Призрак на чердаке

by Betty Ren Wright

Десятилетняя Кристина вынуждена некоторое время пожить с занудным дядей Ральфом, пока её родители не вернутся из дальней экспедиции. Старинный особняк, стоящий глубоко в лесу, уютен, как могила. "Скверное место", — сказали ли бы вы. Здесь творится что-то неладное! Ночь напролёт хлопают двери, леденящие кровь шорохи не дают спать, а на сыром тёмном чердаке что-то жуткое набирает силу. Кристине придётся попросить о помощи… призрака! Но ведь призраков не существует, все об этом знают! Но кто же тогда тот маленький мальчик, который хочет поиграть с Кристиной? Или вовсе не поиграть?..

Genres: Horror, Middle Grade, Ghosts, Childrens, Mystery, Fiction, Paranormal

208 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Betty Ren Wright was an award-winning author of children's fiction including The Dollhouse Murders, The Ghosts Of Mercy Manor and A Ghost in The House.

Known for her ghost stories and mysteries, Wright published 28 children's novels between 1981 and 2006, as well as picture books and short stories. Prior to pursuing her career as a full-time author in 1978, she worked as an editor of children's books.

Wright lived in Wisconsin with her husband, painter George A. Fredericksen, until her death in 2013.

Reviews

[C. (Comment, never msg). · Rating 4 out of 5]

Betty Ren Wright is another prolific authoress. Sometimes she added ghosts but always evoked suspense. When authors skip kid stuff, like bickering or school and stick to adventures; the novels are phenomenal. This is why some of Betty's are superior to others. “Christina's Ghost” is driven by a family topic. She spots a spirit right away but the mystery is trivial. However these characters were shaped with such refreshing frankness; an originality pervaded that had me enjoying the novel, including the personal relations it conquered.

The mystery's resolution, if not for a spectral showdown that was harrying if not brief, was glossed over haphazardly. Ralph and Christina rustle up what they were seeking and we don't see him give it to the sheriff. Anticlimactically, we hear he was not familiar enough with the old case to have a zealous reaction. Christina bonding with her Uncle Ralph was much more enthralling. I give four stars for a pleasant story with original touches that impressed me. What is it that I admired?

We have all felt someone disliked us but seldom call that person out. Uncle Ralph answers that he likes Christina but finds her in pickles too often for a lady. Her girly sister is preferred but she has to accompany the impatient uncle. Happily, there are no stern rules stifling our story. Christina is left to amuse herself and acquaints Uncle Ralph at meals. We aren't fed that blueprint of a kid facing the paranormal solo, either. She had to clue Uncle Ralph in. It was more thrilling that they confronted the haunting together. Sometimes reviews of ghost mysteries hamper my experience with them. Many people deemed this one unusually scary. If those endorsements had not primed my expectations, the disturbances that arose would have been satisfactorily eerie for me.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun ghost story. I didn't read this one as a child but would have enjoyed it. Christina bonding with her uncle over silly riddles was a fun subplot.

[Janette Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Betty Ren Wright wrote children’s books from the 1950s straight through to the early 2000s. So glad to have stumbled across another GR reader who had read one of Wright’s books as I’d never heard of this author.

Christina’s Ghost is a chapter book for young readers published in 1985. 10 year old Christina, and her rather stodgy uncle, come to stay in a lake house one summer and encounter 2 ghosts. One ghost is sweet and shy…the other is malevolent and quite frightening at times. Christina and her uncle must solve the mystery as to why these ghosts are trapped there and what exactly will set them free. While solving their dilemma, Christina and her uncle find that they are more alike than at first seems, and that they love each other like only family can.

Sweet and a bit scary and creepy. I bet that many adult horror book lovers were born from growing up reading the many Betty Ren Wright ghost themed children’s chapter books. And that makes this horror lover quite happy. 4 ⭐️s

[Risa Manglona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in the third grade and loved it. When I got older I wanted to read it again and could never find it. I went to different library's and thrift stores looking for it. When I was 19yrs old my mom called me up asking if I wanted to follow her to the new thrift store that opened up; I almost didn't go cuz I was sick. I'm so glad I did cuz I found it. OMG i jumped up and down and screamed a very high pitched scream i never thought i could do. Lol. my mom said she never seen me so happy. :D I'm 25yrs old now and have three kids of my own. I still have the book and I can't wait to share it with them. :)

[Margie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scary! I read this as an adult twenty years ago and it made the hair stand up on the back of my neck!

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this stands out among Ms. Wright’s books because of the character development. Tomboy Christina and her reclusive uncle are stuck together in an old spooky haunted house. The ghost story is straightforward, but the characters give the book extra depth.

I got a Betty Ren Wright book in elementary school through the Scholastic book orders. (My mom let me get as many books as I wanted.) As an adult, I discovered she wrote more than one book! (That never occurred to kid-me.) I found some at the thrift store, and this was the only book the library has that I hadn’t already found. I enjoy spooky tales involving ghosts and haunted houses.

Language: Clean
Sexual Content: None
Violence/Gore: Mention of murder by gun violence – no other details given
Harm to Animals: None
Harm to Children: Ghost of child who had been murdered
Other (Triggers): Sexism/enforcement of gender stereotypes; relationship friction; vengeful ghost

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just remembered this book scaring the crap out of me when I was a kid.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with other books by Betty Ren Wright, Christina's Ghost is more about the sweet relationship which develops between seemingly opposite characters thrust together by circumstances than it is the relatively low-stakes horror that provides the conflict. On that front, it's a big success, with tomboy Christina and her grouchy uncle Ralph becoming really endearing characters. The plot itself is skeletal, however, and anyone outside of the book's young target audience will find little excitement or suspense in it.

[Shiloah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family audiobook on a road trip to Missouri. The kids loved it. Even dad 😀

[Courtney Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've only recently discovered this author but I'm loving her

[Ishi Time · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the dynamic between Uncle Ralph and Christina!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a lot of middle-grade books. Not just for review purposes but because sometimes it's just very enjoyable to read something innocent, funny, simple and entertaining. I find all sorts of great middle-grade books at local thrift shops, and on my local library's digital website. I have spent many a happy afternoon reading about the trials of middle school, kids solving mysteries and ghosts, monsters or even space aliens. Why not? I have discovered many wonderful children's authors, passed on many great books to my son and other kids, and reviewed some really awesome books.

I found Christina's Ghost by Betty Ren Wright on my library's website in audiobook format. Battling a cold for several days, I wanted to listen to a short, entertaining ghost story. And this book was perfect!

Christina and her sister are being sent to stay with their grandmother while their parents are on a 5-week trip to Alaska. Their Uncle Ralph drives the girls to their grandmother's house, only to discover she has gone into the hospital. Christina has to stay with her Uncle Ralph while her sister goes with an Aunt until their grandmother returns. Uncle Ralph is staying at an isolated, spooky house while a friend is out of town. He is doing research and really doesn't enjoy the company of children. Christina is bored. She's upset that her Uncle Ralph doesn't seem to like her, lonely and misses her parents, sister and grandmother. She decides to explore the area around the house, swim in the lake and try to fill her days as best she can. Then she starts seeing a little boy....a little boy who shows up when she is laughing or happy. But he only stays for a few seconds before....disappearing. Suddenly she is pulled into a mystery.....is the little boy a ghost? And why is he at the house? How is she going to convince Uncle Ralph that she's seeing a ghost?

This book was entertaining, and the audiobook, narrated by Carol Jordan Stewart, was easy for me to hear and understand. I have partial hearing loss, so when it comes to audiobooks I need good production value and a narrator who speaks clearly. I was able to understand and thoroughly enjoy this audiobook! Written for children, the story is relatively simple and short. The audiobook is just over two hours long. Perfect length for a car trip, appointment or other errand with the kids in tow. The story is well-paced, with humor sprinkled in. There are ghosts, but the tale is ago-appropriate for ages 7 and up. Nothing overly terrifying. Christina solves the mystery, and learns how to befriend an adult relative she doesn't know very well. I listened to this story, chuckling at the silly riddles Christina shared with her grumpy uncle, while doing housework. It made the afternoon brighter and the task less mundane. I highly recommend it to adults and children alike!

Betty Ren Wright wrote 25 children's books including The Dollhouse Murders and Ghosts of Mercy Manor. Her writing is age-appropriate for children, entertaining and spooky without being too scary for kids. Her stories also provide great entertainment for adults, too. It certainly brightened my afternoon!

[Nader Nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

My second book I read by this author, and I really liked it, with a good introduction to the characters, the relationship between the two main characters and their development, and the atmosphere of the story with a touch of horror and the ghost story, which was only lacking some back story details .
And I wanted a few details about the ending as well, but the way the story ended was somewhat sufficient.
Verdict: 7.5/10

[Ana Lopes Miura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t rate it higher because I’m old and jaded. All of her books would have been 5 stars when I was a young girl. ❤️

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This actually spooked me! Really good book that definitely holds up, especially given the length and target audience.

Although, uh, letting a kid have unrestricted unsupervised access to a lake when they aren't a strong swimmer? I know this was written in the 80s, but that's -1000 guardian points for the uncle.

[Leilani · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't remember much about the book, so it was pretty much like reading it for the first time. It was rather odd that in the very begining of the book Chritina's grandmother has a gallbalder attach and has to have it removed, then stay in the hospital, and here I am recovering from having my gallblader removed.

[Linda Hargis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this when I was very young and loved it .

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am 11 years old again, and it is fabulous.
80s Scholastic books are just unbeatable.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Betty Ren Wright was a great author. Christina is living with her uncle for a little while, the house they are staying at is haunted. Such a great story.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christina is stuck with her crabby uncle while her grandmother is in the hospital, and then she discovers that their summer house is haunted by multiple spirits. This was one of my favorites are a kid! I remember the creepy cold attic and moving chest, and it's sort of my baseline for ghost stories. I like seeing Chris being stubborn and herself and pushing against mid-80s expectations of how older men thought girls should behave and what kind of lives women should have. Ralph ultimately won me over.

[Scott Short · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it in 1 1/2 hours. Good story!

[Emily]

This book was so scary that I hid it in my closet after I finished it. It still hasn't left me.

[Natalie Hoyt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taking some time to reread the spooky books of my childhood that introduced me to the horror genre in the first place - 5 stars for nostalgia 🩷

[Felicia Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good as I remember it being.

[Yennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks, Goodreads, for reminding me that this book exists. This was probably my favorite book in third or fourth grade (up until I discovered The Phantom Tollbooth, which is still one of my all-time favorite books) and probably the first story to scare me. I lent it to my fourth grade best friend (whose name was Tina), and she gave it back to me drawn on and a bit mangled. I never lent her anything again.

[thats.Insania · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember this scared the crap out of me as a child.
Can’t remember all the details but there was rattling and a cabin with an uncle? In some scenes I could not distinguish whether I was reading or was in the world of the story. I remember I thought this was amazing.
5/5

[Addie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talk about freaky! This book scared me so bad as a youth! Definitely considered a spooky read.

[Lucia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t expect the book to be good with the cover. NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER! Unless it’s poorly designed…oh well.

This book was a teacher recommendation (and by teacher I mean our librarian) and she told me this book was really good. It’s basically an evil spirit/evil supernatural book (forgot what it’s called). When our librarian said it was a violent spirit/ghost story, I thought it would be violent violent. Like ‘oh yeah, nice kiddy cover’ then boom, unexpected ghost warning that is taken too far but no.

The writing style already was a sign that this book was childish with its situation. The librarian scammed me. WHY. The only part this book did not seem childish with was when it was discovered how the boy on the cover (Russel) died and became a ghost.
But besides that, I liked the character development with Uncle Ralph and Chris. It made me smile at how stubborn the man was, yet he still took in consideration of Chris.

This book was pretty good even though I mentioned how the librarian scammed me with false information (istg) but there was one day where I just read like 7 chapters. This was a pretty fun read!

4/5

P.S. I only read this book to fill up a space for my reading log for stupid ELA (CHIllLEE!!!)

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

While not the best story I've ever read, what I did like sets this book apart from so many others. In many/most middle-grade and young-adult books, the juveniles are pretty much left to their own devices. The adults are either incompetent, apathetic, or they refuse to involve themselves despite how much they say they care (Hmm...hmmm *Dumbledore*). While these books can be fun and well-written in their own right, the lack of adult involvement in the lives of children and youths can set a negative precedent. Children need guidance, boundaries, and assurance of love - in other words, children need adults to be present, in every sense of the word. How do you spell LOVE? T.I.M.E. That is one things Christina's Ghost does well. Though Uncle Ralph is an unlikable grouch at the beginning and doesn't believe Christina when she tells him about the ghosts in the house, he soon has his own terrifying experience that throws them together in an effort to set things right. They not only come to understand one another, but they establish a bond of affection and love. I wish to see more books of this nature for children, letting them know they can and should find an adult to trust - to know they are not alone. Thank you, Betty Ren Wright, for writing such a book.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm being generous with the rating because I'm not in the target audience, although I was probably part of the target audience when the book was first published 30-some years ago. My library was promoting a few audiobooks of these old ghost stories for Halloween and I thought it would be fun to listen to while working.

The book hasn't aged well, for one thing. There are characters who rant about girls wanting careers when they should be playing with dolls, that sort of thing. (Our main character, a tomboy, fortunately doesn't agree with them.) The ghosts don't do anything more than appear here and there and then disappear again when somebody notices them; the story is more about a girl being a ray of sunshine to her crochety old uncle. (This was back in the days when nobody was worried about a young girl being sent off alone to live with a single uncle far from town all summer - a more innocent time.) The mystery behind the haunting was easily solved although the book seemed to end before everything wrapped up. I thought maybe I hadn't downloaded the whole thing, but I had.

I can't really recommend this one.