Mountwood School for Ghosts by Toby Ibbotson

Before her death, the wonderful author Eva Ibbotson (Journey to the River Sea is just gorgeous) planned an outline for a new story with her son Toby Ibbotson. This book is the finished product.

Daniel and his friend Charlotte live in Markham Street, a quiet cul-de-sac. Unbeknownst to all the residents there, Jack Bluffit, head of the city's Department of Planning, is planning to bulldoze the whole area and erect a sparkly new shopping centre in its place. When Daniel and Charlotte find out about it, they try their best to stop the demolitions.

Meanwhile, three Great Hagges decide that the ghosts of today are just not scary enough, and so set up Mountwood School for Ghosts. There they teach them how to literally scare humans to death.

When Daniel and Charlotte's actions to stop the building work fail, they decide to seek the help of the three Great Hagges and their ghostly students. Surely that will put a stop to all the devastation?

While I really enjoyed this book, it almost felt like 2 separate stories - one of the two children, and one about the ghosts. It's only really at the end that the two come together. I must admit that I rather preferred the story of Daniel and Charlotte. I lost a bit of interest in all the different ghosts and their stories from the past. But that said, I finished it in a day and a half and would recommend it to our customers.