Authoress: Mary Downing Hahn
Pages: 160 Publisher: Houghton Miffline Harcourt | Clarion Books
Scheduled release: September 6, 2010
Goodreads: The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall
Genre: Children's Fiction | Ghosts
My summary: Poor Florence, the orphan, is about to meet her long lost distant uncle, auntie, and dead malicious cousin. Think Secret Garden with ghosts.
My say: The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall was surprisingly good. It moved swiftly and kept me engaged; especially the parts when Florence is used like a puppet by her ghostly shadow. While more mature audiences may find the tale too innocent, I believe tweens will love this ghost story with a lesson on spoiled children and jealousy.
My recommendation: Channel your inner tween or purchase this for the tween in your life. This would be a great book to share with ghost fans or even around Halloween.
My star rating: 5 out of 5 stars
My final say: What is about huge old homes that always sucks me in?
Review Copyright © of Tales of Whimsy.com
Hmm, interesting, I'm not normally into ghost stories but this sounds quite engaging :) Great review :)
ReplyDeleteI'll have to remember this one when October rolls around.
ReplyDeleteThe Secret Garden with ghosts? Hmmm! o.o
ReplyDeleteHahaha OMG you love huge old homes too?! I'm going to live in a haunted Victorian mansion someday.
ReplyDeleteThis book looks so good and that cover is very interesting!
XOXO~ Renee
sounds like good story ..love ghost stories
ReplyDeleteI think my daughters's 7th graders would love this one... what kid does'nt love a good ghost story. Thanks , I will pass this one on to her.
ReplyDeleteOMG the cover looks scary w/ the blood drop...(it reminds me of Stephen King's "Rose Red") But it looks good. I definitely love ghost stories!
ReplyDeleteoh wow, you sold me on this one!!! gotta go out get it
ReplyDeleteYou are so right! I really enjoyed that book! Terrific review!
ReplyDeleteI've always loved stories like this. I would have loved it as a kid. Secret Garden was one of my favorites and I've devoured every book of ghost stories I could find for as long as I can remember.
ReplyDeleteSecret Garden with ghosts? Count me in! And I love that cover.
ReplyDeletehee hee, secret garden with ghosts. i like the cover too.
ReplyDeleteCute review, Juju! I agree with you, this sounds like the perfect book for Halloween. Gotta check it out!
ReplyDeleteI am a sucker for a good ghost story! I'll definitely keep an eye out for this one! :D
ReplyDeleteHow happy this makes me! Hahn's Wait Till Helen Comes and The Doll in the Garden long ago became two of my favorite "reads" AND rereads"! I will pretend to be a tween again and make The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall my new bedtime pages. (Thank you!) Did you know I collect ghost stories? Click HERE to read my whys and wherefores. Thank you, again!
ReplyDeleteOoh, I like the cover. Gives it a haunting look!
ReplyDeleteThat is such a cool cover!
ReplyDeleteSounds fun!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely sounds like a fun one for a read any time but especially during the festive Halloween season. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a nice easy read. I'm quite enjoying YA books at the moment.
ReplyDeleteI already put this one on my TBR list. Really tempted to read it after you mentioned Secret Garden and ghost. How spectacular!LOL
ReplyDeleteThat's one creepy cover!
ReplyDeleteOh! This looks great! Sounds a lot like the one I just reviewed, about the Winterbottom's. I'm loving all these "creepy" Halloween-type tales, really gets me excited for the season! Thanks for sharing, I may have to take a look at this one for October! :o)
ReplyDeletethe cover is a deffo winner!
ReplyDeleteOh, what do I find, another ghost!
ReplyDeleteWooah! (Okay, that was not my Joey Lawrence impersonation.) What's this book?? I've never heard of this book before. Nice! I want, I want! I agree, I love old homes with ghosts. Have you ever seen The Others? Creepy...but one of my fave movies about ghosts and what else, a spooky old house!
ReplyDeleteThis books looks fun. I loved The Secret Garden and still do - so I probably could get into this book.
