Oh No, Not Ghosts! [Hardcover]

Richard Michelson (Author), Adam McCauley (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

<DIV>Shhhhh! Dad said not to make a peep, so that he could get some sleep. But what if something is wriggling, sniggling, and slithering in the shadows? And did that floorboard just creeeeeak? Each ghoulish possibility seems worse than the last, until--what was that? Oh no, not . . . !
           </div><DIV>Richard Michelson s zinging rhymes and Adam McCauley s moonlit illustrations will transport readers beyond the bedroom walls to a magical nighttime world where imagination rules.

</DIV>

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3–Two siblings are supposed to be settling down to sleep, but their imaginations run wild. Big brother increases his sister's mounting anxiety with dodgy reassurances such as, It's okay that you're small and weak/Be smart! Just make a high-pitched Shrieeek/I've seen a teeny demon frighten/the biggest, meanest, greenest titan. She replies: Demons? Oh no, not demons! In rhyming verse, he slyly details how he would scare away such intruders as goblins, giants, and skeletons. His teasing has little sis cowering behind the covers until their fuming dad appears. McCauley's mixed-media illustrations feature dark, atmospheric backgrounds. Pointy-toothed werewolves cast eerie shadows on the bedroom wall, and a giant's foot has nightmarish proportions. This slightly spooky title offers lots of bewitching fun.–Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada
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Review

..a strong read-aloud with just the right amount of spookiness... perfect for Halloween. ---Kirkus Review

This spooky title offers lots of bewitching fun --School Library Journal

Good for a scream aloud, read aloud, howling good time. --Nick Jr Family Magazine

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 44 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books (September 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152051864
• ISBN-13: 978-0152051860
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #703,070 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Say Oh YES to This Book!, August 29, 2006

By 

Amy Graham (Scottsdale, AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Oh No, Not Ghosts! (Hardcover)

Simple, repetitive and fun. With dad asleep and the kids SUPPOSED to be sleeping, this sister and brother embark on a self-induced fright fest which leads them from one kiddie scare to the next...each one a bit more outrageous than the last. This is great for young children and those just starting out on their own with reading, it's one of those books that is very repetitive (the Oh No, Not... line is repeated though out the book and kids can predict what the next line is going to be and "get in" on the fun by reading along even if they can't read all the words...this makes it a good, fun, silly and light-hearted read (for a "scary" story) that kids from ages 2-8 (ish) will love. The illustrations are dark and suitably campy kind of scary that are great for kids of this age! I'd add this to my permanent collection for reading during the fall and most especially leading up to Halloween! I give it a sold A and both the kids loved this so much they had me read it twice, then Girl read it to Boy several more times with him chanting along...Oh, No, not... Simply a fun story!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Your kids will love it!, September 16, 2008

By 

Dana Lehman "Award winning author" (Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Oh No, Not Ghosts! (Hardcover)

My kids ask me to read this book over and over again. A boy is supposed to keep his little sister quiet so his dad can sleep but he scares her with stories of ghosts, witches, werewolfs, demons, and skeletons. The rythmic text and spooky illustrations are sure to be one of your children's favorite Halloween books.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AMUSING AND SPOOKY!, April 13, 2007

By 

Tim Janson (Michigan) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Oh No, Not Ghosts! (Hardcover)

"Oh No, Not Ghosts!" finds a brother and younger sister still up at night while dad is sleeping as they try and remain quiet and not wake dad. But the brother soon gets the sister's active imagination up and running with his descriptions of ghosts, werewolves, witches, and skeletons. The story is told in a spirited rhyme as each monster described by the brother gets more and more terrifying and the sister gets more and more scared.

The brother parades about, pretending to be each of the frights as his sister stares wide-eyed and clings to her dolly. It's quite a humorous little tale and certainly most girls who had older brothers will be able to relate to being teased by their older sibling. It's a bit scary, but not too scary. Younger readers might need to hide a bit when the skeleton makes his appearance from the closet but it's all in good fun. My four and a half year-old enjoyed it quite a bit!

The story is written by Richard Michelson and it's a snappy tale with a quick cadence. Helping great are the illustrations by Adam McCauley. The illustration are bold and colorful and the brother, while telling his sister that there are no such things as ghosts and witches, still has a mischievous glint in his eye. He's clearly enjoying himself! A great book to read at Halloween but good enough to be enjoyed year round!

Reviewed by Tim Janson