Ghost in the House

by Ammi-Joan Paquette

illustrated by Adam Record

Candlewick 2013

I love Halloween, and I love things that are creepy…but oddly enough I don’t like to be scared.  Haunted houses?  Forget it!  So it’s no wonder that I’ve fallen in love with Ghost in the House written by Ammi-Joan Paquette and illustrated by Adam Record. This is a haunted house I’d actually like to visit.

The story starts off on a black page with the simple exclamation “Boo!”  On the next page a ghost appears—the most adorable ghost you’ve ever seen (yes, even more than Casper).  This structure continues, enunciating the creepy sounds the house makes and breaking tension with a collection of friendly creatures: a mummy, a monster, a skeleton, and a witch.  Finally the creatures stumble upon something that really frightens them—a human boy.

This book somehow manages to maintain the traditional eeriness we associate with haunted houses, which includes striped wall paper, creaking stairs, and shadows at every turn.  Yet its full of bright and contrasting colors.  The creatures themselves are vibrant, even as they wander down dark and gray hallways.  You might even wonder what this cheery bunch is doing in such a spooky place.

I love how simply and effectively the illustrations reflect the text.  Two eyes on a black background and the ghost’s worried expression reveal the characters’ unease.  Possibly my favorite page features the human boy, with a wide-eyed look that conveys his bafflement.  As the creatures run away, the boy looks straight at the reader and shrugs, as if to say, “What can you do?”

As you’re visiting haunted houses, or perhaps haunting them yourself, “on this dark, spooky night,” it’s always good to remember that there isn’t a creature scarier than a human.  Have a Happy Halloween!

KP