ReplyDeletelovely review! and anything with ghosts and the secret garden sounds just absolutely perfect...now if i can just find time to read in the midst of unpacking boxes!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Juju! Just to let you know I've awarded you the Versatile Blogger award! Visit my blog http://bookharbinger.com to check it out. :)
ReplyDeleteThis one is definitely going to be added to my list. That cover, however, is super creepy!
ReplyDeleteI have this one on my wishlist, so I'm glad it's good :)
ReplyDeleteAleksandra, Lizzy, Ice, Andrea, Darlyn, Nikki-ann, GMR, Cari, Ruth, Dazzling, Emidy, vv, Ladytink, Gina, Carrie, Room Service, JulieMonkeys, Meredith, Pirate, Kaye, & Cat: Thank you ladies :)
ReplyDeleteHolly: Thanks Holl! That is awful sweet of you. I appreciate the award and you passing by. :)
Stacy: Oh girl, I feel you. My house is in shambles! How's the new place? :)
Mary: Yah! :)
Julie: LOL you crack me up gf! :) Did you hear Dear Old Joey has a new sitcom coming out where he plays the dad? Man that makes me feel old. :) I haven't seen the Others but I neeeed to. I know it's based on The Turning of the Screw.
Maya: Great minds think alike :)
1stdaughter: Right? I am SO ready for cooler weather and pumpkin shopping :)
Cellar Door: oooo I haven't read those. I totally should. You collect ghost stories? How coool! :)
Lily: Me too :)
Faye: I heard Rose Red was supppper scary :)
Renee: *high five* to old houses and books :) I'm with you on the Victorian house but not on the haunted part. I'm such a chicken. I don't even like staying in haunted hotels/inns. ;)
LOL! I was so in love with him. Yes, I taped er recorded er Tivoed (is that how you spell that?) the new sitcom. And Clarissa Explains It All is on it! Yes, I know she was Sabrina too, but I usually refer to her as Clarissa -- talk about old! My Dad worked on that show too!
ReplyDeleteJulie: He's looking really good. Your dad worked on Clarissa Explains It All? NO WAY!
ReplyDeleteJuju: I have to watch Melissa and Joey. I remember his brother too - Matt. He was cute, as well. Yup, my Dad worked for Nickelodeon in the 80's and 90's.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard of this, but it sounds like something I would like. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteJulie: OMG How cool. Did you ever get to meet any of the celebrities or visit the Double Dare set?
ReplyDeleteI love books like this!
ReplyDeleteBecasue huge houses have ghosts and stories just aching to be told. Sounds like one for my inner tween!
ReplyDeleteJuju: The only celebs I met were on Nickelodeon shows, some of them went on to be famous like Melissa Joan Hart. My Dad worked at Nick in Orlando at Universal Studios. We actually went to the grand opening party. There were tons of people there, including Wil Wheaton. At the time, he was he was my big crush. He spent the whole night talking to us too. LOL. Stephen Spielberg was there. He got slimed and my Dad wiped it off him. My Dad worked on Double Dare, so yes I did.
ReplyDeleteJenny: SO true! :) *high five*
ReplyDeleteJulie: OMG how cool! Spielberg and Wil Wheaton. That's awesome. Of course whenever I think of Wil Wheaton now I think of his guest appearances on The Big Bang Theory. Have you been slimed?
Hmmm... doesn't sound like quite my cup of tea. I'm not really into ghost stories, and I didn't like the Secret Garden (is that blasphemous?)
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh when I saw this in your sidebar: "Dystopia Utopia or Post-apocalyptic" You've got your bases covered, yes? Thus tidily avoiding the genre-naming controversy.
Juju: No. I was never slimed. I was an audience member for many of the shows though. That was fun. And also helped out backstage one summer. I'm surprised I didn't want to get into the entertainment industry until later in life. But better late than never to want to follow your dreams right?
ReplyDeleteSaw this book around blogosphere but always passed it up... now maybe I ought to look more into this book... Thanks for sharing Ju!
ReplyDeleteNotNessie: LOL No it's not but I must admit I haven't met many he don't.
ReplyDeleteAnd LOL thanks :) I like to cover my bases
Julie: Amen! It's never too late.
Cherry: No prob doll ;)