Ready Steady Ghost! by Elizabeth Baguley and Marion Lindsay

Ready Steady Ghost! by Elizabeth Buguley and Marion Lindsay
Buy Ready Steady Ghost! by Elizabeth Baguley and Marion Lindsay at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: For Sharing
Reviewer: Jo Heffer
Summary: Everyone knows that ghosts are supposed to be incredibly scary and that's OK if you are a big ghost who has been haunting forests and castles for a long time. It's an entirely different matter if you are only a little ghost like Bertie. He feels too small and not brave enough to haunt such scary places and is desperate to find a nice little homely house to haunt. 'Ready Steady Ghost!' is a charming story that shows that even ghosts have feelings too.
Buy? Yes	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 32	Date: September 2011
Publisher: OUP
External links: Author's website
ISBN: 978-0192792648
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We're introduced to a small and loveable ghost called Bertie. Even though he knows that he should be out haunting in the big dark woods, he feels far too small to haunt somewhere that is so huge. He does creep into the forest a little though and is pleased to see a couple of lights shining through the darkness that he believes to be the windows of a welcoming house. Sadly though, Bertie is mistaken and the lights are actually the eyes of a 'big gobble-me wolf'. Many times he doesn't recognise what he sees, mistaking a snake for a homely path, a dragon's breath for chimney smoke and so on. Luckily, not one of those scary creatures spots Bertie and he is able to go on his way until he makes his way to a 'gigantic freak-me castle' where things look to get even worse. However at the top of a winding stairway he discovers just what he has been seeking all along – a toy castle with a king and queen who only need a small timid ghost to make them jump!

'Ready Steady Ghost is a brilliant story for young children. Bertie is an adorable character and I think that children will really empathise with how he feels heading out into the dark forest. Luckily though, as it is described in an amusing way and there is a happy ending, they won't get nightmares if you choose to read it at bedtime.

The first time you read 'Ready Steady Ghost' there are lots of opportunities for predictions. My daughters loved guessing what the windows and the winding path really were and couldn't wait to turn the page where the true identities were revealed. On subsequent reads, they have obviously known the answers but they still enjoy anticipating what they will find out.

The girls also love the way that the story is written and really appreciate the fantastic descriptions especially the 'big gobble-me wolf', the 'enormous squeeze-me snake' and the 'huge sizzle-me dragon' They also love the way that every time Bertie comes across something scary he says 'Shiver me, shake me!' They love joining in with this phrase that they seem to get louder every time that we read the book.

The illustrations, by Marion Lindsay, are also very good and contribute to the overall enjoyment of the story. The things that Bertie sees in the forest could easily be what he thinks they are but it is also easy to see that they could possibly be other things. We love the way that Bertie himself is depicted with big eyes and a slightly anxious look on his face.

Overall, 'Ready Steady Ghost!' is a lovely book. It is a fun story about a really loveable character and will probably help children think differently about things that might go bump in the night!

I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.

If you think your child will enjoy 'Ready Steady Ghost!', why not take a look at The Beasties by Jenny Nimmo and Gwen Millward, another unlikely sounding bedtime story.

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You can read more book reviews or buy Ready Steady Ghost! by Elizabeth Baguley and Marion Lindsay at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
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