Golden & Grey: The Nightmares That Ghosts Have

Invisible Friend #2

by Louise Arnold

When you have a ghost as an Invisible Friend, like Tom Golden does, you quickly learn the benefits. Grey Arthur supplies Tom with pens in class, grabs Tom's lunch when he forgets it on the kitchen counter, and generally helps him out as any best friend would do. It's just that, in this case, no one else can see him.

But right as Tom is settling into a comfortable routine, his world is turned upside down once again when Grey Arthur starts a school for Invisible Friends -- drawing ghosts from near and far who are looking to learn the newest job in the ghost world. Before Tom knows it, he's being followed by a group of Invisible Friends in training as they watch his every move, practice their new skills, and do their best to fit in.

Meanwhile, ghosts are mysteriously, silently disappearing, dangerously disrupting the balance between the human and ghost worlds. When some of their closest friends go missing, Tom, Grey Arthur, and the Invisible Friends in training jump into action to discover what's going on -- not only to rescue their ghostly friends but also to protect Tom's parents from losing their home.

Louise Arnold's distinctive voice comes shining through in this brilliantly funny novel, a treat for established fans of the Golden & Grey series as well as those just joining the fun.

Genres: Fantasy, Childrens, Ghosts, Fiction, Middle Grade, Paranormal, Adventure

304 pages, Hardcover

Published August 22, 2006

About the author

Ever since I was a child, I’d dreamed of becoming an author. It was the wish I would always make on the first star of the night, or when blowing out of the birthday cake candles. I kept stacks of notebooks, filled to over flowing with poetry, stories, ideas and doodles, hoping that one day they would make it into print. The first book published, The Invisible Friend, is actually loosely based on a book I wrote when I was 10 for a school competition - a book about a ghost called Boo! who wasn’t very good at being scary, and how he made friends with two girls. Fourteen years later, for another competition (the BBC’s ‘Are You The Next JK Rowling?’) I dusted off that old idea of a lost ghost, and that was how The Invisible Friend came to exist. Funny how things work out, isn’t it?

What else? I’m a chronic daydreamer (something my friends always laugh about), I love cats, I’m a tad messy and a bit of a hoarder, I adore visiting castles, I’m afraid of wasps, I sometimes sleep walk when I’m stressed, and I’m a complete car boot sale addict, always trying to pick up strange new objects that could crop up in my books.

Reviews

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tom Golden's life gets a little more complicated when his friend starts operating a school for invisible friends in their home. That would be bad enough, except that ghosts are disappearing, and we think they're being stolen, and it's really not good.

This one is a little more serious than the first - among other things, the bad guy is better integrated into the story. (And let me tell you, he is scary. Not scary in and of himself - as they tell Tom before going for the major confrontation, he can't REALLY hurt humans - but scary in how he thinks and acts. That little speech he gives Tom? Chills and shivers.)

I will say that one thing doesn't add up - and this is a SPOILER, so be aware! We know by the end of the book how to defeat the villain, and it's something simple. All (or at least many) of the ghosts in England are holed up at Tom's house for safety and companionship... of course, if the Collector finds them, it's REALLY all over. And this is a BIG target for him if he should find out about them!

Instead of sending Tom and a small crew of ghosts out to get the Collector, why not arm all the ghosts with their secret weapon and lure him over to Tom's house? Wouldn't that have been more efficient and a lot safer for the ghosts? Why not at least TELL them how to deal with this guy so that they wouldn't be so scared in the meantime?

Well, obviously that solution would've lacked a certain panache, and for storytelling reasons this one makes more sense, but the characters don't know that!

That's my only big issue with the book, and it's not that big, so... yeah. I recommend this for any child old enough to not be too freaked out by how horrible Tom's school is.

[Kaethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first, so I'm hoping the second will be good. And that I can recommend them to the Possum.

***

This is my ghost book for Halloween. Not my first choice, but it was to hand.

It's amusing, and only just a little bit creepy. Okay if the child doesn't fear Dementors.

***

End's well. I particularly like the Stonehenge bit. Nice juxtaposition with The Crystal Caves which has a very different Stonehenge bit.

[Mary MacKintosh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Apparently there was a title before this one. This book would be a good one for an 8-10 year old who wants to read a not too scary thriller. I am not sure what a ghost is in Arnold's universe, but ghosts do not seem to be spirits left after a death. They seem to be 'other' than human. That ratchets back some of the scary quality; we are not opening a door into a world of the dead here. The terms for the various kinds of ghosts and some of the names of places are reminiscent of J.K. Rowling—snorgles, for example, are ghosts that haunt bathrooms and make them smell. The main character, Tom, lives in Thorbleton. Perhaps this is just a British-ism. This book would not appeal to adults, but it was not written with an adult audience in mind. The earlier title (Golden & Grey (an unremarkable bo and a rather remarkable ghost) has positive reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books.

[Darla · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Genre: Children's Fiction/Fantasy) Fun addition to the first book. This installment finds Arthur Grey (invisible ghost friend) instructing other ghosts on how to become an invisible friend. This makes Tom Golden's life a little crazy as different ghosts arrive at the Golden residence to receive training. But soon they notice that other ghosts are disappearing and they (Tom, Arthur, and the invisible friend trainees) set out to solve the mystery of why these ghosts are vanishing. Cute story and I love the ghost world that Arnold has created and meshed so well with our own. I think I may see if my 8 year old is interested in this series, as 3rd grade seems about the right audience for these stories.

[Joel Senaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is really good in my opinion because it really detailed and it tells you background information about everything. This book is mainly about a boy who could see ghost. Then he makes ghosts as his' friend and they help him throughout his' life. The author detailed all the ghosts and described each of there role in society for example the screamer the ghost who gives people nightmares. On a rate from 1-10 I will gives this book a 8 because it really interesting. The author does a good job of making the reader imagine what happening in there head. He expresses the feeling of each ghosts and not just the main character. He relates the scene with real life causes which makes the book more fun to read.

[Lisa the Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute and fairly inventive, I liked the first one better.

In this book there are a lot more ghosts and we learn more about the different types or occupations of ghosts. Tom, Arthur and their new friends have a mystery to solve that takes them on a complicated journey. I won't give more away,but it does keep you guessing.

[ceelie❀ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 Stars

This book as I read from a review is likable. It's very interesting and well put up together. I have to admit that I wasn't into it unlike the first one, but maybe because of the reason that I was much younger then. Anyway, to sum it all up, it's a great story. At least it's not disappointing.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

yeah it was alright, maybe made for younger readers than i but sometimes those books are a lot better than those intended for my own age group. I wished the collector was someone mentioned earlier in the story and that Tom was betrayed because then maybe there would've been a better reason for collecting the ghosts lol

[Light · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay I think you should read the first part before that part because it 'll be more enjoyable if you know the events from beginning and also i like the first part more but that part was also good ,,
so i can't give him just 3 stars :)

[Tessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

it's good, but don't blame me if you get freaked out at the end!

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was so slow for me. I had a hard time staying awake for it. It ended well enough, though.

[Carolina · Rating 5 out of 5]

As good, if not better, as the first.

[Brett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually enjoyed this more than the first one. The introduction of the ghosts attending the "invisible friend school" was a great idea, & I hope to hear what all of them wind up doing.

[Aubrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh, not as interesting to me, somehow.

[Avinash Sankar · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a good bed time story book. No horror, No Scary but supernatural story. Good to read.

[Dionne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kindle version. The ebook was so badly edited and had grammar and punctuation errors everywhere. The story was charming, at least.

[Alicia Vázquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book, it's so funny and charming and it's easy to read for people who are improving their German.