Rules for Ghosting

by A.J. Paquette

Twelve-year-old Dahlia has always lived at Silverton Manor--having spent fifty years as its resident ghost. When Oliver Day and his family show up as house-sitters the day Mrs. Tibbs, a Liberator sent by the Spectral Investigative Council, arrives to teach Dahlia the proper rules for ghosting, Dahlia can't wait to make new friends. But the unscrupulous ghost hunter, Rank Wiley, and the crooked town councilman, Jock Rutabartle, plan to rid Silverton Manor of its ghosts and sell it to the highest bidder. With her home and friendships at stake Dahlia may have to break the rules of ghosting as quickly as she learns them to solve the mystery of her death and save the manor. Equal parts charming and eerie, this ghostly caper hits all the right notes for the middle-grade audience.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Ghosts, Fiction, Mystery, Childrens, Juvenile

272 pages, Hardcover

First published July 9, 2013

About the author

A. J. PAQUETTE lives in Massachusetts with her family, where she is also a literary agent. Nowhere Girl is her first novel.

Reviews

[Trisha Slay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a voracious, nearly insatiable appetite for non-horror ghost stories and this one is fantastic! It’s full of eccentric, creative characters that made laugh. Paquette’s descriptions of Silverton Manor are pitch-perfect while her use of alternating viewpoints between the living boy and the ghost girl really brings the story’s tension and mystery to life. I should donate my copy of this novel to a library so more grade school readers can enjoy it, but I don’t think I will be able to part with it.

[Marta Boksenbaum · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is funny, sweet and extremely silly. Dahlia is a ghost who has been stuck in her old house for years, and she assumes that's just the way things are until one day, another ghost walks through the front gate. Turns out the ghost world has a bureaucracy, and she is there to help Dahlia who slipped through the cracks due to some misfiled paperwork. At the same time, Oliver and his family move in to the house and he is determined that this is the permanent house for them. Silliness ensues at Dahlia learns about proper Ghost procedures and rules, and tries to evade the "Ghosterminator" who got into the house by portraying himself as a handyman. Oliver and his siblings try to help the ghosts and keep the house from being sold to someone else. This book is absolutely adorable and made me laugh out loud at times. The author is coming to visit our library in April and I am very excited to discuss this book with her.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

For some reason, this book took me SO LONG TO READ. It just didn't really hold my attention, which is sad, 'cause I'd really like to book-talk it at elementary schools for summer reading school visits, but if it didn't hold MY attention, I can't imagine it holding kids' attentions?

There's nothing wrong with this book, at all. It's well-written, it's a cute take on the haunted house genre (when do you get to read a haunted house book from the point of view of the ghost!?), it's just the right amount of mystery...

But it just didn't capture my attention. Maybe I should book talk it anyway and see what kids think? Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood for the gentle pace of the story?

[Nicole Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fun characters, interesting story line. Made me want to read more from A.J. Paquette!

Quotes:
-"But luckily, to me, challenge is nothing more than a great bundle of fun in disguise." Mrs. Tibbs (p21)
- "Who knew that changing your perspective could make such a difference in what you see!" Dahlia (p37)
- "If there is a better time than the present for beginnings, I'm sure I've never found it." Mrs. Tibbs (p53)

[Emily Bates · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, ghostly adventure with two kids in a haunted manor: a ghost girl who just wants to leave, and a living boy who just wants to stay. Loved the family dynamics and the ghostly rules.

[Gracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun ghosting book-just a little creepy.👻

[C Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quaint book! Looking foreward to reading it to my nephew.

[Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun middle grade read, perfect for spooky season!

[Aeicha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A.J. Paquette's Rules for Ghosting is an utterly delightful and superbly entertaining middle-grade read! This ghoulicious gem of a book is full of spooky, charming fun and storytelling that simply sparkles and shines!

For fifty years, 12 year old Dahlia has lived at Silverton Manor as its resident ghost. Mrs. Tibbs, a Liberator from the very important and rigid Spectral Investigation Council, shows up to teach Dahlia the proper rules for ghosting and help her uncover the anchor that is keeping her stuck at Silverton Manor. On the same day as Mrs. Tibbs arrival, Oliver Day and his family of house-sitters move into the manor. The Days' job is to ensure the manor gets a pretty makeover, both for its physical appearance and its reputation, so that Jock Rutabartle can sell it. But a nasty ghost hunter named Rank Wiley gets in the way of both Dahlia and the Days. Dahlia must break some ghosting rules to save herself and help Oliver save the beloved manor.

I loved everything about this book! The characters, the plot, the writing- it's all just awesome. Rules for Ghosting is the perfect middle-grade blend of fun thrills, eerie whimsy, and smart mystery. Paquette's storytelling has that special spark, the kind that is fueled by a wonderfully imaginative and addicting story, that I always look for in middle-grade books. With a pitch-perfect voice, amusing humor, and clever plotting, Rules for Ghosting is truly captivating from beginning to end.

I'm huge fan of ghost stories and ghost hunting, and Paquette has created the perfect middle-grade ghost story that has a enough eerie spookiness to keep readers enthralled, but is brimming with charm and age-appropriate thrills. This book was seriously just SO MUCH fun to read! It has so many fantastic elements, from an enchanting setting (Silverton Manor) to a compelling mystery to awesome characters, this book has it all. Silverton Manor, with its irresistible charm; mysterious allure; and many rooms waiting to be explored, is like a character in itself. Given the chance, I'd move into Silverton Manor (and claim Poppy's room!). Paquette weaves a clever, unpredictable mystery that kept me on my toes and was exciting to unravel with Dahlia and Oliver.

The characters in Rules for Ghosting shine! I adore ghost-girl Dahlia; she's everything I look for in a middle-grade heroine: smart, brave, capable, inquisitive, and endearing. Oliver and his rambunctious younger siblings make for an engaging and amusing bunch. Younger readers will love this group of young characters and want to join their ghost-hunter busting team (I know I do!). And Rank and Jock make for fun baddies.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: With spooks and kooks, thrills and chills, and sparkle and shine, Rules for Ghosting is an awesome middle-grade read that charmed me completely. I can't recommend this book enough, especially for all the younger readers in your life!

[Brandy Painter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted here at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.

This has been a great year for books with ghosts. (Maybe this is the case every year except I've just actually been reading them this year.) Either way, Rules of Ghosting by A.J. Paquette is a fun addition to this years crop of ghost books, particularly good for the younger MG reader who wants to read a haunting tale without being creeped out or scared.

Rules for Ghosting has a wonderful cast of characters. Dahlia is a ghost who learned how to negotiate her ghostly existence all on her own. She star gazes, gardens (catching dead flowers to add to her collection), and has her own special room in the house. She is bound to the grounds of the property where she died, and has never figured out how to leave. This changes when Mrs. Tibbs arrives to explain a mistake has been made and she is there to help Dahlia locate her anchor and move on. Mrs. Tibbs is a wonderful mentor, kind, understanding, and hard working. On the heels of Mrs. Tibbs, Oliver and his family arrive to fix up the Manor for sale. Oliver takes one look at the house and knows this is his family's dream house. They need to do everything they can to remain in it. He enlists the help of his siblings, and they are able to help not only themselves but Dahlia and Mrs. Tibbs too, who are in danger from a devious ghost hunter there to trap and experiment on them.

I love stories with old houses, mysteries, and hidden rooms. This story has all of them. There is an old curse on the house that is rumored to have caused terrible damage to many family members. More than one mysterious death has occurred there. It is up to Dahlia and her human friends to untangle the mystery of the curse and her own death so that she can move on and they can save the house. As I also always love a good sibling story, this aspect of the book worked really well for me too. Silverton Manor is the perfect setting for such a story, the villain strikes just the right tone between creepy and easily duped, and the heroes are likeable.

If you know a person looking for a ghost story, who isn't quite looking for the darker elements found in books like The Year of Shadows and The Screaming Staircase, this is a wonderful choice.

[Chelsey Wolford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dahlia Silverton is not your average ghost. By this I mean that when we think ghosts we think of hauntings, poltergeists, and tricks our minds can play on us at times, but not in this case. Dahlia Silverton has been stuck, literally, on the grounds of Silverton Manor ever since her death long, long ago. When a new family, the Day’s, move in Dahlia has hope that she might be released from her pull to Silverton Manor. Dahlia has more trouble her way than she foresees at first, but with the help of another ghost, Mrs. Tibbs, Dahlia hopes to learn the rules for ghosting and cut her ties in the process.

This was a wonderful middle grades books, but something just didn’t fit the bill for me. I enjoyed it well enough, and I think that middle grade readers will as well. However, I felt like there was a lot going on in this story, especially for middle grade readers to keep up with. I think some of the excess “fluff” as I call it could have been cut out. There were too many characters, who each had stories of their own, for my liking. Do not judge this paragraph as my reaction to the book.

I still enjoyed this book, and I read it all the way through to the very last page. I think Dahlia is the new Casper, and I loved Oliver’s character. He was just curious enough to make this tale funny and adventurous. I also enjoyed Mrs. Tibbs who I saw as a secondary character. A.J. Paquette had the makings of a fascinating cast of characters, but some of the extra stuff could have been cut out. After I was halfway through the book, I was only concerned with what was going on with Dahlia and Oliver, and I feel that this is the way it should be. After all they are the two main characters!

***An ARC copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Walker Children’s in exchange for my honest review***

[Rebecca]

Both boys and girls will find a hero/heroine in this fast-paced ghostly mystery. There are actually three mysteries going on here, all interconnected. Dahlia's been the lone ghost at Silverton Mansion for decades. She cannot leave the property and, much worse, cannot remember how she died. As our story begins she is visited by Mrs. Tibbs, a ghost herself, who is a "Liberator" sent to help ghosts who are stuck and can't move forward in their journey. She explains to Dahlia how the girl slipped through the cracks of the vast bureaucracy called the Ghouncil and that the reason Dahlia can't leave the property is that she is "Anchored." Something from her past has a hold of her and won't let go. So Mystery One is to find Dahlia's Anchor. Mystery Two is to find out how Dahlia died. And Mystery 3 brings us to our boy hero, Oliver.

Oliver and family are professional house-sitters. They have been commissioned to spruce up the long-neglected Silverton Mansion for resale. Also, since tales abound about how the mansion is haunted, the slimy real-estate agent, Mr. Rutabartle, is demanding that they "normalize" the place as well. All well and good. Enter Mr. Rank Wiley. Oliver's father confuses Mr. Wiley with an all-purpose handyman, an occupation Mr. Wiley is delighted to pretend to have since his nefarious purposes will be perfectly served by being allowed complete access to the mansion. Oliver knows Rank Wiley is up to no good but how to prove it? And exactly what is> he up to? Oliver needs to know because he rightly suspects Wiley will mess up his chance to have his family buy the place.

To solve all three mysteries Dahlia and Oliver need to work together except the Ghouncil forbids it. What's a ghost and boy to do?

This book is good for a wide range of readers. There is always something going on and so I would recommend it to reluctant readers.

[J.C. Phillipps]

(In 2013 I stopped giving star ratings, but I still give my opinions in my reviews.)

Rules for Ghosting is the story of Dahlia, a twelve-year-old girl ghost who's been haunting Silverton Manor for fifty some odd years. And by "haunting" I mean hanging around, stuck, trying to fill her time with collecting expired items like dead flowers and decaying furniture. When Mrs. Tibbs, a ghost Liberator, arrives Dahlia is thrilled to have another ghost to talk to and to help her leave Silverton Manor. Meanwhile, a new family, The Days, have arrived to spruce up the place and get it ready to sell. This is their job and the Day children are sick of it. Oliver Day, the eldest, wants to stay and make Silverton Manor his home.

Leaving the house turns out to be a bigger challenge than Dahlia thought and staying is nearly impossible for Oliver.

To top it all off, a nasty pest of a Ghostbuster, Rank T. Wiley, shows up to try to suck Dahlia and Mrs. Tibbs up and prove himself to the scientific community.

Rules for Ghosting is a great middle grade book that is just scary enough to thrill without causing nightmares and a fun adventure for those who enjoy ghosts, gadgets, and crazy pranks. The story moves along as smoothly as Dahlia glides across the floor. This book would be great for a child in 4th, 5th, or 6th grade - maybe older - depending on the reading level and the readers interest in ghosts and haunted houses.

Dahlia is a great character with a fantastically plucky voice, a ton of enthusiasm, and a huge heart. A personal favorite of mine is Mrs. Tibbs, who's a bit of a Bureaucratic Mary Poppins sans umbrella.

This is a super fun book, well written, full of colorful characters and -if I'm going to be superficial - I love the cover art too!

[Kristen Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rules for Ghosting is told from two point of views. Oliver is a boy whose family's job is to move into and fix up houses before they are sold. All he wants, however, is a real home and he thinks Silverton Manor will be that home the first day they move in. Dahlia is a girl who has ghosted the manor for decades and just recently was discovered to be in need of crossing over by the Spectral Investigative Council, who sends Mrs. Tibbs to help her find her source. Once the source is found, she will be able to move on to the other side.

Beyond that, is the problem of a ghost hunter showing up, pretending to be a live-in handy man. Oliver catches on that their is something fishy about Rank Wiley, but no one will listen to him. With the help of his sister, Oliver discovers Dahlia's dilemma and the danger she faces from Rank Wiley. When Mrs. Tibbs is taken by Wiley, they face an even harder dilemma as the race to find her source becomes even more desperate.

Rules for Ghosting was a surprise read for me. I thought it would be a lot more cutesy, but there were some very intense moments that had me on the edge of my seat. I felt it had a lot of great plot twists and characters that make it stand out from the usual haunted house story.

Final Verdict: Rules for Ghosting was a stand out ghost story, some parts were quite scary but with added humor and great characters I felt it really pulled together as a novel anyone could enjoy.

[Akoss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even after taking time to digest this book, I'm still not sure where to start talking about it. It left me with mixed feelings and an unfinished business.
The beginning sucked me in with a fun voice and a very vivid imagery. Think goofy cartoon or better yet a goofy 3D animated movie. That's how good the author's descriptions were. The scenery including the manor was just perfect for that creepy feeling to settle under your skin. The cool kind of creepy.
I loved the Day family right away with their quirkiness and goofiness at times.
This was a ghost story but also a mystery at the heart. Unfortunately the mystery took a bit long to draw me in. On the bright side it was a mystery with dangerous and secret filled twists.
The author's take on ghosts and haunting was pretty cool. I liked all the technicalities involved with how a ghost should cross over and all the intricate details of a ghost life. It was like a whole new world on its own and one with ridiculous rules that sometimes got me laughing.
The ending was ok although I was looking forward to something that didn't quite happen. I suspect a sequel but I could be wrong.
There is a little bit of everything in there. Devilish siblings, an evil-smart ghosthunter (reminded me of the ghostbusters), a deadly mystery, a fun and interesting ghost and a Halloween party to remember.

[Ms. Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oliver and his family move into the Silverton Manor on what is supposed to be a six month stay. His parents are house sitters and they are there to oversee the renovations before the house is put on the market. Oliver soon discovers that his family are not the only residents of Silverton Manor. Dahlia Silverton also lives there -- except she's a twelve-year-old ghost that's been dead over 50 years. Trapped on the property, Dahlia is thrilled to have a family living with her. That is, until a Ghosterminator disguises himself as a handyman and seeks to capture the ghosts haunting the house, including Dahlia. Oliver and his sister search frantically for what is keeping Dahlia trapped there, in hopes of helping her escape capture!

I enjoyed this book much more as I kept on reading. At the start, I thought the story was too predictable, but I'm happy to say I was pleased to be surprised with a few twists in the last half of the book. Those who enjoy ghost stories, but really don't want to be scared will enjoy this one. There are a few spooky moments, but the humor far outweighs the fear. B- rating.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked up this book on a recent "library shelf run" and we enjoyed it. This story features a gentle set of ghosts, an equally gentle young boy, and a very mean councilman and "ghosterminator."

It's not a ghost story in the sense that it isn't scary or suspenseful, but the MC -- Dahlia, a 12-year-old ghost -- has to unravel the mystery of how she died while learning the "rules for ghosting." Her schooling's been overlooked for a few centuries by the Spectral Council, which sends an older ghost to tutor her.

Dahlia has a lot to learn when a little boy, Oliver, who can see her, shows up with his family to house sit. Unfortunately, the house is on a town councilman's radar and he hires a "ghosterminator" to get rid of Dahlia.

Can Dahlia and Oliver thwart the ghosterminator? Will she ever learn how she died and be able to get beyond the barrier around the house to which she's tethered? And if she does, will she go or stay with Oliver?

Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/

[Natalie Lorenzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this book–the characters, the setting, and the plot twists all make for an engaging page-turning read. The writing has a Penderwicks-style charm to it, and the fast-paced mystery and spooky elements make it appealing for a wide range of readers. The fact that there are two main characters–a boy, Oliver, and a girl, Dahlia, make it a good pick for readers of both genders. I have oodles of elementary students who ask me for scary story recommendations, yet many of them admit they aren’t ready for truly frightening tales, like Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book. I can’t wait to start book-talking Rules for Ghosting in my library this fall!

My full review, including an interview with the author, is here: http://bibliolinks.wordpress.com/2013...

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting premise, especially for readers too young to remember the 80s supernatural hit Ghostbusters. A young ghost girl is living alone in a "haunted" Victorian mansion, until an eclectic family moves in with designs to improve the image of the house so that the town can successfully sell it. Paquette creates a world that we humans are otherwise not privy to, a world of "ghosting" with rules and conduct specific to ghosts. When it is discovered that the agents working with the earnest family have less-than-honorable intentions, it is up to the young protagonists to not only help and save the ghosts, but the integrity of their family as well.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book because it was on a list of recommended Halloween reading for middle readers. It reads like it's intended for upper elementary ages but the ideas, much as those in The Graveyard Book, are more sophisticated than I usually see in middle grade books.

I'm definitely going to recommend this book to my students, especially those whose parents prefer their reading to be of the more innocent variety. This author does not patronize kids at all and that's something that ought to be commended.

[L.B. Schulman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed Rules for Ghosting very much. It has a fun vibe, great characters, and an interesting, creative plot. It's very well written with vivd descriptions. I loved that it was written from two character perspectives, both equally sympathetic. I couldn't wait for them to find a way to communicate and resolve the problems at hand. The writing and the plot are unusually imaginative, with so many details that leap off the page. This would be a great book for any kid, boy or girl (as the perspective are written from both genders.)

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun mystery about Dahlia, a young ghost who cannot remember how she died, has not been able to leave earth and receives a ghostly "Liberator" to help her move on. A family with two children moves into her home with the goal of fixing up the old house for auction. The boy, Oliver, has great hopes that this old house might become the home he craves, and RULES FOR GHOSTING tells Dahlia and Oliver's story in alternating chapters.

The ghost element is fun, not scary, and young readers will enjoy figuring out Dahlia's life mystery, especially with some unusual and memorable characters.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun read. Who knew about all those rules ghosts had to follow? The setting is a kid's dream of a spooky old house with turrets and hidden rooms. The parents are benignly negligent, so the kids are able to get into plenty of trouble. The "handyman" is not who he says he is, and how could he be with a name like Rank Wiley? Dahlia and Oliver make a great ghost-human team, and the fun and drama begins.

[Carla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oliver Day is tired of moving around and only having his pesky siblings to play with, so he's eager to talk this parents into buying the old mansion his family will be house-sitting & renovating. Little does he know Dahlia, a ghost girl, is already living there. Together they try to solve the mystery of Dahlia's death & fend off a sneaky ghost hunter, even though the first rule for ghosting is to never make contact with the living.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not big on ghost stories, and this one felt reminiscent of the 1990s movie version of Caspar (though, sadly, without Devon Sawa). It wasn't terrible by any stretch, just predictable. I also found the parents' total obliviousness to their children to be rather upsetting. I know we have to get the parents out of the way in order to allow the children to go on their own adventures, but this was over the top for me.

[Beckyt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very entertaining middle school novel. It has elements of the kind of books I loved when I was young: a sympathetic ghost story, some adventure, some humor, etc. The 12-year old male human protagonist will appeal to boys, even reluctant readers. I'd recommend "Rules for Ghosting" for middle school and possibly high school libraries.

[Maya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was delightful. It made me kind of think about A Series Of Unfortunate Events because of some of the characters' absurd personalities (which I love; the more ridiculous, the better). I especially loved the character of Mrs. Tibbs and her numerous nicknames for Dahlia, which all started with the letter g (because they're ghosts, perhaps?). Very fun book, 5/5.

[Bethe · Rating 3 out of 5]

bookaday #62. Young readers may be intrigued by the invented names: phoam, ghouncil, ghosterminator and the fun ghost action. Wonder if they will connect Wiley, the so called fix it man, as a bad guy like Wiley Coyote of Road Runner fame?

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun book for kids. Clean, easy to follow. What kid doesn't like a bit of a mystery with a good, nice ghost in it as well. The villains were not likable, but not so terrible as to scare kids. 3-5th grade would enjoy this.

[Jordan Seigel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice plotline. Some pretty big secrets about Dahlia's death are revealed at the end. It wraps up to be a pretty nice book. I like the format of having two different stories told at the same time, and when they meet up.