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The Ghost of Nicholas Greebe
In Colonial Massachusetts, the ghost of a recently-buried farmer haunts his widow's house after a dog takes one of his bones on a long journey
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 1996
About the author
Tony Johnston
144 books55 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Tony Johnston has written many acclaimed books for young people. She and her husband lived in Mexico for fifteen years, where they raised their children. She now lives in San Marino, California.
Tony Johnston has written many acclaimed books for young people. She and her husband lived in Mexico for fifteen years, where they raised their children. She now lives in San Marino, California.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 3, 2024
I remember taking this book out from my school library every Halloween in elementary school. It creeped me out but my mom and I always had fun reading it. I forgot about it until a few years ago but couldn’t find the book anywhere because I couldn’t recall the name of the book. I finally found it and it’s just as spooky as I remembered!
September 11, 2019
I discovered this book in the elementary school library during my internship for my Master of Library and Information Science program. As it is set in Massachusetts, I just had to read it. It's a bit creepy, but fun, too, and I loved the circuitous route the bone takes.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and I loved the historical setting.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and I loved the historical setting.
January 16, 2018
The book was interesting. It was about a man who died and a dog who unburried his bone. Due to the dog the bone made a trip basically across country and found it's way home. The ghost of Nicholas Greebe was unhappy until the bone to his body came home.
To find out about the travel of the bone and where it went, how it got there, and how it got home was interesting. How the dog was involved and how a relative brought it home. My kids really liked this book and found it funny.
Non Fiction Picture Book
To find out about the travel of the bone and where it went, how it got there, and how it got home was interesting. How the dog was involved and how a relative brought it home. My kids really liked this book and found it funny.
Non Fiction Picture Book
October 24, 2013
A book my 5 yr old as well as my twin 3 yr olds loved. A solid reading level 3 book, this spooky Halloween story keeps all ages engaged with the bright colorful pictures and fun story. A great addition to any children's library.
September 9, 2013
Nicholas Greebe was a farmer in colonial New England. He died in winter and his family buried him in a shallow grave because the ground was so hard to dig.
About a ear later, a dog dug up his bones and ran off with one Nicholas's leg bones. Nicholas's ghost rose from his grave and began to haunt his farmhouse where his family still lived.
Nicholas's leg bone went on an adventure of its own. The dog took it on a ship and sailor carved the bone with pictures. The ship sank and so did the bone.
After a long while--about 100 years--the bone was caught in a fishing net and the fisherman sold the carved bone to a shopkeeper. A traveler saw it and bought it as a souvenir for his family, who lived on Nicholas's farm! A little dog found the bone in his travel bag and took it outside to bury it. Nicholas's skeleton was complete and his ghost could now rest in peace.
Bryce picked this book out at the library and when asked to rate it, he gave it 20 stars!
Sean also loved it and gave it 10 stars.
The summer of 2013 found both boys intrigued with the concept of death, skeletons, and the undead!
About a ear later, a dog dug up his bones and ran off with one Nicholas's leg bones. Nicholas's ghost rose from his grave and began to haunt his farmhouse where his family still lived.
Nicholas's leg bone went on an adventure of its own. The dog took it on a ship and sailor carved the bone with pictures. The ship sank and so did the bone.
After a long while--about 100 years--the bone was caught in a fishing net and the fisherman sold the carved bone to a shopkeeper. A traveler saw it and bought it as a souvenir for his family, who lived on Nicholas's farm! A little dog found the bone in his travel bag and took it outside to bury it. Nicholas's skeleton was complete and his ghost could now rest in peace.
Bryce picked this book out at the library and when asked to rate it, he gave it 20 stars!
Sean also loved it and gave it 10 stars.
The summer of 2013 found both boys intrigued with the concept of death, skeletons, and the undead!
January 3, 2016
Library Book, not originally on my tbr list
Lovely illustrations render the coldness of winter in New England. Whenfarmer Nicholas Greebe died, it was midnight and frigidly frosty. While shaking and shivering, the next day, his relatives dug a shallow grave. One year later, the relatives came to the farm to celebrate the life of farmer Greebe. When a small dog ran outside, no one seemed to notice.
Finding the grave, and digging, soon the dog found a bone. Jumping into a nearby carriage, the dog hastily chewed his treasure. The author begins the tale of Nicholas Greebe's haunting. While floating throughout the farmhouse, he repeats
"From this night forth
I quest, I quest,
till all my bones
together rest
It takes 100 years until the bone is returned and Nicholas can then rest.
Lovely illustrations render the coldness of winter in New England. Whenfarmer Nicholas Greebe died, it was midnight and frigidly frosty. While shaking and shivering, the next day, his relatives dug a shallow grave. One year later, the relatives came to the farm to celebrate the life of farmer Greebe. When a small dog ran outside, no one seemed to notice.
Finding the grave, and digging, soon the dog found a bone. Jumping into a nearby carriage, the dog hastily chewed his treasure. The author begins the tale of Nicholas Greebe's haunting. While floating throughout the farmhouse, he repeats
"From this night forth
I quest, I quest,
till all my bones
together rest
It takes 100 years until the bone is returned and Nicholas can then rest.
October 22, 2009
A longer story that's well suited to the lower primary grades during Halloween season as it's not too scary. Pretty much all Nicholas does is sit and complain that "From this night forth I quest, I quest, till all my bones together rest." Disconcerting to be sure, but not precisely threatening. S. D. Schindler's ink illustrations are full of tiny details and have a washed out palette that suits the ghostly story.
Used for Spooktacular Tons of Fun program for 2nd and 3rd graders in October 2009.
Used for Spooktacular Tons of Fun program for 2nd and 3rd graders in October 2009.
October 22, 2008
Haunting, humour and expertly crosshatched seventeenth century detail make the moonlit migrations of a borrowed bone a slightly spooky Hallowe’en favourite.
You can listen in on our chat about this book on our Just One More Book! Children's Book Podcast.
You can listen in on our chat about this book on our Just One More Book! Children's Book Podcast.
June 29, 2016
We picked this book up at the library about two years ago and my daughter instantly fell in love with it. This is definitely one of those books that she loves to read over and over again! Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find it to buy for her, so we'll just have to keep borrowing it from the library.
May 7, 2009
Scaaaaaarry! Seriously, the illustrations are wonderfully ghoulish, and the story is as wonderfully rural and folksy as 'Sleepy Hallow'.
'Forevermore
I quest, I quest,
till all my bones
together rest'
'Forevermore
I quest, I quest,
till all my bones
together rest'
October 22, 2013
I had the great pleasure of reading this book to my daughters 2nd grade classroom. Never have I seen so many kids, sit so quietly and riveted to a book. They loved it! I loved it! Great read aloud story! I need more just like it!
December 6, 2013
This is a book that I ADORED as a kid (and still do). It is a story of a ghost wailing for a bone and the journey his bone takes to get home. It might sound silly based on my description but it is not. It really is a ghost story and one that I have loved since before I could walk.
August 31, 2010
This book is so much fun to read aloud!
March 26, 2022
A ghost story for the younger crowd - spooky without being Scary, and with a bit of humor thrown in. The type of dark sense of humor that fans of The Gashlycrumb Tinies would appreciate. Needless to say, I enjoyed it, though I would have loved to see more of the travels of the bone before it made its way back to Massachusetts and Nicholas Greebe. Too long for a picture book, but one I'd recommend for check out for my easy reading/older picture book crowd, especially around Halloween.
October 2, 2020
Fun, funny, slightly spooky Halloween book. Kids will enjoy it.
January 27, 2026
I really liked this story; it had a haunting feeling to it, and it would be great for Halloween. I also loved the artwork.
October 29, 2019
Since it’s Halloween time I wanted to read some spooky tales with the kids. So I read this one with the the girl and we both really liked it. A man dies and is buried, one of his bones get stolen and he haunts his home and family till he gets it back. We both agreed the dog was to be blamed for everything and laughed over that. This was cute, and I loved the illustrations.
March 27, 2017
Old Nick has trouble resting in peace after a little dog steals his thigh bone. Improbably, the bone manages to travel round the world before coming home to rest with Greebe's other weary bones.
This is terrific fun, and a wonderful read for Halloween, or any time of year.
This is terrific fun, and a wonderful read for Halloween, or any time of year.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews