00002331

ISBN 059043649x – As usual, Martin’s BSLS series is well done. The only negative, a small one, is that I don’t think Karen’s Ghost is all that good alone. As part of the series, it adds to things; alone, it’s kind of average. I’m giving it 5 stars mostly as a nod to what it adds to the series.

Halloween is coming and Karen is spooking herself out with thoughts of Morbidda Destiny and Ben Brewer. This is all just good old Halloween fun for Karen, but as the class prepares for a party – where spooky stories will be told – she decides to learn more about her reclusive great-grandfather Ben and his ghost. With Kristy’s help, Karen finds a diary that has some answers and one of those answers is REALLY scary: Ben has a haunted birthday party in the attic every ten years… and this is going to be one of them!

These kids are hilarious – for example, Nancy’s certainty that a leprechaun stole her charm bracelet because she found it in her underwear drawer, where she never keeps it. The lack of any actual logic makes the girls very real and very funny. Between that and their youthful “marriages”, they’re 100% spot-on and Martin… Martin is a genius. Plus, added bonus for the not-eager-to-read set, when the teacher says read a book over 100 pages, these JUST fill the bill. RL3 ages 7-9

- AnnaLovesBooks ( )

GR:
GL: 3.3
DRA:
Lexile: 450L