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How to Scare a Ghost
From the creators of the
New York Times
bestsellers
How to Catch Santa
and
How to Babysit a Grandpa
comes a silly (and not-too-spooky) send-up of Halloween...and ghosts!
Who says ghosts get to have all the fun on Halloween? In this humorous new addition to Jean Reagan and Lee Wildish's bestselling How to... books, the kids are in charge! But in order to scare a ghost, you might have to find one first. Guided by a tongue-in-cheek instructional style, two children show young readers how to set the stage for a spooktacular Halloween by carving pumpkins, playing games, and even reading scary stories. Has a ghost showed up? Great! Now the fun--er, the scaring--can really begin. Filled with charming role-reversal humor, creative ideas, and lots of holiday spirit, How to Scare a Ghost is sure to delight kids, parents, and things that go bump in the night.
Who says ghosts get to have all the fun on Halloween? In this humorous new addition to Jean Reagan and Lee Wildish's bestselling How to... books, the kids are in charge! But in order to scare a ghost, you might have to find one first. Guided by a tongue-in-cheek instructional style, two children show young readers how to set the stage for a spooktacular Halloween by carving pumpkins, playing games, and even reading scary stories. Has a ghost showed up? Great! Now the fun--er, the scaring--can really begin. Filled with charming role-reversal humor, creative ideas, and lots of holiday spirit, How to Scare a Ghost is sure to delight kids, parents, and things that go bump in the night.
32 pages, Library Binding
Published August 21, 2018
4 people are currently reading
96 people want to read
About the author
Jean Reagan
25 books39 followersJean Reagan lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband, Peter, and daughter, Jane. Their beloved son and brother, John, died in 2005. Born in Alabama, Jean spent most of her childhood in Japan. Since graduating from Earlham College, she has worked as a community organizer, a union activist, and a writer. She cherishes her years as a full-time mother when she also worked at her children's public school, The Open Classroom. In the summers, her family lives in a tiny, remote cabin in Grand Teton National Park where she and Peter serve as volunteer backcountry rangers. Bears visit them frequently.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
October 15, 2018
This children's book How to Scare a Ghost has the most beautiful illustrations. We did enjoy the story, but it fell flat in a few spots. It was still a fun read for my 5-year-old, but not a favorite this year.
3-stars
3-stars
September 28, 2018
How To Scare A Ghost is a fun and engaging childrens book that is full of colorful illustrations to keep every reader engaged in the story! This story is easy to read and understand and shows kids the fun and creative parts of Halloween.
I love how the writer shares tips for kids on how to be safe while trick or treating and how to say Thank You after receiving treats!
Kids and parents will enjoy reading this book together and can easily read this each year as a fun Halloween tradition for the family!
You can read my full review over on YABC here:
http://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfic...
I love how the writer shares tips for kids on how to be safe while trick or treating and how to say Thank You after receiving treats!
Kids and parents will enjoy reading this book together and can easily read this each year as a fun Halloween tradition for the family!
You can read my full review over on YABC here:
http://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfic...
September 7, 2018
Pretty good for getting excited about Halloween and coming up with ideas for things to do.
It does seem odd that they say dogs can't see ghosts.
It does seem odd that they say dogs can't see ghosts.
July 21, 2023
I believe I have now read this entire ‘How To’ series to date.
Another fun and sweet book.
Another fun and sweet book.
September 10, 2020
Purchase How to Scare a Ghost here for just $8!
This is a delightful little book with a sweet little story and some lovely colourful illustrations. A great little book for the younger ones.
Alicia - The Book Grocer
This is a delightful little book with a sweet little story and some lovely colourful illustrations. A great little book for the younger ones.
Alicia - The Book Grocer
September 14, 2021
Fun book for Halloween.
November 14, 2018
Review originally published on my blog,
Nine Pages
.
