A GUST OF GHOSTS

Life is hard when you think like a scientist and your parents are ghost hunters.

Graveyard visits are nothing new to Poppy Malone and her siblings—twin brother, older sister and 5-year-old brother. They’re accustomed to moving from one place to another as their parents attempt to document ghostly apparitions and other paranormal incidents. When Poppy unknowingly "invites" a troupe of ghosts into their house, she seizes the opportunity to capture them on film and save her parents’ grant funding from being cut off. But, how to get rid of them? The ghosts are stock characters: an older Shakespearean actor, a lone, heartbroken cowboy, two bossy women, a mischievous boy and even a dog. While the opening is chaotic and fairly predictable, hijinks ensue and Poppy’s scientific explanations add a touch of reality. Pale on characterization, dependent on plot and urban myths, this "gust" is more of a light breeze.

Second in a preteen series of spooky stories, the lure of ghosts will attract readers, particularly those who have read the first one (A Gaggle of Goblins, 2010).