Well, for this weeks mini-review I will be looking at one of the most enjoyable children's books I've read. In the same Summer Camp vein I am reviewing The Ghost Comes Calling by Betty Ren Wright. The story is about a young boy named Chad--who reminds me of myself as a child. Chad's father is an ambitious and dreaming man. So, in a fit of impulse the father withdraws his savings to buy an old cabin just outside of town by a lake. At first Chad is excited, but when his friend and neighbor Jeannie tells him the Cabin his father bought is actually called "Shaky Acres" by the local town members. Supposedly an old man and his dog used to live at "Shaky Acres," but after he was shunned by the town and died the place became abandoned . . . and haunted.
So Chad is afraid of going out for the weekend to the secluded cabin. He doesn't want to see any ghost, and he also doesn't want to be seen as a chicken. But he goes out to the cabin with his father anyway. At first it doesn't seem that bad, it seems like a lot of fun in fact. But then when night falls things begin to change. Chad--sleeping on his cot--looks out and swears he sees the ghost of an old man. Chad is afraid, but after talking to Jeannie he decides to investigate the situation more. He soon finds out that there is more to this ghost than meets the eye. Chad sets out to put the ghost to rest.
I've read quite a bit of children and middle-grade horror fiction. As a writer it is important to study many different elements and writing styles within the genre. Seeing how horror develops for different types of audiences is an interesting task. Generally children's horror is silly and simple entertainment. This is how it should be. It is tailored well to its audience. But The Ghost Comes Calling is one of the most well written children's horror novels I've read. The story is simple and straight forward, but the character's are surprisingly relateable.
The most impressive thing about this story however, is the scenes with the ghost. I legitimately got the chills during multiple portions of this book. It has some really good scary portions of writing. But it was perfect enough that it wouldn't scare a child reading the book too much. The final resolution manages to make it easier to accept the realism of the supernatural in the novel. Overall the writing is perfect for the audience.
So Chad is afraid of going out for the weekend to the secluded cabin. He doesn't want to see any ghost, and he also doesn't want to be seen as a chicken. But he goes out to the cabin with his father anyway. At first it doesn't seem that bad, it seems like a lot of fun in fact. But then when night falls things begin to change. Chad--sleeping on his cot--looks out and swears he sees the ghost of an old man. Chad is afraid, but after talking to Jeannie he decides to investigate the situation more. He soon finds out that there is more to this ghost than meets the eye. Chad sets out to put the ghost to rest.
I've read quite a bit of children and middle-grade horror fiction. As a writer it is important to study many different elements and writing styles within the genre. Seeing how horror develops for different types of audiences is an interesting task. Generally children's horror is silly and simple entertainment. This is how it should be. It is tailored well to its audience. But The Ghost Comes Calling is one of the most well written children's horror novels I've read. The story is simple and straight forward, but the character's are surprisingly relateable.
The most impressive thing about this story however, is the scenes with the ghost. I legitimately got the chills during multiple portions of this book. It has some really good scary portions of writing. But it was perfect enough that it wouldn't scare a child reading the book too much. The final resolution manages to make it easier to accept the realism of the supernatural in the novel. Overall the writing is perfect for the audience.
Summing it Up
This is a perfect read for a middle-grade student. Even from my perspective the story managed to be chilling, relateable, and engaging most of the way through. It is a nice and short little book that is written well and focused towards its audience. If you have a kid who is interested in horror this may be a great place to start.
Deaths: 0
Language: 0
Gore Factor: 0
Sex Factor: 0
Scare Factor: 2
Fun Factor: 4
Overall Rating: 5
Deaths: 0
Language: 0
Gore Factor: 0
Sex Factor: 0
Scare Factor: 2
Fun Factor: 4
Overall Rating: 5
To learn more about my rating system click here.