This isn’t a format that I particularly enjoy. This story was basically a series of lists, and it seemed long. It seems like the sort of book that you ought to read page-by-page, stopping to decorate for Halloween, stopping to do some Halloween activities at school. Why one wants to scare a ghost is never addressed. The only thing that scares the ghost is a vacuum. That one scene is a page long. Scaring a ghost becomes comforting a ghost and playing with a ghost and taking a ghost trick-or-treating. The book’s ideas are quite clever, but the format just doesn’t help those ideas, I don’t think. I’d rather read a story about less-generic, better characterized kids making a ghost friend and taking it trick-or-treating than listicles with a vague “you” addressee. My little story time guests wanted to know why the ghost was incorporeal when the kids were playing with it on the playground, but it was able to be corporeal enough to wear a costume, and why wearing a Halloween costume made a ghost visible to adults. I couldn’t answer them.
This isn’t a format that I particularly enjoy. This story was basically a series of lists, and it seemed long. It seems like the sort of book that you ought to read page-by-page, stopping to decorate for Halloween, stopping to do some Halloween activities at school. Why one wants to scare a ghost is never addressed. The only thing that scares the ghost is a vacuum. That one scene is a page long. Scaring a ghost becomes comforting a ghost and playing with a ghost and taking a ghost trick-or-treating. The book’s ideas are quite clever, but the format just doesn’t help those ideas, I don’t think. I’d rather read a story about less-generic, better characterized kids making a ghost friend and taking it trick-or-treating than listicles with a vague “you” addressee. My little story time guests wanted to know why the ghost was incorporeal when the kids were playing with it on the playground, but it was able to be corporeal enough to wear a costume, and why wearing a Halloween costume made a ghost visible to adults. I couldn’t answer them.
October 28, 2022
This book is really cute, the illustrations and story and just general idea. A new concept I haven’t come across before so it’s really original and I think it’s so cool that someone thought of this.
It’s adorable that it breaks down what games are good to play with a ghost, and what aren’t, like hide and seek and see-sawing. And they ghosts aren’t afraid of vacuums! You can tell she put thought into this.
The only thing is some of the activities could have been better, and she wrote that only kids and cats can see ghosts and dogs can’t. Where is that from? Dogs pick up on the paranormal too, and adults can see ghosts!
It’s adorable that it breaks down what games are good to play with a ghost, and what aren’t, like hide and seek and see-sawing. And they ghosts aren’t afraid of vacuums! You can tell she put thought into this.
The only thing is some of the activities could have been better, and she wrote that only kids and cats can see ghosts and dogs can’t. Where is that from? Dogs pick up on the paranormal too, and adults can see ghosts!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2018
How to Scare a Ghost by Jean Reagan, illustrated by Lee Wildish. Knopf (Random House), 2018. $18. 9781524701901
BUYING RECOMMENDATION: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
It’s Halloween and it’s time to find a ghost so that you can scare it! Or maybe be its friend.
Reagan and Wildish now have seven books in their How To series! This one is so much fun!
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
BUYING RECOMMENDATION: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
It’s Halloween and it’s time to find a ghost so that you can scare it! Or maybe be its friend.
Reagan and Wildish now have seven books in their How To series! This one is so much fun!
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
October 30, 2020
This was a cute book. My kids enjoyed it. I didn't know it at the time I bought it, but this is written by the author of the "How to" books (which makes sense now...). We have enjoyed the How to Babysit a Grandma and Grandpa books, and also How to Surprise a Dad. This was a fun take on Halloween.
It kept both my kids (6 and almost 3) engaged the whole time. The pictures are very cute and colorful. The how to's were fun. My kids enjoyed watching the ghost appear and see the different things the ghost dressed up as.
Overall a fun book to have on the shelf at Halloween.
It kept both my kids (6 and almost 3) engaged the whole time. The pictures are very cute and colorful. The how to's were fun. My kids enjoyed watching the ghost appear and see the different things the ghost dressed up as.
Overall a fun book to have on the shelf at Halloween.
