flies to Mars on a broomstick; and in a room like the sea, a girl swims with dolphins as a mermaid sits on a coral chest, combing her hair. As Jinnie Ghost leaves each home, variations of the refrain are repeated, Jinnie Ghost! Jinnie Ghost! the unicorn calls/but she doesnt turn her head, if she hears him at all. In the morning she is gone, leaving the children to wake brushing wonder from their eyes. The text switches between free and rhyming verse, creating a melodic feel. The haunting nature of the story is mirrored in the pictures, partially created through collage. Deep, vibrant colors saturate each page, contrasting with Jinnies ghostly white, translucent body and icy blue eyes. While most of the illustrations are rich in detail and color, the eyes are distinctly flat. This may be intentional since all of the children are dreaming and Jinnie is a ghost. Both the art and the story are unique and children who are not easily frightened may enjoy the idea of a ghost traveling through their rooms at night, leaving them with fanciful dreams.–Suzanne Myers Harold, Multnomah County Library System, Portland, OR
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 2-4. In this haunting picture book from Great Britain, wispy girl spirit Jinnie Ghost slides through walls to manipulate the dreams and nightmares of sleeping children. The varied refrain is mysterious and rhythmic: "Here comes Jinnie, the children call / but she doesn't turn her head, if she hears them at all." This sets the tone for a decidedly creepy nocturnal visit by Jinnie to six children. In the "wildness of dreams," Amy's carpet bubbles with amphibians, and Tommy dreams of a whispering, unicorn-inhabited forest. Owen's sleep features a bogeymen. Too scary for many preschoolers,^B this fanciful, poetic offering is best suited for a primary-grade audience. Ray's whimsical, textured collage illustrations are stunning; moonlit nightscapes, spattered with golden stars and crawling with creatures, are revealed in sweeping, sometimes Chagall-like perspectives as the spooky Jinnie swoops through the night. Karin Snelson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books (August 24, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1845072928
• ISBN-13: 978-1845072926
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 10.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,006,778 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Jinnie Ghost by Berlie Doherty and Jane Ray, October 1, 2005

By 

Heidi Anne Heiner (SurLaLune Fairy Tales.com) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Jinnie Ghost (Hardcover)

Just in time for Halloween, the prolific team of Berlie Doherty and Jane Ray offer a lyrical ghost story. Jinnie Ghost, "thin as the wind," sweeps from house to house causing the strange night noises and other phenomena known so well by children. The children see her, but Jinnie Ghost "doesn't turn her head" if she hears them. As she flits through sleeping children's rooms, each child has a fantastic flight of imagination.

Doherty's poetical text are a perfect match with Ray's eerie nighttime illustrations. However, Jinnie Ghost is hauntingly real and may be too frightening for toddlers and some preschoolers despite the gentle text. For children wanting some slight shivers, this is a recommended read.

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful..., September 22, 2009

By 

M. Wotkyns (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jinnie Ghost (Paperback)

I thought this book was just lovely. My daughter was enchanted by the beautiful pictures and loved asking questions about "Jinnie Ghost" - the bringer of dreams. I understand why it may not be for everyone -- but I thought it was lovely and poetic. And my 4 year old wanted to hear it over and over. She can recite it now.

1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Pass on this one, February 8, 2009

By 

E. Klein "My opinion" (California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jinnie Ghost (Hardcover)

I rarely write reviews but I was compelled to do so with this book. We checked this out of the library (so glad I didn't pay for it) for my 5 year old - he selected it b/c he liked the illustrations. It is not only frightening for a 5 year old but it doesn't make any sense! It's almost as if the author just threw a bunch of random words on a page. With so many good children's books out there, I strongly recommend you pass on this one. Check out any book by Chris Van Dusen. His books are a joy to read and the children LOVE them.