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Lenny Among Ghosts
What happens when you’re the only human student in a school for ghosts?
Lenny has no idea of the adventure he’s in for when his parents decide to take an extended research trip and sign him up for a boarding school in an old German castle. But even before leaving for the school, it seems like something is trying to prevent Lenny from going…
Once he arrives at Shadowsnout Castle Academy, a couple more things become clear: (1) this is not your average school, and (2) Lenny is probably in some serious danger. Lenny needs an escape plan―and fast.
As Lenny makes his way through the school (and some most unusual classes), he’s plunged into a world of turning heads, rhyming radio ghosts, invisible pirates, and floating maidens, each with their own creepiness factor—and, surprisingly, charm. And when the school comes under attack by outside forces, Lenny finds himself questioning everything he thought he knew. What if, maybe, being here, right now, was his destiny all along?
Lenny has no idea of the adventure he’s in for when his parents decide to take an extended research trip and sign him up for a boarding school in an old German castle. But even before leaving for the school, it seems like something is trying to prevent Lenny from going…
Once he arrives at Shadowsnout Castle Academy, a couple more things become clear: (1) this is not your average school, and (2) Lenny is probably in some serious danger. Lenny needs an escape plan―and fast.
As Lenny makes his way through the school (and some most unusual classes), he’s plunged into a world of turning heads, rhyming radio ghosts, invisible pirates, and floating maidens, each with their own creepiness factor—and, surprisingly, charm. And when the school comes under attack by outside forces, Lenny finds himself questioning everything he thought he knew. What if, maybe, being here, right now, was his destiny all along?
212 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2018
739 people are currently reading
6513 people want to read
About the author
Frank Maria Reifenberg
14 books11 followersFrank Maria Reifenberg likes to tell stories, true and invented: mostly in books, sometimes in screenplays, and sometimes in an opera libretto. He is committed to promoting reading for boys and gives seminars, lectures, and workshops on the subject
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
December 3, 2024
I read this nightly with my son, and we both enjoyed it. I believe it was perfect for his age group. Spooky Vibes yet not scary enough to give us nightmares. Lots of silly kid humor. I laughed quite a bit. A fun little mystery with ghostly vibes for kids, with some spooky factors but also a few heartwarming factors. I think this was translated brilliantly, as even my 9 y/o son absorbed it well. The illustrations were also cute but eery vibes, we enjoyed this!
I won this from a Goodreads giveaway. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book with my son.
I won this from a Goodreads giveaway. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book with my son.
May 6, 2024
✰ 2.5 stars ✰
“In no more than twenty years, you will only leave footprints behind when you want to. That is a particularly good method for haunting, because most humans think that ghosts are incapable of making footprints. It takes a while for newcomers to become fully separated from their bodies.”
Ouch.
There were all sorts of things I wanted at that moment, but being separated from my body definitely wasn’t one of them.”
As much as the introduction to Lenny Among Ghosts forewarned its readers not to be afraid of the many revolting or gruesome ghastly ghosts that would make their presence known in the story, it pains me to say how not so terrifying they actually were. In fact, it reminded me a lot of Scooby Doo and the Ghoul School, where much like Scooby and Shaggy who wind up accidentally as students at a school for ghouls, so, too, does our young protagonist, Lenny, find himself dropped off by his parents at a school, whose students comprise only of ghosts - long dead and gone. 👻🏰
For a middle grade read, it is a sweet read and a fast-paced one too, that carries a lighthearted if not bewildered kind of tone to it, that makes the writing very easy to follow. 👌🏻 You can't help but sympathize with Leonard Hohenklaue aka Lenny the Second (just don't ask him who the first is!) as he tries to make do with the startling situation he's suddenly found himself in as a student at Shadowsnout Castle. 'Even the name was a joke. What had possessed Heinrich the Strong to give his castle this name?' 😄 His sense of alarm and bewilderment were very believable and I liked his sense of smart rational thinking as a a purely scientifically minded person,while also trying to do his best not to outsmart the ghosts too much, in the hopes that they didn't view him as a threat.
And even though ghosts were the last thing in the world that I believed in' as he spends more time with them - kids and teachers, alike - he finds himself very much at home with them. He starts to care for their well-being and feel genuinely interested in their past lives and the many talents that they possess as supernatural beings. It is an eclectic, interesting group with their own unique abilities and creative talents that one would have difficulty believing in. 👻But then again - 'there are things that are simply difficult to explain in the middle of the night.' So, when the school's very existence is put in danger by outside forces threatening to rid them of their home, it is upto Lenny to try and save them from a fate worse than the deaths that they've already once experienced. 🥺
“I’m not scared at all,” Polly insisted. However, her voice didn’t sound as assured as it had previously.
“Except when it comes to your sanity. I might be a little concerned about that. A school for ghosts? That’s ridiculous.”
The pacing of the story is very fast-paced and swift, but still very engaging; I do see it as a worthwhile read for perhaps for younger male readers who want something quick and easy to read. The humor of the story is snarky and free-spirited, one that I am actually quite fond of. 'Don’t spoil the romance for us! We rarely have any cause to celebrate—and now we are going to do it!' 😅 As it is translated from German, it was done in a very fluent and comfortable style that I enjoyed. However, I do wish that it could have toned down the constant need for fart jokes. Let's just say I'm not a fan of them. I mean, once was fine, maybe twice, but more than five times! Now, that's where I draw the line. 😒 I did think the dark and morbid humor was a well-balanced one. I would have liked a little more zing on the alluring introduction that hinted that the ghosts would play a more pivotal role, one that also promised some chilling apparitions that would have rattled the senses. But, again, I think, judging by the cover alone, I read a little too seriously into what I thought it was, than what it initially intended to be. 🙎🏻♀️
Yet, what really soured my mood was the unfortunate route the ending took, a plot device that is one of my least favorite ones. 😮💨 I was so disappointed; no amount of spark or flair to whatever took place that made it enjoyable. You also have to apply a certain suspension of disbelief in regards to the rather macabre way in which the ending was handled, so... Had it not gone that way, I would have really appreciated it much more. 😞
I did love the illustrations, though; very sharp in detail, but with the hint of creepy and whimsy to it that perfectly captured the chaotic madness of the story. 👍🏻
Still, it wasn't all that bad; much of my low rating stems from my own personal disappointment in the execution of the story, so it still had its moments. It is safe to say that it is just another example of how my expectations were of something else, when it clearly became something else entirely. 😔
*Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
“In no more than twenty years, you will only leave footprints behind when you want to. That is a particularly good method for haunting, because most humans think that ghosts are incapable of making footprints. It takes a while for newcomers to become fully separated from their bodies.”
Ouch.
There were all sorts of things I wanted at that moment, but being separated from my body definitely wasn’t one of them.”
As much as the introduction to Lenny Among Ghosts forewarned its readers not to be afraid of the many revolting or gruesome ghastly ghosts that would make their presence known in the story, it pains me to say how not so terrifying they actually were. In fact, it reminded me a lot of Scooby Doo and the Ghoul School, where much like Scooby and Shaggy who wind up accidentally as students at a school for ghouls, so, too, does our young protagonist, Lenny, find himself dropped off by his parents at a school, whose students comprise only of ghosts - long dead and gone. 👻🏰
For a middle grade read, it is a sweet read and a fast-paced one too, that carries a lighthearted if not bewildered kind of tone to it, that makes the writing very easy to follow. 👌🏻 You can't help but sympathize with Leonard Hohenklaue aka Lenny the Second (just don't ask him who the first is!) as he tries to make do with the startling situation he's suddenly found himself in as a student at Shadowsnout Castle. 'Even the name was a joke. What had possessed Heinrich the Strong to give his castle this name?' 😄 His sense of alarm and bewilderment were very believable and I liked his sense of smart rational thinking as a a purely scientifically minded person,while also trying to do his best not to outsmart the ghosts too much, in the hopes that they didn't view him as a threat.
And even though ghosts were the last thing in the world that I believed in' as he spends more time with them - kids and teachers, alike - he finds himself very much at home with them. He starts to care for their well-being and feel genuinely interested in their past lives and the many talents that they possess as supernatural beings. It is an eclectic, interesting group with their own unique abilities and creative talents that one would have difficulty believing in. 👻But then again - 'there are things that are simply difficult to explain in the middle of the night.' So, when the school's very existence is put in danger by outside forces threatening to rid them of their home, it is upto Lenny to try and save them from a fate worse than the deaths that they've already once experienced. 🥺
“I’m not scared at all,” Polly insisted. However, her voice didn’t sound as assured as it had previously.
“Except when it comes to your sanity. I might be a little concerned about that. A school for ghosts? That’s ridiculous.”
The pacing of the story is very fast-paced and swift, but still very engaging; I do see it as a worthwhile read for perhaps for younger male readers who want something quick and easy to read. The humor of the story is snarky and free-spirited, one that I am actually quite fond of. 'Don’t spoil the romance for us! We rarely have any cause to celebrate—and now we are going to do it!' 😅 As it is translated from German, it was done in a very fluent and comfortable style that I enjoyed. However, I do wish that it could have toned down the constant need for fart jokes. Let's just say I'm not a fan of them. I mean, once was fine, maybe twice, but more than five times! Now, that's where I draw the line. 😒 I did think the dark and morbid humor was a well-balanced one. I would have liked a little more zing on the alluring introduction that hinted that the ghosts would play a more pivotal role, one that also promised some chilling apparitions that would have rattled the senses. But, again, I think, judging by the cover alone, I read a little too seriously into what I thought it was, than what it initially intended to be. 🙎🏻♀️
Yet, what really soured my mood was the unfortunate route the ending took, a plot device that is one of my least favorite ones. 😮💨 I was so disappointed; no amount of spark or flair to whatever took place that made it enjoyable. You also have to apply a certain suspension of disbelief in regards to the rather macabre way in which the ending was handled, so... Had it not gone that way, I would have really appreciated it much more. 😞
I did love the illustrations, though; very sharp in detail, but with the hint of creepy and whimsy to it that perfectly captured the chaotic madness of the story. 👍🏻
Still, it wasn't all that bad; much of my low rating stems from my own personal disappointment in the execution of the story, so it still had its moments. It is safe to say that it is just another example of how my expectations were of something else, when it clearly became something else entirely. 😔
*Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 9, 2024
This was a kindle free pick of the month. I rarely take and read any of these books because they don’t interest me. I was a fifth grade teacher for many years and always enjoyed reading to my students. So when I saw this book I thought why not. It was cute, but it didn’t stand up to the books by Carl Hiaasen or Neil Gaiman that I used to read my students. I still enjoyed it.
September 9, 2024
*2.5 stars
*sigh* This book had a few intriguing parts. But also many jarring problems, which is why I settled on 2.5 stars rather than two or three.
What was interesting:
- The characters. All of them were unique. You can get pretty creative with ghostly characters, and this book did that.
- Lenny. I hated him at first, but he grew on me a bit throughout the book.
- The setting. A school for ghosts does sound rather intriguing.
The problems:
- Lenny’s parents. They were the typical Disney Channel parents, and that trope is about the worst ever. I don’t care if you’re supposed to look at it from a kid’s perspective, can we not have that kind of parent so much in media? It helps no one, nor is it unique or amusing.
- The references to “being a good person”. Lenny made a few mentions that he hadn’t done anything that bad, and he would probably make it into Heaven, as he’s a good person. Just no.
- The potty language. Every other word out of Oscar-or-Caruso’s mouth was “fart”. 13-year-olds I guess might be amused, but I honestly don’t think we need such language in a book as a joking thing. It’s not proper.
(**Spoiler**)
- Dream “twist”. I have been hearing about all the annoyance toward the “it ended up being all a dream” ending lately. And it just so happened this had that. Although I am a bit confused as to how anyone could have mistaken him for dead, especially since it’s set in the present day. I mean, I think it’s required for a doctor to see a dead body before it goes to the funeral home, so there’s no way Lenny could have almost been buried alive when he’s living in our own day and age, with all the technology we have these days. I don’t…. I don’t know.
(**End of Spoiler**)
- Moritz. I am so glad there wasn’t much of him in this book, because he just grossed me out. If he was a major character, I probably would have DNFed.
- The Plot. I didn’t get what the point of the book was until about halfway through. The plot just kind of wandered around. Was Lenny going to try and escape? Was something going to happen and he end up a ghost? And what would tearing the castle down do to the school if the ruins always ended up reappearing as rebuilt at night anyway? And couldn’t the ghosts inhabit the new place? That’s another thing: there weren’t really any stakes. And I considered DNFing a few times, and I think that’s much of why.
While the ghost characters were interesting, the plot was wander-y and pointless. I think the writer could have done some more worldbuilding to give us some reason to see what happens, but this’d be a pretty easy book to DNF, as it’s impossible to tell where it’s going.
***Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC. This review is my honest opinion.***
*sigh* This book had a few intriguing parts. But also many jarring problems, which is why I settled on 2.5 stars rather than two or three.
What was interesting:
- The characters. All of them were unique. You can get pretty creative with ghostly characters, and this book did that.
- Lenny. I hated him at first, but he grew on me a bit throughout the book.
- The setting. A school for ghosts does sound rather intriguing.
The problems:
- Lenny’s parents. They were the typical Disney Channel parents, and that trope is about the worst ever. I don’t care if you’re supposed to look at it from a kid’s perspective, can we not have that kind of parent so much in media? It helps no one, nor is it unique or amusing.
- The references to “being a good person”. Lenny made a few mentions that he hadn’t done anything that bad, and he would probably make it into Heaven, as he’s a good person. Just no.
- The potty language. Every other word out of Oscar-or-Caruso’s mouth was “fart”. 13-year-olds I guess might be amused, but I honestly don’t think we need such language in a book as a joking thing. It’s not proper.
(**Spoiler**)
- Dream “twist”. I have been hearing about all the annoyance toward the “it ended up being all a dream” ending lately. And it just so happened this had that. Although I am a bit confused as to how anyone could have mistaken him for dead, especially since it’s set in the present day. I mean, I think it’s required for a doctor to see a dead body before it goes to the funeral home, so there’s no way Lenny could have almost been buried alive when he’s living in our own day and age, with all the technology we have these days. I don’t…. I don’t know.
(**End of Spoiler**)
- Moritz. I am so glad there wasn’t much of him in this book, because he just grossed me out. If he was a major character, I probably would have DNFed.
- The Plot. I didn’t get what the point of the book was until about halfway through. The plot just kind of wandered around. Was Lenny going to try and escape? Was something going to happen and he end up a ghost? And what would tearing the castle down do to the school if the ruins always ended up reappearing as rebuilt at night anyway? And couldn’t the ghosts inhabit the new place? That’s another thing: there weren’t really any stakes. And I considered DNFing a few times, and I think that’s much of why.
While the ghost characters were interesting, the plot was wander-y and pointless. I think the writer could have done some more worldbuilding to give us some reason to see what happens, but this’d be a pretty easy book to DNF, as it’s impossible to tell where it’s going.
***Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC. This review is my honest opinion.***
October 6, 2024
There has been a disturbing lack of middle-grade fiction among my favourites of the year so far, so going into spooky-season I made an attempt to change that. Lenny Among Ghosts, although being a decently fun read, won’t crack the top though. The combination of some fun ideas, “average” execution and a very poor ending landed it at a 2-star for me.
The Story:
When Lenny’s parents set off on a 6-month research trip to the Amazon forest, Lenny is enrolled in a boarding school, until they return. With such a last-minute plan, there aren’t many options left to choose from, so Lenny is enrolled into the first place available, without much research. Once he arrives at Shadowsnout Castle Academy, he soon realized there has been a grave mistake… Welcomed by a talking skull to a haunted castle, Lenny realizes he’s the only human student enrolled in a school for ghosts…
What I liked:
The story itself is delightfully Halloween-y, and strikes a great balance between being spooky, whimsical and humorous. The author almost seems to go with a vibe of “Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book meets The Adventures of Captain Underpants”. As an adult, it’s not as enjoyable as Gaiman’s work, but I can absolutely see the appeal to kids of 8-10 years of age.
There’s a cute and whimsical cast of side characters, a vivid setting of a creepy castle converted into a boarding school with an equally creepy and quirky staff, and a mystery to be solved.
The book is available as a physical copy, e-book and audiobook, allowing for maximum accessibility for readers of all abilities, which I always appreciate.
What I didn’t like:
Although nothing about the story stood out to me particularly, until the 90% point I was happy to give it a 3-star and call it a day. Then the ending came and…
Let’s play a little game; think of the top 3 most hated tropes and ending-twists that any writing-1.01-course will tell you to avoid. Got them in mind? Fair bet you mentioned the amongst them. If you did; congratulations, you’ve guessed the ending. “Even in a kids-book” (and mind you, I don’t believe in that argument to begin with), this is such a disappointing twist that undercuts so much of what came before.
Speaking of very prevalent tropes that I personally hate in middle-grade: this strongly has the “absent/uncaring-parent” trope. I understand it’s a tool to get them out of the way so our protagonist can have an all-kids-adventure, but it still sends such a sad message to kids to see adult and parents only portrayed as useless and uncaring…
Many thanks to Amazon Crossing for providing me with an (audio-)ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Story:
When Lenny’s parents set off on a 6-month research trip to the Amazon forest, Lenny is enrolled in a boarding school, until they return. With such a last-minute plan, there aren’t many options left to choose from, so Lenny is enrolled into the first place available, without much research. Once he arrives at Shadowsnout Castle Academy, he soon realized there has been a grave mistake… Welcomed by a talking skull to a haunted castle, Lenny realizes he’s the only human student enrolled in a school for ghosts…
What I liked:
The story itself is delightfully Halloween-y, and strikes a great balance between being spooky, whimsical and humorous. The author almost seems to go with a vibe of “Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book meets The Adventures of Captain Underpants”. As an adult, it’s not as enjoyable as Gaiman’s work, but I can absolutely see the appeal to kids of 8-10 years of age.
There’s a cute and whimsical cast of side characters, a vivid setting of a creepy castle converted into a boarding school with an equally creepy and quirky staff, and a mystery to be solved.
The book is available as a physical copy, e-book and audiobook, allowing for maximum accessibility for readers of all abilities, which I always appreciate.
What I didn’t like:
Although nothing about the story stood out to me particularly, until the 90% point I was happy to give it a 3-star and call it a day. Then the ending came and…
Let’s play a little game; think of the top 3 most hated tropes and ending-twists that any writing-1.01-course will tell you to avoid. Got them in mind? Fair bet you mentioned the amongst them. If you did; congratulations, you’ve guessed the ending. “Even in a kids-book” (and mind you, I don’t believe in that argument to begin with), this is such a disappointing twist that undercuts so much of what came before.
Speaking of very prevalent tropes that I personally hate in middle-grade: this strongly has the “absent/uncaring-parent” trope. I understand it’s a tool to get them out of the way so our protagonist can have an all-kids-adventure, but it still sends such a sad message to kids to see adult and parents only portrayed as useless and uncaring…
Many thanks to Amazon Crossing for providing me with an (audio-)ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
January 11, 2025
A cute fun read with a dash of spooky. Bonus points for Lenny, who finds himself surrounded by ghosts and barely even bats an eye. Yeah, he knows this can't be good, but he handles everything quite calmly. Which is more than can be said about some of the adults in this story.
October 10, 2024
Silly and fun, completely forgettable for adults, but clean, creepy fun for the middle grade crowd.
October 18, 2024
Lenny Among Ghosts
4.2 ☆
-
This was a good paranormal, ghostly, spooky 👻 children's book! I would definitely recommend it. Is this appropriate for middle-aged readers? This author did a great job of telling the story and adding the semi-gory stuff. The afterward directed toward children, kind of like a warning, was great.
The narrator did a great job telling the story and acting out the different characters. It was extremely easy to listen to and follow along!
-currently available on KU read and listen-
4.2 ☆
-
This was a good paranormal, ghostly, spooky 👻 children's book! I would definitely recommend it. Is this appropriate for middle-aged readers? This author did a great job of telling the story and adding the semi-gory stuff. The afterward directed toward children, kind of like a warning, was great.
The narrator did a great job telling the story and acting out the different characters. It was extremely easy to listen to and follow along!
-currently available on KU read and listen-
September 8, 2024
This was a very rough read to get through. I have to say the ending was honestly the worst part of this story, and if I read this as a kid it would have legitimately made me mad. But the ending at least helps make other parts of the story make "sense" and that's me stretching my thoughts on this,
The idea of Lenny getting accidently sent to a school for ghosts is an intriguing idea, unfortunately the execution leaves something to be desired. I feel one of the biggest issues was that there was too many plot lines for the length of the story. Lenny trying to not get caught at the school for ghosts, the interview for getting into said school, the knight who owns the castle and his family line, and the excavator trying to tear down the castle, Lenny becoming friends with the ghost kids. All these plot lines make it hard to stay focused because they are all rushed through as quickly as possible and don't exactly tie in together well. We don't get enough time of Lenny interacting with the ghosts kids, so his need for saving the castle doesn't hold much weight for them. We don't get to see any friendship bloom between him and Polly so him being concerned about the castle being torn down also holds no weight. We get one scene with Polly expressing concern about losing the castle but again it holds no weight because ultimately it's just a surface level reason for wanting to keep it, because we don't really know Polly. The plot line with the knight could have been cute but it was just more page filler to be perfectly honest.
None of the characters make a lasting impression expect for one named Oscar-or-Caruso, and yes that is how he is referred to the WHOLE book, but he isn't memorable because he is a good character he is memorable because of how awful and annoying he was. let me give you some quotes from him.
"Fart cannons and poop parades" shouted Oscar-or-Caruso. "That looks Great?"
"Fart Boogers,'" someone groused up on the balcony.
"Fart Demons and poopy pants!" shouted Oscar-or-Caruso
"Fart poopy doop." Oscar-or Caruso yelled.
Do you see the problem? This was the most absolutely annoying part of this entire book. This tells me that the author probably doesn't spend much time around actual children, because while I know it is common for young boys to make fart and poop jokes, having every single line from this kid be this way was absolutely unnecessary. You can cut this kid and all his lines from the book and it would not change anything, and it doesn't even help to serve as comedic relief, its just annoying.
Now to go back to me saying the ending helps "explain" certain parts of this story is to simply say it retcons everything that happens in the story and explains why certain choices were not made by Lenny while he was staying at the castle trying to help the ghosts. It feels like the author really didn't know how to wrap up this many ideas and thought they would pull some crazy twist at the end to basically say "sike, gotcha" and instead it left me annoyed, irritated and thinking about how I just wasted my time reading this.
The only positive aspect I can give this is that it reads really fast, the pacing is ridiculously quick, but a lot of that is due to the fact that there are so many plots, so much detail missing, worldbuilding and character exploration is completely left out, so it's just jumping through scenes as quickly as you can. There was nothing scary about this either, it kind of hangs on more gross than anything, but even that is stretching it.
The idea of Lenny getting accidently sent to a school for ghosts is an intriguing idea, unfortunately the execution leaves something to be desired. I feel one of the biggest issues was that there was too many plot lines for the length of the story. Lenny trying to not get caught at the school for ghosts, the interview for getting into said school, the knight who owns the castle and his family line, and the excavator trying to tear down the castle, Lenny becoming friends with the ghost kids. All these plot lines make it hard to stay focused because they are all rushed through as quickly as possible and don't exactly tie in together well. We don't get enough time of Lenny interacting with the ghosts kids, so his need for saving the castle doesn't hold much weight for them. We don't get to see any friendship bloom between him and Polly so him being concerned about the castle being torn down also holds no weight. We get one scene with Polly expressing concern about losing the castle but again it holds no weight because ultimately it's just a surface level reason for wanting to keep it, because we don't really know Polly. The plot line with the knight could have been cute but it was just more page filler to be perfectly honest.
None of the characters make a lasting impression expect for one named Oscar-or-Caruso, and yes that is how he is referred to the WHOLE book, but he isn't memorable because he is a good character he is memorable because of how awful and annoying he was. let me give you some quotes from him.
"Fart cannons and poop parades" shouted Oscar-or-Caruso. "That looks Great?"
"Fart Boogers,'" someone groused up on the balcony.
"Fart Demons and poopy pants!" shouted Oscar-or-Caruso
"Fart poopy doop." Oscar-or Caruso yelled.
Do you see the problem? This was the most absolutely annoying part of this entire book. This tells me that the author probably doesn't spend much time around actual children, because while I know it is common for young boys to make fart and poop jokes, having every single line from this kid be this way was absolutely unnecessary. You can cut this kid and all his lines from the book and it would not change anything, and it doesn't even help to serve as comedic relief, its just annoying.
Now to go back to me saying the ending helps "explain" certain parts of this story is to simply say it retcons everything that happens in the story and explains why certain choices were not made by Lenny while he was staying at the castle trying to help the ghosts. It feels like the author really didn't know how to wrap up this many ideas and thought they would pull some crazy twist at the end to basically say "sike, gotcha" and instead it left me annoyed, irritated and thinking about how I just wasted my time reading this.
The only positive aspect I can give this is that it reads really fast, the pacing is ridiculously quick, but a lot of that is due to the fact that there are so many plots, so much detail missing, worldbuilding and character exploration is completely left out, so it's just jumping through scenes as quickly as you can. There was nothing scary about this either, it kind of hangs on more gross than anything, but even that is stretching it.
March 20, 2024
This was such an awesome story. It was funny and quirky and a nice break from the psychological thrillers I normally read. I loved the warning in the beginning and the note at the end! It was original and like nothing else I’ve read. I really enjoyed the ghosts! I mean who doesn’t love a good ghost story? This was terrific!!!
March 19, 2024
This is such a cute concept. A child, who is alive, accidentally gets enrolled in a school for ghosts. A school that teaches ghostly technique. The idea is that his parents are both scientists, and are so befuddled as what to do with him, while they go off to study something abroad, that they don't notice what sort of school it is.
That part of the concept I can get into. I also like, that though he thinks he wants to leave the school, he also grows to love it, and wants to save it when he learns it is going to be knocked down.
And without mentioning the ending, I would say that that is where it fails.
Other than that, a fun middle school sort of story.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out on the 6th of August 2024
That part of the concept I can get into. I also like, that though he thinks he wants to leave the school, he also grows to love it, and wants to save it when he learns it is going to be knocked down.
And without mentioning the ending, I would say that that is where it fails.
Other than that, a fun middle school sort of story.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out on the 6th of August 2024
July 15, 2024
Lenny Among Ghosts is a really silly, cute, fast-paced book that students grades 4-6 would probably enjoy. I think it's a little too immature for my 7th grade book club, but I think elementary age or reluctant readers would like it. It's kind of in the vein of Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Captain Underpants. The basic plot is that through a case of mistaken identity Lenny gets enrolled in a school for ghosts. There he makes friends with the ghostly residents which are all a wide range of children and staff who have parished in various ways. The ghosts are really original and creative and I think that was the best part of the book, because the plot is pretty standard. Lenny finds out that the castle is going to be demolished and only he and his new friends can stop it with some ghostly fun. It's all silly good fun.
Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Crossing Kids for providing an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Crossing Kids for providing an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 9, 2024
Lenny Among Ghosts is easy to understand and fun to read. This novel tells about Lenny, who unexpectedly transferred to a new class. In this school, Lenny is the only human. Friends and teachers at Shadowsnout Castle Academy are ghosts. The humorous writing style makes Lenny Among Ghosts seem entertaining. Thanks Amazon Crossing Kids and NetGallery for lending the ARC.
October 9, 2024
Lenny's parents have enrolled him in a peculiar boarding school 'Shadowsnout Castle Academy'. This old German castle has an eerie vibe to it, but that is just the beginning. The school, its pupils and even the subjects taught here are nowhere close to normal & Lenny knows he needs to escape this place before he is fully trapped.
This was a short book with a ghostly boarding school adventure aura that made me all in for the spooky mood. It wasn't as scary as it was humorous, especially the conversations between the ghosts & the school rules. The book is filled with weird stuff so approach it with an open mind & enjoy the ride.
Had this been a physical book, this would potentially be exhilarating. Unfortunately, the audiobook sounds like too much rambling at the beginning which made it a little difficult to connect individually with characters, but you get accustomed to the narration style later. I still feel that the story will be more enjoyable in a textual format than audio.
Genre: Middle grade, Fantasy, Ghosts
Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️
This was a short book with a ghostly boarding school adventure aura that made me all in for the spooky mood. It wasn't as scary as it was humorous, especially the conversations between the ghosts & the school rules. The book is filled with weird stuff so approach it with an open mind & enjoy the ride.
Had this been a physical book, this would potentially be exhilarating. Unfortunately, the audiobook sounds like too much rambling at the beginning which made it a little difficult to connect individually with characters, but you get accustomed to the narration style later. I still feel that the story will be more enjoyable in a textual format than audio.
Genre: Middle grade, Fantasy, Ghosts
Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️
October 13, 2024
I know the target audience is more juvenile. However, even as a kid I knew there was such thing as too many fart jokes.
I also felt like the author was just trying to fill in pages with the whole “great-great-great-etc grandma/grandpa” references.
I also felt like the author was just trying to fill in pages with the whole “great-great-great-etc grandma/grandpa” references.
October 2, 2024
3.5 stars. A very cute and funny book but I was left with a lot of questions. Maybe there are more books in this series?
October 13, 2025
Quick read. The illustrations were nice and I imagine for an elementary student the book could be spooky at times. I’m not going to get too picky about how out there some of the plot points are since this is meant for very young readers, but I will say I think the ending falls a little flat.
October 12, 2024
The premise of this was incredible. It truly had so much potential, but unfortunately for me it just missed the mark.
First of all, I understand that as an adult I am not this books target audience, but I still love middle grade books and the amount of times the word “fart” was used in this book would have deeply annoyed me even as a kid.
I just don’t feel like the characters were memorable other than that though, and when I tell you that the ending would have literally had me throwing a book at a wall in my younger days I truly mean it.
I wanted to love this so much. I really did. The concept is fantastic, it just fell flat.
First of all, I understand that as an adult I am not this books target audience, but I still love middle grade books and the amount of times the word “fart” was used in this book would have deeply annoyed me even as a kid.
I just don’t feel like the characters were memorable other than that though, and when I tell you that the ending would have literally had me throwing a book at a wall in my younger days I truly mean it.
I wanted to love this so much. I really did. The concept is fantastic, it just fell flat.
April 1, 2024
rating: 4.5 stars
Big thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of "Lenny Among Ghosts"
Hell, this was so much scarier than I thought (but in a good way) !
As a native German, I was delighted to come across "Lenny Among Ghosts" by Frank Maria Reifenberg! It does not occur often that you stumble upon a book set in an abandoned German-haunted castle that houses a school for ghost children.
The plot revolves around a 12-year-old boy called Lenny II, who is accidentally enrolled at Shadowsnout Castle Academy by his Amazonian explorer-parents. Lenny, who likes scary stories, stumbles into one himself when he becomes part of the school by mistake and finds out what it truly means to be undead. At the Academy, he meets the undead children and becomes part of their nighttime-school activities. During his short stay, Lenny finds out,danger is waiting outside the Castle gate – the living and the dead must do everything they can to keep the castle standing at its rightful place.
From the witty opening to the book's surprising twist, I enjoyed the plot and Lenny's fun character. Lenny is a sarcastic kid who often gets involved in dangerous situations and actually knows how to maneuver his way out of them. I loved the backstory to his name. It adds so much character to the story! When his parents, whom I also immediately loved because of their forgetful and somewhat careless attitude - drop him off at the gates of the old German Castle at midnight, alarm bells should already be ringing. Instead, Lenny enters a world of ghosts and learns how to become undead for a short period of time.
I enjoyed the medieval atmosphere of the story. The many details describing the castle and its inhabitants create so much depth and bring a creepy and darker feeling to the yet light story. I had goosebumps when Lenny first met the old, somewhat sharp-tongued, and mischievous Butler Angus and laughed so many times, when Lenny slipped out of his treachorous grasp.
In addition to the creepy, atmospheric reading experience, I loved every single character. Each of them is special in their own unique way.
Whether it's Caruso, who always makes a silly joke about farting, or the lovable floating girl Emily, all the ghost children have something either very funny or nostalgic about them. You just want to give them all a big, warm hug and tell them that everything will be alright.
As a big Halloween lover, I finished the story in no time and would recommend it to all my friends. Whether big or small. This eerie yet funny book is a fun mix of Percy Jackson and the Graveyard Book.
If you like spooky children's stories with a surprising twist at the end, you'll love this wonderfully funny and scary ghost story!
Big thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of "Lenny Among Ghosts"
Hell, this was so much scarier than I thought (but in a good way) !
As a native German, I was delighted to come across "Lenny Among Ghosts" by Frank Maria Reifenberg! It does not occur often that you stumble upon a book set in an abandoned German-haunted castle that houses a school for ghost children.
The plot revolves around a 12-year-old boy called Lenny II, who is accidentally enrolled at Shadowsnout Castle Academy by his Amazonian explorer-parents. Lenny, who likes scary stories, stumbles into one himself when he becomes part of the school by mistake and finds out what it truly means to be undead. At the Academy, he meets the undead children and becomes part of their nighttime-school activities. During his short stay, Lenny finds out,danger is waiting outside the Castle gate – the living and the dead must do everything they can to keep the castle standing at its rightful place.
From the witty opening to the book's surprising twist, I enjoyed the plot and Lenny's fun character. Lenny is a sarcastic kid who often gets involved in dangerous situations and actually knows how to maneuver his way out of them. I loved the backstory to his name. It adds so much character to the story! When his parents, whom I also immediately loved because of their forgetful and somewhat careless attitude - drop him off at the gates of the old German Castle at midnight, alarm bells should already be ringing. Instead, Lenny enters a world of ghosts and learns how to become undead for a short period of time.
I enjoyed the medieval atmosphere of the story. The many details describing the castle and its inhabitants create so much depth and bring a creepy and darker feeling to the yet light story. I had goosebumps when Lenny first met the old, somewhat sharp-tongued, and mischievous Butler Angus and laughed so many times, when Lenny slipped out of his treachorous grasp.
In addition to the creepy, atmospheric reading experience, I loved every single character. Each of them is special in their own unique way.
Whether it's Caruso, who always makes a silly joke about farting, or the lovable floating girl Emily, all the ghost children have something either very funny or nostalgic about them. You just want to give them all a big, warm hug and tell them that everything will be alright.
As a big Halloween lover, I finished the story in no time and would recommend it to all my friends. Whether big or small. This eerie yet funny book is a fun mix of Percy Jackson and the Graveyard Book.
If you like spooky children's stories with a surprising twist at the end, you'll love this wonderfully funny and scary ghost story!
September 22, 2024
Free First Reads | Cute for the younger side of the middle grade readers, but let down by uncertain focus and deeply disappointing ending | I debated between 2 and 3 stars, to be honest, so take that into account for all the complaints in this review. The idea was strong, a living boy accidentally enrolled in a school for ghosts, but practically nothing was done with it. Lenny was with the ghosts from midnight to sunrise, then for a short time the following midnight and the one after. He attended one class and two school meals. Nothing else about the school was, for lack of a better term, fleshed out. Details of unexplored aspects of the setting were stuck in at random, to no apparent purpose (why stumble across the bones in the secret passage? Why teach the ghosts Chinese?). Tons of page space was given to Lenny's absent friend from his regular school, his obsession with horror movies that's described as an actually disturbing mental state, and to Oscar's unending fart jokes. More time was given to the fart jokes, as a matter of fact, than to the resolution of the main problem. I say fart "jokes" but it was just calling people names that include "fart" and replacing words with "fart", not actual jokes. The author didn't seem to know where the focus of the story should be, and whenever it got away from him, he would simply have Lenny get knocked unconscious by something again. The ending is entirely senseless. And the teachers fix everything without any of the younger characters' involvement.
November 19, 2024
2.5 ⭐️
The story has potential, but I think even 10 year old me (who loved a good fart joke) would have been over this about 20% in. Maybe there is something lost in translation, but I was honestly begging for the kid to actually make a *joke* by the end instead of just adding the word fart or poop to every farting fart-word in the poopy-book. (See, it’s grating.)
The good:
It was a fast read, and I enjoyed the illustrations quite a bit. The writing style was clear and straightforward, and the plot moved along at a good pace.
The not so good:
The dumb parent trope could have been softened a bit - maybe by having Lenny travel to the school by an Uber or something. Then missing some of the enrollment details could have been just an oversight by career-focused parents instead of having them drop Lenny off under some seriously questionable circumstances.
I wish we would have had some time to get to know the ghost characters a bit more. Besides Ricky, none of them got much time in the spotlight except for the woefully pooper obsessed what’s-his-name kid. And for real can I get some clarification about his name, please?!?
The trope at the end makes me want to throw the book off the top of a very tall bridge.
Final thoughts:
Honestly, it’s not very scary but some of the descriptions of death and funerals might be a bit much for a kid, especially if they’ve lost someone. The ghost bits were sadly pretty tame and low stakes. I’d say a 2nd or 3rd grader might enjoy this, but any older might find it too childish. I do very much enjoy middle grade books, but this one needs a little polish.
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway and my opinions are my own.
The story has potential, but I think even 10 year old me (who loved a good fart joke) would have been over this about 20% in. Maybe there is something lost in translation, but I was honestly begging for the kid to actually make a *joke* by the end instead of just adding the word fart or poop to every farting fart-word in the poopy-book. (See, it’s grating.)
The good:
It was a fast read, and I enjoyed the illustrations quite a bit. The writing style was clear and straightforward, and the plot moved along at a good pace.
The not so good:
The dumb parent trope could have been softened a bit - maybe by having Lenny travel to the school by an Uber or something. Then missing some of the enrollment details could have been just an oversight by career-focused parents instead of having them drop Lenny off under some seriously questionable circumstances.
I wish we would have had some time to get to know the ghost characters a bit more. Besides Ricky, none of them got much time in the spotlight except for the woefully pooper obsessed what’s-his-name kid. And for real can I get some clarification about his name, please?!?
The trope at the end makes me want to throw the book off the top of a very tall bridge.
Final thoughts:
Honestly, it’s not very scary but some of the descriptions of death and funerals might be a bit much for a kid, especially if they’ve lost someone. The ghost bits were sadly pretty tame and low stakes. I’d say a 2nd or 3rd grader might enjoy this, but any older might find it too childish. I do very much enjoy middle grade books, but this one needs a little polish.
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway and my opinions are my own.
March 22, 2024
When your parents wait to find until the last minute to find a boarding school for you before they leave for an extended research trip to the Amazon, you just might end up in a haunted castle. It doesn’t take long for Lenny to realize his classmates are a little strange, and the lessons aren’t the typical academic subjects for a middle-grade school. Lenny learns his ghostly new friends and teachers are in trouble and decides to help them with assistance from another human outside the school. What ensues is a scary and often hilarious misadventure.
Books like this fall outside my typical reading diet of mystery, science fiction, and suspense, and Lenny Among Ghosts is a nice break from convoluted plots and complex characters. As a senior with no young children in my life, I am not the target audience. But I do like quirky, and this book filled that niche quite well.
As a story translated from the original German into English, it also offers a glimpse into the life of a young person in a country and culture that may not be familiar to many children in its target audience. Some of the exchanges between Lenny and Ricky, the rhyming radio suffer from “lost in translation” but that in no way detracts from the story or the humor.
It’s a quick read that doesn’t result in nightmares…except for Lenny.
Books like this fall outside my typical reading diet of mystery, science fiction, and suspense, and Lenny Among Ghosts is a nice break from convoluted plots and complex characters. As a senior with no young children in my life, I am not the target audience. But I do like quirky, and this book filled that niche quite well.
As a story translated from the original German into English, it also offers a glimpse into the life of a young person in a country and culture that may not be familiar to many children in its target audience. Some of the exchanges between Lenny and Ricky, the rhyming radio suffer from “lost in translation” but that in no way detracts from the story or the humor.
It’s a quick read that doesn’t result in nightmares…except for Lenny.
March 24, 2024
When your parents wait until the last minute to find a boarding school for you before they leave for an extended research trip to the Amazon, you just might end up in a haunted castle. It doesn’t take long for Lenny to realize his classmates are a little strange, and the lessons aren’t the typical academic subjects for a middle-grade school. Lenny learns his ghostly new friends and teachers are in trouble and decides to help them with assistance from another human outside the school. What ensues is a scary and often hilarious misadventure.
Books like this fall outside my typical reading diet of mystery, science fiction, and suspense, and Lenny Among Ghosts is a nice break from convoluted plots and complex characters. As a senior with no young children in my life, I am not the target audience. But I do like quirky, and this book filled that niche quite well.
As a story translated from the original German into English, it also offers a glimpse into the life of a young person in a country and culture that may not be familiar to many children in its target audience. Some of the exchanges between Lenny and Ricky, the rhyming radio suffer from “lost in translation” but that in no way detracts from the story or the humor.
It’s a quick read that doesn’t result in nightmares…except for Lenny.
Books like this fall outside my typical reading diet of mystery, science fiction, and suspense, and Lenny Among Ghosts is a nice break from convoluted plots and complex characters. As a senior with no young children in my life, I am not the target audience. But I do like quirky, and this book filled that niche quite well.
As a story translated from the original German into English, it also offers a glimpse into the life of a young person in a country and culture that may not be familiar to many children in its target audience. Some of the exchanges between Lenny and Ricky, the rhyming radio suffer from “lost in translation” but that in no way detracts from the story or the humor.
It’s a quick read that doesn’t result in nightmares…except for Lenny.
January 18, 2025
I started reading this with my 9 year old, but he realized pretty quickly that it wasn't up to par with a lot of the really great series he has been reading lately and decided it was a DNF for him. It was a quick and easy read and felt like a palate cleanser for me, so I decided to go ahead and finish the book. Sadly, it didn't ever get better, and then the ending really let things down. I was also frustrated that there were loose ends. I would really have liked to know more about the original Lenny the dachshund and why he had attended Shadowsnout Castle Academy if he was not a ghost, but it looks like it was just a weird callback thrown in for no good reason. It's also not clear what happens to Lenny after the end, does he end up at a different school? I wish that had been made clear. I also wondered how he was able to get through all the time at the castle without eating or drinking anything (I understand the ending sort of makes all these issues moot, but I expect other readers wondered about such things as well). It seems like it could have been a much better story if handled differently, and that is disappointing. 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 because I appreciate that the author wants to write books that entice tween boys to read, and I do think this would appeal to some kids in that group, although it didn't appeal to mine.
June 30, 2025
My 4th/5th grade self might have enjoyed this a lot more than my current old self did. Still, I feel like there wasn't really anything in here that was scary enough for that much younger version of me. That is, I liked books that were actually scary (but generally age appropriate), and this is mostly being played for laughs (I guess). The writing style was a bit too over-the-top/trying-too-hard in a kind of smart-alecky kid way that I initially found more off-putting than interesting or engaging. The basic premise involves too much unnecessary set-up that ultimately makes no sense at the end. In a way, it somewhat reminds me of some kids books I enjoyed way back when, in that the story just kind of leaves it up to the audience to fill in the blanks, while expecting the audience to just accept that the things in the book add up somehow, when there is no clear way they do. I don't want to get too much into explaining my annoyance as it would involve a lot of spoilers, and because I'm not really the target audience here. I do still really enjoy a lot of modern 'horror' stories for younger readers, but those tend to involve more craft and creepiness, and at least the occasional sense of actual peril.
May 19, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced ebook copy of "Lenny Among Ghosts."
This book had me snickering out loud by page eight. It had elements that reminded me a lot of The Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket but it still definitely had it's own voice and pace.
The plot focuses on 12-year-old Lenny the second (named after Lenny the first-the wire haired dachshund) as he gets packed up and dropped off at a boarding school. Little does he know he was just accidentally enrolled in a school for the undead.
Lenny is a very sarcastic kid- which is clear from the first chapter- and he always seems to finds himself in dangerous situations and involved in mysteries as he navigates his new school and makes friends.
The setting of the book is spooky, medieval, and full of wit. Perfect for children who are looking for their first ghost story. The cover is fun and will draw readers in and the chapters are short and have fun illustrations at the start. Perfect for young readers who are looking for a fast read.
This book had me snickering out loud by page eight. It had elements that reminded me a lot of The Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket but it still definitely had it's own voice and pace.
The plot focuses on 12-year-old Lenny the second (named after Lenny the first-the wire haired dachshund) as he gets packed up and dropped off at a boarding school. Little does he know he was just accidentally enrolled in a school for the undead.
Lenny is a very sarcastic kid- which is clear from the first chapter- and he always seems to finds himself in dangerous situations and involved in mysteries as he navigates his new school and makes friends.
The setting of the book is spooky, medieval, and full of wit. Perfect for children who are looking for their first ghost story. The cover is fun and will draw readers in and the chapters are short and have fun illustrations at the start. Perfect for young readers who are looking for a fast read.
March 12, 2024
Thank you, NetGalley and Amazon Crossing Kids for providing me with a copy to read!
Lenny Among Ghosts was such a fun read. I was thoroughly entertained for the few hours I took to finish it (one sitting).
It has a humorous tone when telling a wild little story about Lenny the Second (Lenny the First was a dachshund) who ends up at a boarding school for ghosts when his parents take an extended research trip to the Amazon. Though he doesn't know it's a school for ghosts at first. There are some funny names on the characters that I'm sure kids will enjoy!
The chapters are short and sweet, certainly a huge plus for the experienced speed of reading. This book also has some very nice illustrations accompanying some chapters and I found them very entertaining and thought they enhanced the reading experience greatly. The writing is easy and nice!
I'm sure this one will be a fun read for kids when released and I sure had a nice time reading it!
Lenny Among Ghosts was such a fun read. I was thoroughly entertained for the few hours I took to finish it (one sitting).
It has a humorous tone when telling a wild little story about Lenny the Second (Lenny the First was a dachshund) who ends up at a boarding school for ghosts when his parents take an extended research trip to the Amazon. Though he doesn't know it's a school for ghosts at first. There are some funny names on the characters that I'm sure kids will enjoy!
The chapters are short and sweet, certainly a huge plus for the experienced speed of reading. This book also has some very nice illustrations accompanying some chapters and I found them very entertaining and thought they enhanced the reading experience greatly. The writing is easy and nice!
I'm sure this one will be a fun read for kids when released and I sure had a nice time reading it!
October 10, 2024
Thank you to Frank Maria Reifenberg, Brilliance, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free eaudio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The concept for Monsters, Inc., in an old German castle with a secondary character whose favorite word is "fart." If you're into that, you'll love it. Sounds annoying? Stay away.
There's a fascinating premise here---a school for ghosts to teach them how to haunt---but the execution is about as ambitious as one would expect for a middle grade book, i.e. not very. Still, it's entertaining and intriguing, and Lenny's a good, stable lead. There's plenty of humor, mostly in the form of exaggerated emotional responses, a toddler wielding a hatchet, and the liberal and semi-creative use of the word "fart."
I think late elementary/middle school children will love this book, particularly boys for whom fart jokes never get old. Adults will probably be left wanting, but it's not written for them.
The concept for Monsters, Inc., in an old German castle with a secondary character whose favorite word is "fart." If you're into that, you'll love it. Sounds annoying? Stay away.
There's a fascinating premise here---a school for ghosts to teach them how to haunt---but the execution is about as ambitious as one would expect for a middle grade book, i.e. not very. Still, it's entertaining and intriguing, and Lenny's a good, stable lead. There's plenty of humor, mostly in the form of exaggerated emotional responses, a toddler wielding a hatchet, and the liberal and semi-creative use of the word "fart."
I think late elementary/middle school children will love this book, particularly boys for whom fart jokes never get old. Adults will probably be left wanting, but it's not written for them.
October 28, 2024
Oddly, I hadn't even realized how seasonally appropriate this choice was until I was reading it. Also, this was... September's, I wanna say, Amazon Prime First Reads choice. One of, that is. It's rare that I get to read one so soon after grabbing it up... and I also have to say that of the two I've read, I've been disappointed by both... Yes, that includes this one.
I know that this book was originally published in German, but I really don't think my problems rely on a lost in translation situation. I think they would've been present in the original publication language as well. It's funny. It's an interesting premise for a middle grade book. But it feels like this author wrote for what he thought middle grade kids were like... instead of actually knowing any. Also... why the hell was Lenny so obsessed with continuing the charade of being a ghost? I would have spoken up so fast. And the ending? Totally lacking in originality.
I know that this book was originally published in German, but I really don't think my problems rely on a lost in translation situation. I think they would've been present in the original publication language as well. It's funny. It's an interesting premise for a middle grade book. But it feels like this author wrote for what he thought middle grade kids were like... instead of actually knowing any. Also... why the hell was Lenny so obsessed with continuing the charade of being a ghost? I would have spoken up so fast. And the ending? Totally lacking in originality.
December 8, 2024
Cute and fun!
I’m guessing Lenny probably wouldn’t appreciate being called “cute”, but the story was fun and entertaining, even for an old lady like me, an almost 65 yo grandma who likes to lift weights and run!
I’ve read many a book geared towards older audiences where I wish the protagonist would “just grow up!”. I was beginning to worry about myself becoming overly cynical, or too old to read.
But Lenny was appropriately mature for his age, had very reasonable observations about his parents, was quick thinking, and handled some interesting challenges without turning into a crybaby or a pile of quivering mush!
He saved the day! Or, was that just a weird dream?!! Either way, it was a fun story complete with ghosts, poltergeists, knights, heterochromatic bakers, adventure, a love story, and a happy ending!
I highly recommend for boys and girls, as well as grandmas who would like a fun break! My grandkids will be getting this book for Christmas!
I’m guessing Lenny probably wouldn’t appreciate being called “cute”, but the story was fun and entertaining, even for an old lady like me, an almost 65 yo grandma who likes to lift weights and run!
I’ve read many a book geared towards older audiences where I wish the protagonist would “just grow up!”. I was beginning to worry about myself becoming overly cynical, or too old to read.
But Lenny was appropriately mature for his age, had very reasonable observations about his parents, was quick thinking, and handled some interesting challenges without turning into a crybaby or a pile of quivering mush!
He saved the day! Or, was that just a weird dream?!! Either way, it was a fun story complete with ghosts, poltergeists, knights, heterochromatic bakers, adventure, a love story, and a happy ending!
I highly recommend for boys and girls, as well as grandmas who would like a fun break! My grandkids will be getting this book for Christmas!
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