28) Mostly Ghostly: Who Let the Ghosts Out?

Bibliography: Stine, R.L; Mostly Ghostly: Who Let the Ghosts Out?; Delacorte Press; New York; 2004; 144 pages; ISBN 978-0-385-74663-6.

Plot: Max is a straight “A” eleven year old boy.  He swears that there is a ghost that haunts the kitchen of his house at night.  One night while he is practicing his magic tricks, two ghosts appear in his room.  Nicky and Tara have just realized they are ghosts and they have no recollection of what happened to them or anything that happened to them when they were alive.  Tara and Nicky decide that Max is the perfect person to help them find their parents and what happened to them.  As a trade for helping them, Tara and Nicky will also help Max.  Unfortunately, Max is being tortured by an animal ghost named Phears to get to Tara and Nicky.  This is the first book in the Mostly Ghostly series.

Review:  The book begins with Tara and Nicky walking home.  However, they have no idea where they are coming from or why no one acknowledges them on the street.  When they finally get to their house, they find that their key doesn’t work in the door and that there is a new family living in their house.  Max and his family are living in Tara and Nicky’s old house.  Max likes school and magic, but is not popular and is failing physical education.  Max’s father and older brother are very large, muscular men.  His father decides it is best for Max to switch to Plover School where he will get a “proper” education. 

When Max meets Tara and Nicky, the ghosts decide that they will help him stay out of Plover School if he will help them find their parents.  Max is also being tortured by an animal ghost, Phears, who is looking for Nicky and Tara.  Max finds himself in some sticky situations as Nicky and Tara try to help him. 

The novel is scary and funny all within a few pages.  While readers will cringe at Phears, they will shortly be laughing at the issues that Nicky and Tara cause for Max.  I really liked this book, and I hope other readers will enjoy the characters of Max, Tara and Nicky throughout the rest of the series.

Genre: Horror/Ghosts

Interest Level: age 9-12

Related Books: The Great Ghost Rescue by Eva Ibbotson; Why I’m Not Afraid of Ghosts by Nina Kiriki Hoffman; Ghost Camp by R.L. Stine.

Characters: 

Max – The human boy that lives in Nicky’s old room

Tara – Just realized that she is a ghost but can’t remember what happened

Nicky – A ghost, can’t remember what happened to him or his parents

Phears – An animal ghost that is after Tara and Nicky.

Author Information: http://rlstine.com/about/