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Ghastly Ghosts
Old Dave inherits a lonely old house from his uncle—a nice enough place, if a bit lonely. One cold night he hears a voice: Ghastly ghosts in the old coal shed! At first he tries to ignore it, but he hears it again and again—Ghastly ghosts in the old coal shed! And when the fireplace runs out of coal, Dave has no choice but to brave the dreaded coal shed...and whatever dwells within. But Old Dave’s got an idea that just might work out for him AND the spirits.
32 pages, Hardcover
Published September 1, 2019
38 people want to read
About the author
Teresa Bateman
38 books54 followersTeresa Bateman was born in Moscow, Idaho, but moved to Washington State when she was three-years-old and that's where she has lived most of her life.
An avid writer and reader, Teresa has been making up stories and poems since she was in grade school. "To me it was as natural as breathing," says Teresa.
In school Teresa would drive her teachers crazy by 'creatively' completing assignments. She always met the letter of their assignment, if not the spirit. She worked hard to inject some humor into her work, knowing that the teachers would be reading hundreds of papers and wanting hers to stand out. It worked.
Teresa took English classes for fun in college and when she applied for a Washington State Teaching credential, the state looked at her transcripts and added an endorsement to teach English through the 12th grade!
Teresa cites her teacher Donnell Hunter at Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho, as having a big influence on her and her writing. He published a class magazine to which the class submitted their work under pen names. Their grades depended on how many stories were included in the magazine. Teresa submitted under about 15 different pen names--just to be annoying! But she knew her work was being judged on its merits alone. Mr. Hunter encouraged her journal writing and instilled in Teresa good writing habits that she continues to this day.
Teresa served an 18-month mission for her church in Argentina, and taught school for a year in Honduras. She also taught school briefly in St. Mary's, Alaska -- a little bush village with a population of 500 in the winter and 50 in the summer. She has been a librarian in the Federal Way School District in Washington for over 30 years.
Teresa writes every single day. She also works full-time, so that means some days she doesn't write much, but she always writes. When at home, Teresa's special spot for writing has a good view of the lilac bushes outside. A picture of a winding path through gentle rolling hills and meadows hangs on the wall. She tells herself, when stuck for an idea, that the story lies at the end of that path.
Teresa lives in Tacoma, Washington.
An avid writer and reader, Teresa has been making up stories and poems since she was in grade school. "To me it was as natural as breathing," says Teresa.
In school Teresa would drive her teachers crazy by 'creatively' completing assignments. She always met the letter of their assignment, if not the spirit. She worked hard to inject some humor into her work, knowing that the teachers would be reading hundreds of papers and wanting hers to stand out. It worked.
Teresa took English classes for fun in college and when she applied for a Washington State Teaching credential, the state looked at her transcripts and added an endorsement to teach English through the 12th grade!
Teresa cites her teacher Donnell Hunter at Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho, as having a big influence on her and her writing. He published a class magazine to which the class submitted their work under pen names. Their grades depended on how many stories were included in the magazine. Teresa submitted under about 15 different pen names--just to be annoying! But she knew her work was being judged on its merits alone. Mr. Hunter encouraged her journal writing and instilled in Teresa good writing habits that she continues to this day.
Teresa served an 18-month mission for her church in Argentina, and taught school for a year in Honduras. She also taught school briefly in St. Mary's, Alaska -- a little bush village with a population of 500 in the winter and 50 in the summer. She has been a librarian in the Federal Way School District in Washington for over 30 years.
Teresa writes every single day. She also works full-time, so that means some days she doesn't write much, but she always writes. When at home, Teresa's special spot for writing has a good view of the lilac bushes outside. A picture of a winding path through gentle rolling hills and meadows hangs on the wall. She tells herself, when stuck for an idea, that the story lies at the end of that path.
Teresa lives in Tacoma, Washington.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
October 8, 2019
Son's Review
(Age: 4)
On what's important to know:
Well, that it's a spooky one.
On who would like it:
Anybody who likes spooky stuff because it's spooky.
On when to read it:
At winter because it has cold time in it, because it has snow in it.
On the best part:
When the ghosts are at his house because the ghosts are his friends.
On Old Dave and solving problems:
He's brave. I try to be brave.
On visiting Old Dave:
Yeah, I wouldn't be scared. It looks like his bathroom doesn't have a toilet though.
