Ghost Knight

Gr 5–8—Jon Whitcroft, 11, relishes the maniacal tricks he plays on "The Beard," his stepfather-to-be, but his mother is not amused and sends him to a boarding school in Salisbury (England). His troubles multiply when he encounters a bloodthirsty ghost who vows to kill him because of an ancient feud with the Whitcrofts. Jon and his schoolmate Ella summon Sir William Longspee, a medieval ghost knight, to fight off Stourton. In return, Jon promises to find Longspee's stolen heart and return it to his wife's spirit so he can rest in peace. Salisbury cathedral makes a fitting setting for a story steeped in historical detail. Readers will shiver in pleasure at ghostly duels in graveyards and beneath Gothic vaulted ceilings. Jon's problems seem believable, and the first-person conversational style creates an intimate, informal tone. Offermann's illustrations are a gift to readers. Carefully thought-out perspectives and soaring lines contrast the massive cathedral with its temporally bound human inhabitants. However, a few problems mar the story's potential. Readers may wonder why Jon chooses to tell the story eight years later and with an adult sensibility. The major action, defeating Stourton, ends 100 pages before the conclusion, which makes for an extended period of falling action. Several significant plot twists turn on coincidence. While Latsch's translation is often lyrical, it occasionally stumbles ("Ella never makes too many words"). Funke's gift is demonstrating the transformative power of adventure. During those moments, readers will be delighted.—Caitlin Augusta, Stratford Library Association, CT