22 February 2014

Fonzie's Ghost Boy Isn't for Us

People of older generations will remember Henry Winkler as "The Fonz" from Happy Days.  Today's generation know him as a children's author, as well as an actor.  He co-writes with Lin Oliver on the Hank Zipzer and Ghost Buddy series.

Ghost Buddy books are always on the Book Fair and I had been trying to convince Isaac to read one.  Last spring, his second grade teacher gave him the third book in the series as an end of the year gift, so we started reading it over the summer.

The premise of the series is that the main character, Billy Broccoli, moves to a new house and new school when his mom remarries.  The house is also inhabited by Hoover Porterhouse, III, otherwise known as "The Hoove," a pre-teen ghost from the early twentieth century. There is the cranky new older step-sister and the neighborhood bully to deal with, as well as Billy's school-yard crush on the pretty girl in class, all of which The Hoove helps Billy navigate. The third book finds The Hoove being restricted in his hauntings because the Higher Ups do not deem him responsible enough to enjoy the freedom of moving around, so Billy sets out to make The Hoove learn responsibility by bringing home a pet for him to take care of.

Unfortunately, Isaac could not give "The Fonz" two thumbs up and an "Ay!" on this book.  To be honest, I don't think we even finished it.  The Hoove is rather annoying and the plot moves rather slow.  Neither of us really cared whether or not the boy ghost regained his freedom, we just wanted him to stop whining about it.

So, sorry Fonzie.  I don't think Ghost Buddy is for us.  But I still think your cool.




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