Read
April 12, 2021This was great fun (as are the other instalments in this series).
Perfect for Halloween (and with a heavy Halloween theme), I love that the ghost is just one of the friends, and the children have to cover for them so everyone thinks it’s just another kid.
As usual, the series’ detailed illustrations will keep children entertained for ages, and there are so many activities in the pictures to inspire real life fun.
Perfect for Halloween (and with a heavy Halloween theme), I love that the ghost is just one of the friends, and the children have to cover for them so everyone thinks it’s just another kid.
As usual, the series’ detailed illustrations will keep children entertained for ages, and there are so many activities in the pictures to inspire real life fun.
September 25, 2018
Digital illustrations complement a story about two children who find a ghost and then teach it all about Halloween and going door to door for treats. While it might seem that this book would be scary because of its content, it isn't at all, and many youngsters will get a kick out of watching all the careful steps the youngsters take in order to gain a ghost's attention. Parts of it such as the witch's voice would be great fun to share out loud with others.
October 14, 2018
Who knew ghosts love glitter? A fun, not-scary book to read as Halloween approaches. I love books that showcase list-making, though in this case the list items are scattered throughout with the illustrations. The illustrations show children of diverse backgrounds participating in fun Halloween and fall activities and give children lots to explore.
January 3, 2019
Jean Reagan is at it again with her how to scare a ghost book. Her how-to-books are on the shelves of book stores and libraries. Read this one as it shows how children can find a ghost and scare a ghost. Did you know dogs aren't afraid of ghosts? Well, this book has lots of things to say about ghosts.
October 4, 2025
Average book but got my 6 year old to read it alone. Good illustrations. Nice intro to Halloween and how to go trick or treating after putting a costume on a ghost. Found it interesting that adults or dogs can’t see ghosts, only kids and cats can; but if you put a costume on the ghost grown ups can see it. Author is Jean Reagan and illustration by Lee Wildish.
October 28, 2018
Simple kids book. No real story to speak of. More of a comical illustrated list of things to do to “find and scare a ghost”. However in a group setting, with encouraged participation, it makes a nice read aloud.
October 11, 2024
Pretty funny and fun but not good for storytime - good just to read at home with kids! Teaches you who can see ghosts, how to catch one, how to play with a ghost, how to scare a ghost, and what to do with ghosts, ending with a wish for a happy halloween! Creative!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2018
Pretty darn cute! Talks about all the ways you can hang out with a ghost friend on halloween. I like the rule that only kids and cats can see ghosts, not grownups or dogs, haha
September 14, 2018
A cute book about how to attract, scare, and play with a ghost. Small pictures and a longer story makes this better for a one-on-one format.
September 16, 2018
Cute little story about how to befriend a ghost for extra Halloween fun. The illustrations were good, and the text was simple and fun.
September 30, 2018
I didn't really like the layout of the story. Too many asterisks as points, which broke the rhythm and ideas of the book.
October 20, 2018
I really enjoy the "How To" series. They are such fun, silly, and charming books! A good story time for Halloween.
October 28, 2018
Cute story and great illustrations for a Halloween read
February 23, 2019
This how-to book for children is a step-by-step instruction on how to scare a ghost, but first you have to find one. Cute whimsical story with great illustrations. (not scary)
March 5, 2019
Halloween is the perfect time to learn how to scare a ghost. It’s also the perfect time to read this book. Another charming role-reversal book from Jean Reagan and Lee Wildish.
April 24, 2019
A how to guide on celebrating halloween with a ghost from how to trick or treat to costumes and beyond. Elementary and up
October 16, 2020
It was about learning how to play with a ghost -- and what you should NEVER play with a ghost.
October 20, 2020
“How to Scare a Ghost” is a fun Halloween book. It would be great to give out to trick or treaters!
August 17, 2021
Winry and I both thought this was a fun cute story. Not too many words and the right amount of fun.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews