Ghost Granny (Melanie Guile, Lothian, $15.99 pb, ISBN 9780734410085, October) ***

Anna and Lucy have just lost their slightly mad Granny, but they seem to be the only ones in the family to care. Then, to everyone’s surprise, less than a week later Granny returns as a ghost. Due to an inept apprentice angel, she wasn’t properly monitored in life or transported to heaven since passing. To make matters worse she achieved a rare feat—she racked up exactly even scores in good and bad deeds during her life and a devil by the name of Brimstone is vying for her soul. Lucy and Anna must try to save their Granny from the direst of fates. Overall Ghost Granny was a fun read and most eight to 10 year olds who read ‘Goosebumps’ and ‘Spiderwick’ will get into it. I can’t say it will be an instant classic and it could have done with more plot development in the middle, but the story has enough action to keep most kids entertained to the end.

Anna Hood is a bookseller at Avid Reader Bookshop & Café, West End, Brisbane

This review from Australian Bookseller & Publisher magazine is reproduced by kind permission of Thorpe-Bowker, a division of R R Bowker LLC. © Copyright 2007, Thorpe-Bowker