Mom's Review
Ghastly Ghosts is a huge hit with T right now. He loves calling out the ghosts' refrain in an increasingly louder voice: "Ghastly ghosts in the old coal shed!" And each time we read, he eagerly points out the objects mentioned, like mice in the attic or a broken pane. The repetition invites young listeners to "read" along, and the cadence makes it fun to read aloud. Apart from the seasonable appeal and the enjoyable rhythm, Old Dave is a likable character. He has a cat and he fiddles; he is content in his solitude but admits his loneliness one cold winter night. Upon hearing ghostly moans from the old coal shed, he takes back his wish to hear another voice. When the ghosts repeat the same phrase over and over and over again, he becomes more exasperated than frightened. Eventually, he must enter the old coal shed if he wants to keep his fire burning. Dave confronts the ghosts in a very matter-of-fact manner despite a bit of lingering fear. My favorite part is when Old Dave tells the ghosts that they "MUST find something ELSE to say!"
Dave's fear is acknowledged as understandable and natural; the message of "brave people have fear" is one I'm perfectly happy to impart to T. Bravery isn't fearlessness – it's confronting that fear. Dave even goes the further step of inviting the ghosts to join him in the house where it is warm. If you want to take the story a level deeper, you could talk about how Dave is first afraid of characters who are different from himself, but makes the effort to get to know them. He realizes that there is nothing to be afraid of, and they all live happily ever after. Read it how you like, unpack a lot or a little or just have a seasonal scare. Ghastly Ghosts is a good one however you read it.
Why we chose this book:
T loves spooky books, so ghosts catch my eye. When I read the synopsis, it sounded like it might be a good fit, and we are both pleased that it is. Albert Whitman & Co. provided a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
(Age: 4)
On what's important to know:
Well, that it's a spooky one.
On who would like it:
Anybody who likes spooky stuff because it's spooky.
On when to read it:
At winter because it has cold time in it, because it has snow in it.
On the best part:
When the ghosts are at his house because the ghosts are his friends.
On Old Dave and solving problems:
He's brave. I try to be brave.
On visiting Old Dave:
Yeah, I wouldn't be scared. It looks like his bathroom doesn't have a toilet though.
Mom's Review
Ghastly Ghosts is a huge hit with T right now. He loves calling out the ghosts' refrain in an increasingly louder voice: "Ghastly ghosts in the old coal shed!" And each time we read, he eagerly points out the objects mentioned, like mice in the attic or a broken pane. The repetition invites young listeners to "read" along, and the cadence makes it fun to read aloud. Apart from the seasonable appeal and the enjoyable rhythm, Old Dave is a likable character. He has a cat and he fiddles; he is content in his solitude but admits his loneliness one cold winter night. Upon hearing ghostly moans from the old coal shed, he takes back his wish to hear another voice. When the ghosts repeat the same phrase over and over and over again, he becomes more exasperated than frightened. Eventually, he must enter the old coal shed if he wants to keep his fire burning. Dave confronts the ghosts in a very matter-of-fact manner despite a bit of lingering fear. My favorite part is when Old Dave tells the ghosts that they "MUST find something ELSE to say!"
Dave's fear is acknowledged as understandable and natural; the message of "brave people have fear" is one I'm perfectly happy to impart to T. Bravery isn't fearlessness – it's confronting that fear. Dave even goes the further step of inviting the ghosts to join him in the house where it is warm. If you want to take the story a level deeper, you could talk about how Dave is first afraid of characters who are different from himself, but makes the effort to get to know them. He realizes that there is nothing to be afraid of, and they all live happily ever after. Read it how you like, unpack a lot or a little or just have a seasonal scare. Ghastly Ghosts is a good one however you read it.
Why we chose this book:
T loves spooky books, so ghosts catch my eye. When I read the synopsis, it sounded like it might be a good fit, and we are both pleased that it is. Albert Whitman & Co. provided a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2020
Do ghosts make good roommates?
Old Dave’s reaction to the first possible hint that the house he inherited from his uncle made me giggle. Was he scared? Of course not! He could think of a rational explanation for every weird sound an old home might make. This sensible reaction showed off his practical personality so well that I couldn’t wait to get to know him better and see what was really going on behind the creaky scenes of this noisy place.
I adored this story’s approach to creative problem solving. Most people will never live in a haunted house, but all of us have to deal with occasional conflicts with friends, family members, or whoever else is part of our lives. Old Dave demonstrated how to use humor and cooperation to find solutions that not only work for everyone but might actually make everyone’s lives a little better than they were before, too!
Speaking of humor, this was one of the funniest paranormal stories I’ve ever read. The ghosts were friendly enough to appeal to readers of any age, and their interactions with Old Dave only grew more amusing with each repetition of them doing something that he was sure could be explained away without admitting that there might be spirits on his property after all.
Loneliness can be a heavy emotion to deal with, especially when describing it to small children. I appreciated the way Old Dave’s wish for companionship was addressed. He was given time to show why he didn’t particularly enjoy living alone, but everything was explained in ways that would appeal both to preschoolers as well as to any older kids or adults who may give this book a try.
Ghastly Ghosts was a heartwarming tale that included just the right amount of spookiness for the Halloween season.
Old Dave’s reaction to the first possible hint that the house he inherited from his uncle made me giggle. Was he scared? Of course not! He could think of a rational explanation for every weird sound an old home might make. This sensible reaction showed off his practical personality so well that I couldn’t wait to get to know him better and see what was really going on behind the creaky scenes of this noisy place.
I adored this story’s approach to creative problem solving. Most people will never live in a haunted house, but all of us have to deal with occasional conflicts with friends, family members, or whoever else is part of our lives. Old Dave demonstrated how to use humor and cooperation to find solutions that not only work for everyone but might actually make everyone’s lives a little better than they were before, too!
Speaking of humor, this was one of the funniest paranormal stories I’ve ever read. The ghosts were friendly enough to appeal to readers of any age, and their interactions with Old Dave only grew more amusing with each repetition of them doing something that he was sure could be explained away without admitting that there might be spirits on his property after all.
Loneliness can be a heavy emotion to deal with, especially when describing it to small children. I appreciated the way Old Dave’s wish for companionship was addressed. He was given time to show why he didn’t particularly enjoy living alone, but everything was explained in ways that would appeal both to preschoolers as well as to any older kids or adults who may give this book a try.
Ghastly Ghosts was a heartwarming tale that included just the right amount of spookiness for the Halloween season.
November 2, 2025
Dave inherits a home from his uncle. He comes to explore the place and to live there. Odd sounds and motions occur in all areas. He shares rational answers for each until the voices in the coal shed tell him about the ghastly ghosts who live there. When he has to choose between freezing or getting coal from the shed, he makes the decision to venture out and confront the ghosts. Bateman shows him confronting the ghosts and inviting them to join him and get warm. The four of them live in contentment from that point forward. Just enough creepiness with a welcoming ending.
August 30, 2020
This book made it to my 2020 Favorites List! I loved the story as well as the beautiful illustrations. I love books about ghosts and this is a book I not only highly recommend but I definitely need a physical copy for my forever shelf!
March 2, 2023
Teresa's fun, rhythmic rhyme is gorgeously paired with Ken's adorable illustration in a book for Halloween and spook-loving kids. Highly recommend this lightheartedly suspenseful ghost story for spook enthusiasts.
October 19, 2019
Cute, but not exactly original. It’s also a little drawn out and full of forced rhymes.
October 23, 2019
It was fun to read out loud and was also an entertaining book. I just think it was too wordy.
November 11, 2019
An elementary and up book about a man who moves into a new home and hears strange noises throughout the day and night. Can he figure the noises out?
January 27, 2020
A bit on the long side, but I could see the school-age crowd getting a kick out of it. I really enjoyed the illustrations.
June 26, 2022
So cute! I love the artwork!
October 21, 2023
Too long for story time but good for one-on-one reading or possibly read aloud to elementary-aged kids.
December 13, 2023
Children's Picture Books
October 27, 2024
Dave is lonely until he is presented with a ghostly present.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2024
Fun twist on a haunted house story. Cute illustrations.
June 14, 2025
Good rhyme scheme and art. Chilling vibe but ultimately positive.
December 1, 2025
Give me ghastly ghosts that can clean a house or at least bake
March 10, 2021
Dave has to go into the woodshed, despite the growing voice saying "Gastly Ghosts in the old coal shed." Will he gather the coal in order to keep warm, despite his growing fear?
ATOS: 4.0
Lex: 1010L
Trait: Sentence fluency
ATOS: 4.0
Lex: 1010L
Trait: Sentence fluency
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews