The Ghost of Windy Hill

by Clyde Robert Bulla, Don Bolognese (Illustrator)

Rare and Collectable

Genres: Childrens, Mystery, Fiction, Horror, Ghost Stories, Middle Grade, Historical Fiction

84 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

Born to be a Writer
Almost as far back as he can remember, Clyde Robert Bulla wanted to write. Born on a farm in a small town in Missouri, Mr. Bulla's first school was a one-room country schoolhouse. One day his teacher asked each first grade student what he or she would do with a thousand dollars. Young Clyde answered that he would buy a table. His classmates laughed heartily, and his teacher was puzzled. “What I really meant,” says Mr. Bulla, “is a desk or other flat surface on which to write my stories!”

First Stories
Mr. Bulla's first piece of writing was titled, “How Planets Were Born.” The ambitious opening sentence was, “One night old Mother Moon had a million babies.” All through school, Mr. Bulla continued to write stories mostly, but plays and poetry, too. After years of gathering editor's rejection slips, Mr. Bulla sold a magazine story, then several more. Soon after, Mr. Bulla wrote a novel and a publisher accepted it.

The Difficult Years
In the excitement of publishing a novel, Mr. Bulla wrote two more books. Unfortunately, no one wanted to publish them. His luck took a turn for the worse when the publisher of his first book went bankrupt. For several years, he worked at a local weekly newspaper where he struggled with linotype, kept books, collected bills, and wrote a weekly column.

Success!
A couple of Mr. Bulla's weekly columns caught the attention of a well-known author and illustrator of children's books. She wrote to Mr. Bulla, suggesting that he try writing a children's book. He immediately sent her a manuscript for a children's book he'd written a year before. Within one week, an editor of a New York publisher read the manuscript,and it was accepted. The book was The Donkey Cart, published in 1946. Since then, Mr. Bulla has written over twenty books for children, as well as the music for several children's song books.

About The Chalk Box Kid
“When I was young,” explains Mr. Bulla, “I sometimes found it hard to cope in new surroundings, and I was apt to get off on the wrong foot. This is the story of a boy who got off on the wrong foot in a new school and how he tried to cope.” In describing the chalk garden, Mr. Bulla says, “I gave Gregory something I've always wished for: a big, blank wall that I could cover with my own drawings.”

Reviews

[C. (Don't blank click my reviews, comment please!]

Published ahead of my time, "The Ghost Of Windy Hill" has remained among my possessions since I was about age 7. Having transitioned to "Nancy Drew", Laura Ingalls Wilder, and V.C Andrews a few years thereafter; I’m puzzled by 20 year-olds sticking to 'young adult' material! I must have been enchanted with the paranormal so long ago, memories of how this story went faded and I’ve enjoyed experiencing it again. The late Clyde Robert Bulla divulged information succinctly. He used no literary whimsy to fill pages. Moments of family interaction, environmental description, and contact with external characters directly impact the plot. The length is accessible for children but all of the action it contains was made to count.

Set in 1851 but never feeling old for an instant, Mr. Giddings bought his dream property in the village of his youth; Windy Hill. Too uncomfortable there, Mrs. Giddings begs him to consult a professor Carver about a haunted house he once visited. If he could stand to stay at Windy Hill for a month, she might be willing to return. Lorna, Jamie, and Mrs. Carver are thrilled to exchange the city for a summer in the gorgeous tower house and forest, with plentiful rural amenities.

This isn't a deep-seeded ghost encounter, nor is there time to build suspense. But something about Clyde’s protagonists makes you savour any mild adventure they embark upon. It is fun to watch Lorna and Jamie explore the house and acreage a bit and the remarkably eccentric neighbour, Miss Miggie, adds the most flavour of all. If there is any atmospheric spooky tone; it comes from the ink drawings of Don Bolognese. They are like no other illustrations and ooze into the mind like psychiatric 'Rorschach inkblots'. This is an excellent book for a youth to read.

[Lisa]

This was the very first Ghost story I ever read in grade school, and it was the instigator of my love for all things paranormal.

[Mir]

Professor Carver once lived in a supposedly haunted house as a favor to the owner, a friend, to show that there was nothing to be frightened of. Now a stranger asks him to do it again. Initially reluctant, the Professor agrees and takes his wife and two children on a vacation from Boston to the countryside. The story focuses on Lorna and Jamie as they enjoy having their own rooms, explore the woods, meet some odd neighbors, and bake. Gentle and not at all frightening, this is an easy, comforting read suitable for all ages. The story is not the most memorable, but it is interesting enough, and I liked the positive relationship of the siblings and parents, who all get along and treat one another respectfully and sensitively. It is supposedly to be set in 1851 but feels later.

[Jessica]

I saw this book recommended to people who liked The House With A Clock In Its Walls and thought, Hey, maybe we should try that book! Then, when I went to put away House With A Clock, I realized that I OWN this book! I have never read it, but I recognized it. I think it used to belong to one of my siblings, and my mom brought it to me a few years ago along with all my Dr. Seuss books.

Anywhoo, we tried it. It was spooky, but not scary, and the kids liked it okay. I felt like it could have been fleshed out a lot more. None of the "mysteries" went on for more than a few pages, and the ending happens very fast. Cute for little kids that want a Halloween book but don't want to actually read something scary.

[Rod Brown]

This is a book I believe I have owned since a small child but have never bothered to read for nearly fifty years.

A simple bit of children's literature fluff about a skeptical professor taking his family to the country to prove a farm manor is not haunted. Some mildly mysterious hijinks ensue, but all turns out well in the end.

I'm amused by the major role the wives play in causing everything to happen the way they want it to happen while barely getting to appear in the story at all. The husbands get to sit around talking all the time but are shown to really accomplish nothing. I'm convinced the women had the whole mystery worked out in the first chapter with a couple of unstated glances and nods.

[Randi]

I read this as a child and found myself getting it from the library often. This is what got me hooked on the kind of books I mainly read now.

[Christy]

Read aloud to the kids- took forever bc well, it was boring. I grabbed it at a book sale because it was by an author I knew and had read other books by but it was not worth it. When I finished the kids and I all looked at each other like what was that?! And Henry said “that was so badly written” 😆

[Cheryl]

We owned this when I was little. I never liked ghost stories, so I never read it. Too bad! It's a very short novel about a family that disproves ghosts and solves mysteries, could be considered historical fiction as it's a slice-of-life of 1851. Entertaining and thoughtful.

Read now because I'm learning that the author has done good work; I'll continue to read more by him. Illustrator did well, too, and I'd like to see more of his work.

[Catherine]

I read this as a child I think in 4th or 5th grade.....St. Joseph's Hill Academy...... anyway, it prompted creative writing in me and hence a writing assignment for school manifested as 'The House on Windy Hill' great memories.....

[Madeline]

I read this story from my childhood to meet a reading challenge.

There were no greater books in my youth, than a Weekly Reader Book.

[Samichtime]

For a kids book it hits well above its weight class in creepiness. 🥶Great illustrations too! 😺The ending takes a decent IQ to understand so maybe re-read it if it feels underwhelming lol.

[Wendy]

This was one of my favorite books in elementary school! My fourth grade teacher had it on the bookshelf in our classroom, and I loved it so much that during recess I asked her for paper and I spent the entire recess period trying to copy the entire book! Needless to say, I didn't get very far! I was able to find my own copy (actually, two: hardback and paperback) eventually. My specific memories of the book are vague now so I would like to reread it, but I will never forget the delightfully creepy feeling I had reading it as a child! Highly recommend for any child (or grown up!) who loves spooky books.

[Jamie]

My mother got this for me as a child and this started my love of mysteries and suspense. Years and years later, she found it in a box and sent it me. I gingerly pulled it from the package and read it sitting on my floor right there and then. It's just wonderful! Thanks, Mom!

[Lillian]

Great read for kids during the Halloween season. There is talk of a ghost but the main story centers around a family moving into a large farmhouse for the summer and in the end helping several of the new people they meet.

[Laura Floyd]

I'm not sure where this came from or how it wound up in the TBR pile on my nightstand, but there it was, so I read it. It's cute - nothing complex, but a fairly lovely little story that teaches kids the value of being kind and skeptical. I like it for that.

[Paula]

I read this as a tween so picked it up again when I found it at a thrift store recently. It was fun to read again.

[Adele]

Very simply written for easy reading children's mystery. Don't go in expecting any kind of ghost story - it really is not at all. Fast paced and reasonably satisfying ending.

[Cheryl]

3.5 stars -- Jamie & Lorna Carver live in Boston with their professor father and their mother. At the beginning of the story, they live in two rented rooms above a candle shop. In the past, though, the family had once lived in a house that was purportedly haunted. They did not see or hear anything, so the owner claimed that their lack of belief chased away his ghost. That claim gave Professor Carver & his family some notoriety, though, which is what leads Mr. Giddings and his wife to them. The Giddings live in a tall, square house called Windy Hill outside of Boston. Mrs. Giddings believes the place to be haunted and now refuses to live there, so Mr. Giddings wants the Carver family to live there for a month and let him know what they think. This leads to 30 days of living in the country for city kids Jamie & Lorna and the introduction of Riggs, Bruno, Stover, Tench, & Miss Miggie, who all help in some way to prove or disprove The Ghost of Windy Hill.

[James Greening]

I loved this vintage tale of scary ghosts! The illustrations were absolutely amazing, and the book has mystery, compassion, and reveals the fact that the scariest monsters are we human beings! Highly recommend!

[Carmen Tracey]

Cute and suspenseful ghost story appropriate for younger readers. I enjoyed the black and white illustrations as well.

[Derelict Space Sheep]

A slim chapter book that establishes its characters and settings with minimalist ease. Any sense of foreboding comes from Bolognese’s murky ink drawings. The ghost story ends with barely a ripple, revealing itself to have been more about family, love and friendship.

[Julie]

Great childrens book with mystery and interesting characters.

[Kristi]

It was a cute little mystery with a happy ending.

[Jen]

This was good but it ended without an ending I felt. I want to know what happens to several of the characters and in their lives. I felt things are hanging in the air.

[Lorna]

nostalgia read

[Gracie]

Read this to myself to see if it's anything my 5 year old would enjoy. Decent length to read out loud to a little, but she might find it a little slow. A good "spooky" book for children with nothing that's actually supernatural.

[gloriabluestocking]

This early reader was impressive for its atmosphere, characterization, and endearing ending. Quite an accomplishment Bulla has here in such few and simple words.

[Ruth York]

I remember reading this when I was younger. It was a story I liked a lot. Funny story from today: I'd forgotten the title of the book, just remember bits of the story. And it wasn't enough to go off on and find out the title. I'd recently done yet another search in vain just a week or so ago. Today I went to a benefit book sale for a local library. I picked up this (and MANY others) book and noticed it was a Weekly Reader. I've been buying them when I see them, so grabbed this one. As I am cataloging my new purchases into my mini library, I flipped through this story. To my delight, it was like an long lost friend came to visit! So of course, the housework had to wait so I could read it again. As an adult, it was still fun. And I know why my younger self liked it so well. So glad to now have it in my library.

[Cynthia Egbert]

This was my first chapter book as a wee child. I was frustrated by it then and that has not changed. Seviah wanted me to read a book aloud to her (love that my kids still like me to read to them). So, I chose this one so that we had something with a bit more meat than just a picture book. The ending is not what I wanted as a kid and Seviah was also frustrated by it. But then, I am a sucker for a good ghost story and this is not a good ghost story. That being said, it is still a very sweet story that makes me smile so it still gets three stars.

[Gina House]

I really enjoyed this spooky children’s book! The black and white illustrations really impressed me and the simplicity of the writing was enhanced by the creative story. The first page drew me in and I immediately liked the characters, even though there wasn’t much character development. A great read for the Halloween season 🤩🎃🧡