Oh, I'm sure that I would have loved this one as a child...deliciously imaginative tale of pretend, or was it pretend? ( )

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Definitely more than a creepy adventure - what makes it a book I'll remember, and kids will reread, is the unlikable main character and the subtle exposure of her perspective, her fears, and her dreams. Much of the language is quietly gorgeous, too. The B&W illustrations are an evocative perfect fit. ( )

"Maureen Swanson was known among the other children in her neighborhood as a hard slapper, a shouter, a loud laugher, a liar, a trickster, and a stay-after-schooler." From this delightful opening sentence begins the story of Maureen Swanson, who often pretends to be Maureen Messerman as she gazes wistfully through the locked gates of the Old Messerman Mansion, long decrepit and abandoned, but still captivating and reputed to be haunted. One day Maureen makes her way inside, where she meets a "leppercon" who seems to know about her secret wish to be Maureen Messerman, and who warns her away from the place. A girl like Maureen cannot be warned away from anything, but this neighborhood brat soon discovers that the house is haunted, by sisters far brattier than she, who are capable of terrible magic (which they stole from the leprechaun's bag of tricks), and who are after something Maureen has taken from them. A short, fun, creepy read.

This book is a fun not-so-scary ghost story. The main character Maureen was an enjoyable partner to travel to a haunted house with and is the type of average outcast that allows for kids to mentally join in on her part of the adventure. If I could change anything from this book it would be to have more development of the witch sisters. This book would be great for elementary school kids who want to read about creepy, spooky things, but don't actually want anything too frightening. ( )