My Brother's Ghost

by Allan Ahlberg

Orphaned by the death of their parents and bereft by the sudden death of their older brother Tom, nine-year-old Frances and three-year-old Harry are comforted by Tom's ghost, who helps them in difficult situations at home with their aunt and uncle and at school.

Genres: Ghosts, Family, Fiction, Childrens, Death, Fantasy, Illness

87 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2001

About the author

Allan Ahlberg was one of the UK's most acclaimed and successful authors of children's books - including the best-selling Jolly Postman series. Born in Croydon in 1938, he was educated at Sunderland Technical College. Although he dreamed of becoming a writer since the age of twelve, his route to that goal was somewhat circuitous. Other jobs along the way included postman (not an especially jolly one, he recalls), gravedigger, plumber, and teacher.

Ahlberg wrote his first book when he was thirty-seven, after a decade of teaching - a profession that he maintains is "much harder" than being a writer. He says that if he hadn't become a writer, he would have loved to be a soccer player. He was married for many years to fellow children's author Janet Ahlberg, with whom he often worked. Their daughter, Jessica Ahlberg, is also a children's author.

Reviews

[Wanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

30 OCT 2016 - a sweet story about a child ghost who appears to his sister and brother and his dog exactly when they each need him the most. Have your tissues ready.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a way in which with time we can take anything for granted. The strange becomes familiar, the extraordinary ordinary.

Now this was a great story!

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quaint little book by an English author which could almost qualify as adult rather than for children, as it was written from the point of view of an adult looking back to her childhood. As a ghost story it reminded me of L.M. Boston's The Children of Green Knowe--not really scary, but eerie, goosebumpy, in a pleasant sort of way. Child ghosts don't really seem scary so much as sad, to me, anyway. Recommended for reading on a gloomy, gray day.

[Cristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a short story about three siblings living somewhere in England in the 1950s. The eldest one dies, and his ghost appears to his younger siblings for many years—until one day, he stops appearing. The story then reveals the reason behind this. Although the author, Allan Ahlberg, is a man, the narration is voiced by the ghost’s sister, who repeatedly states that her youngest brother can vouch for everything told in the story. It’s a beautiful tale; those expecting a scary ghost story won’t find one in this book.

[Ruby Saggers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short story, with the most profound words. It is difficult for me to find a book I resonate with as well as I have done with this. I lost my brother in 2022, and though he was 24 when he died (as opposed to poor Tom at 11), I understood her grief completely. It was so strange to me, returning to normal life so soon after losing somebody so important. The first few days people awkwardly give their condolences, unsure of what to say, and then it is as though everybody forgets what had happened to you and move on.

I wish I could see my brother’s ghost, though I am also quite glad I can’t. I feel it has been easier to move on without any signs of his otherworldly presence. I still believe he is watching over me, somehow, wherever he may be - but I like the ambiguity of it.
I miss my brother dearly, and this short story has given me hope that - though the missing him will never go away, as I will graduate and get married and have a family without him there to share my joy - the pain certainly eases. The memories of him and us become fonder and less likely to reduce me to tears.

[Jenni McReddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked how this book showed ghosts as being friendly and helpful, as in primary schools they are often considered scary. The book was apparently based on the true story of Frances' childhood but was actually written by Allan Ahlberg so I'm not sure if it is actually truth or not..

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because I was looking through a box of postcards at a bookshop recently and there was one of the cover of this book. There was something about it that I liked, so I put it on hold at the library. It came in today and I picked it up and read it in one sitting. ( Well, it is a children's book after all!) it's hard to explain it so that it would sound like a book that you would want to read. It IS rather melancholy. I mean, the main character is an orphan with polio, and then her brother dies! But! Somehow her brother is able to continue to be there for her and their little brother when they need him the most. Finally... well I won't tell you in case you're the kind of grown-up that occasionally indulges in children's books. I'll just say that it turned out to be as good as I hoped it would be, though I would have liked it a little longer.

[Hilary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was sad, Frances endured a lot of hardship. We liked this book though, and I feel that for a child that has suffered loss this book would give them hope that one day life would not be so bad. For children who have happy lives I think this book helps them to realise it isn't like this for everyone. As neither of us believe in ghosts we felt this was Frances's way of coping and getting through hard times.

[Liam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a sad tale for the most part and I’m not really sure what the author was aiming for. That said, it’s nicely done and something a bit different - which is commendable. Worth a quick read.

[Jack Gorst · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short, beautiful tale of two siblings and their pet dealing with the death of their older brother. The book is written from a future perspective, as the character of Frances is documenting her memories of her childhood.

I found the book to be quite moving, with a wonderful theme of family and belonging present throughout. I just wanted to keep reading. This take on a ghost story was unlike many, and I enjoyed it for that. I felt the pacing was great and each chapter felt like it’s own section. You could almost imagine the story being formed by Frances all these years later.

I really enjoyed the memoir perspective, it made this fiction book feel biographical in a really interesting way, which I haven’t read before. I also know a lot of the places in the book in real life, so that also helped me to visualise the story!

A great book you can read comfortably in one or two sessions, and would be great for a winter evening on a cold day. Worth a read to anyone

[Gwyneth · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐
So sad but with the gentleness of a children’s book - so many tears 😭
Special points:
- Rufus and Tom finally reuniting as ghosts
- Frances and Harry growing older and taller while Tom remains unchanged 😭

[Vcmc · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful, reflective tale of a difficult childhood reaching rock bottom before gradually improving. The ghost is sad rather than scary. This is a book that adults will love and older children will find gripping.

[Miz Lizzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This slim novella is sized for small hands like the original Beatrix Potter books and kept in my library's In-Between section but it is not really for beginning chapter book readers. There is too much text per page and the vocabulary is decidedly advanced. It is written as if it were a memoir of a much older woman about her childhood sometime in the early to mid 20th Century. It starts with the death of her older brother and is about her childhood spent with his ghost looking out for them. It could make a great read-aloud for the right sort of listeners and older independent readers who love ghost stories will enjoy reading it on their own. Adults who write or tell personal stories will find a great deal of inspiration and insight as well. An evocative and thoughtful tale; just not for beginning chapter book readers.

[moldir · Rating 4 out of 5]

i first saw this book back in 9th or 10th grade at the school library. that’s when i first started learning and speaking english properly. i used to hang out at the library a lot even though never really picked up a book to read. i saw this book and got interested in the title and the length of course but hesitated getting it. when i made up my mind to try reading it i could not find it anymore. after that each time i visited the library i looked for it but the book was never there. i even thought of it as a hallucination of a sort. so it’s been years and i finally read it.

this book was light and short, i guess 14-15 year old me would have liked it more though

[Dewi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ada dua kalimat yang menghantui saya :

“HE WAS TEN WHEN it happened, and I was nine and Harry was three. Running out into the street after Rufus, he was hit by nothing more than a silent, gliding milk-float.”


"No mum, no dad, no brother, a wicked auntie and to cap it all a pathetic poor old limping leg.”


Frances, Tom & Harry adalah anak yatim piatu yang tinggal bersama Paman dan Bibi mereka. Walau serba kekurangan Frances merasakan Tom selalu berusaha melindungi adik-adiknya. Sampai suatu hari truk susu menabrak Tom yang sedang mengejar Rufus...

[Auna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is written in an adults point of view looking back on her childhood after the death of her brother. She and her other brother keep seeing his ghost and go through many hardships and confusion. I think this would be a good book to read with children or even adults who have maybe lost a loved one and are trying to come to terms with it.

[Susan Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book. I gave a copy of it to my best friend (who is assuredly an adult) for Christmas one year. There is not one wasted word in it, just a perfect creation. It remains one of my all time favorite books of all books, not just books for children. Thoughtful children find it appealing when I suggest it to them.

[Hazel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm writing this review with tears in my eyes. This story has touched me in a way that I really didn't expect. It's beautifully written and I absolutely raced through it but didn't want it to end. Grab some tissues and give it a read!

[erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

a haunting little book that's just a bit spooky and makes you wonder! it made me sad and happy at the same time.

[Linda Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

So evocative of its time, I assumed this little jewel of a book was actually written in the 1950s, instead of 2000. It reminded me somehow of another slim treasure, The Hundred Dresses.

[Adrian Bloxham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely, sad, life affirming and quite wonderful

[Laura Wooding · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

This is a very sweet little short story. It is absolutely the kind of thing I loved when I was little. It’s got ghosts and dogs, but it’s not spooky. What’s not to love?

My nanna recommended this and I read it in about twenty minutes, but would absolutely have read a longer version of the story. The end was absolutely traumatising, and to be honest I’m still thinking about it.

Would recommend.

[Derek Henderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

An odd little tale. Nicely done but I found it rather disconcerting as a children's book...

[Jemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book, it was so easy to read. I definitely cried at the end.

[Jennsie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book details the lives of two children and their pet dog after the death of their brother. It is a short story that reads like memories written down at a later date.

[ryudejakeiru · Rating 5 out of 5]

it's a good book for getting out from reading slumps.

[Janet Bird · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the dustjacket, fabulous art and I love a ghost story too.

[Charliiey Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 star rating

[Georgetowner · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars really. I love to read a ghost story just before Halloween. This is a sweeter than most little story, based on the author’s loss of his own brother when they were children.

[Mariana Rosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

um 3 muito positivo!