"Genuine Haunted House For Sale"
Susan E. Lee

Stevie can't believe her bad luck when her parents buy their new home. Nor can T.C. Jr., the youngest of the family of resident ghosts. For both of the youngsters, it seems like the adults in their parallel worlds have gone batty. T.C. Jr.'s mum and daddo, The Mrs. and The Captain, cooked up the hair-brained idea of saving their home from the wreckers by selling it. Stevie's parents hatched the idea of documenting the ghosts in order to help re-establish her mother's career as journalist. T.C watches with amusement as Stevie's certainty that "there's no such thing as ghosts" slowly dissolves. But the pressure mounts and the ghosts are forced into hiding as Stevie's parent's attempts to acquire footage of them nearly drive them back to their graves.

Stevie's shaky beliefs come crashing in on her when, in search of some solitude, she meets the ghost family.

Stevie and the ghosts cook up a scheme to get her parents to leave the ghosts alone. It works, but almost too well. Stevie's parents are considering moving again, maybe to the suburbs. With Stevie's new knowledge and her new friendships, this is an unbearable thought. She comes up with a solution to please all of the house's occupants. But will it work? And will the ghosts return?

Reviews

I think everyone goes through that stage of their lives where they say "There is no way I'm EVER going to be like my parents!" I'm certainly no exception. However, as I approach my 30th birthday I find I'm starting to do the whole "what's the matter with kids today" routine.

Of course, part of it is jealousy. Kids today have so much more available to them than I did when I was their age. I spent three years as a Waldenbooks store manager, wondering why children have so many more quality reading options available to them than I did. Not surprisingly, I've picked up many of these "children's" titles and thoroughly enjoyed them myself. Such is the case with Susan E. Lee's Genuine Haunted House For Sale.

Stevie is a wisecracking young girl, whose parents decide that the exact change they need is to move into a haunted house. Stevie's mother is hoping to jumpstart her faded journalism career, and decides that if she can deliver a great scoop (including pictures) of the ghosts in the house, then she'll be back on top. Stevie just thinks her parents are nuttier than a fruitcake.

What's great about this story is that Lee switches point of view back and forth between Stevie and T.C., a young boy ghost. T.C. is none to happy to have his old bedroom invaded by a girl, and vows to do whatever it takes to get Stevie and her family to move out of the house. His antics, as well as those of the older ghosts in the house, provide much amusement to the reader. Ultimately, Stevie must decide whose side she's actually on, her parents' or the ghosts'.

Who says children's literature has to just be for children? I found myself laughing out loud in many sections, and Stevie is such an exquisitely precocious child that you can't help but like her. I'm hoping that Lee will reintroduce us to Stevie in future books, maybe a series?

Don't worry parents. There's nothing here that's going to scare your kids, no gore, no blood. Just a rollicking, fun adventure that's good for kids of all ages. It's just the title to help encourage your non-reader to discover the joy of reading. Hey, Harry Potter may not be around forever you know.

Personally, I'll be on the lookout for more titles to read by Susan E. Lee. I may be trying to recapture my childhood, but as long as there are titles out there like Genuine Haunted House For Sale, it'll be a lot easier and a lot more fun to do.


Reviewed By: J. Alan Hartman
http://www.knowbetter.com

Read an excerpt Here

About the Author:

Susan spent her early years in the small town of Port Hope, Ontario, climbing trees, building dams, and creating worlds in the woods of Monkey Mountains. Her love of drawing led her to complete a degree in Contemporary Art at The Ontario College of Art in Toronto, Ontario. She has exhibited her visual work in Toronto, Ontario; Montreal, Quebec; and New York, N. Y. Gradually words entered her paintings and, over the years, took over as her presiding passion. She moved to Saint Placide, Quebec to live in the country with Michel, who later became her husband. At first there was just the two of them, and their two horses, two dogs, the cat she'd brought with her from Toronto, and any other stray creatures that made their way to her door. A few years later, after the birth of her first child, Nicholas, she began writing and illustrating stories for children. By the time Chloe was born Susan had the routine down and was writing at full speed. Nap times, day-care times, evenings and whenever else she could find time Susan was tapping away at her keyboard.

In 1995, Bridges, her first short story for young adults,was published by Thistledown Press in its anthology Notes Across The Aisle. Fall 2001 will see the publication of another of her YA short stories, Courage, Marguerite, in Ronsdale Press' anthology Beginnings. Kidsworld Magazine and its French sister Planete 912 will be publishing her photo-essay, Come Fly A Kite (But Don't Forget Your LongJohns) January 2002.

When she's not writing Susan is spending time with her children and husband, directing the library at her children's school, working with her two ponies and one Belgian horse, gardening, and (her other passion) reading.

Susan would love to hear from her readers. She can be emailed at honeylee@total.net.

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