Ghost in the Garden

by Carol H. Behrman

When Jennie's family moves to a house in the country, Jennie is lonely until she meets a mysterious girl dressed in strange old clothes. But is her new friend a ghost?

Genres: Fiction, Childrens

86 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Carol H. Behrman is the author of 27 books (fiction and non-fiction) for children and young adults as well as seven writing activities texts that are used in schools throughot the U.S. and Canada. She has taught classes in writing at universities and community adult programs and at many writer's confereces. Her most recent book is FREEDOM PASSAGE, an historical novel set at the Jersey shore in 1963 involving friendship, racial prejudice and exciting time travel back to pre-Civil War days. You can find all her books at http://www.amazon.com or http://www.barnesandnoble.com

Reviews

[Echo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite book when I was young. I loved the story. And, oh how I cried when I read the end of the book.

Edit: Apparently I loved ghost stories as a kid, because they make up a large chunk of my "favorite books" list from grade school. I was a little afraid of revisiting this one, because I loved it so much, but it actually held up pretty well. Didn't have me sobbing and distraught like the first time I read it, but I still teared up a little.

[Kel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite book growing up! I read it probably 50 times when I was little.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite stories when I was little and one of the first books I can remember reading. As an adult, I'm sure the story would seem much more simplistic if I read it now then when I was six. For this reason I am basing my rating on how I viewed the book as a child rather than re-reading it. The book is intended for children and I think young girls would really enjoy it and I would definitely recommend it!

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book I ever fell in love with and I spent many years trying to find. I finally found a copy a few summers ago. Great book for young girls.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a girl named Jennie, she moves to a new house and is lonly. She meets a ghost girl, that leads her to a discovery. I belive that Jennie meets this girl one day when she is sitting in her garden. This girl Leads Jennie into cave that is full of old artifacts and paintings. This girl eventually goes away, and Jennie tells her parents about the cave.

[Katniss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanna read it all over again

[CL · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think my mom picked this book out for me from the Weekly Reader magazine when I was in elementary school, and something made me think of it recently. I think the ending is what stuck with me, how wistful and sad it was. It's still an entertaining kid's read today, and I'm glad I tracked it down (my original copy is in a box in another country somewhere, who knows where). I remember at the time thinking, mom clearly doesn't know my reading taste ;) but this book stands the test of time as an adventure-filled short novel for young readers.

Although obviously the title and the cover give away Samantha's secret (which is a little odd, if you think about it), it's still an edge-of-your-seat read, and I think kids today would enjoy it as well. The dialogue is a little old-fashioned (and I don't just mean Samantha's, but Jennie's as well). What 10-year-old says things like, "You clever darling!" even in the 80s when this was written? I mean, for real. I was 10 in the 80s and I can guarantee those words never left my lips, LOL. But that aside, it's a read that obviously stuck with me TWENTY-EIGHT years later. If that tells you anything!

[Sheena Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was just recently talking to my daughter about this book and how much I loved it, I could not completely remember the name until I seen this cover! I remember every detail of this book and am in search of finding a copy so my daughter may read this book. She said by my description, it makes her want to read it.

[Courtney Pollman-Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book when I was maybe 10 or 11 and I could not put it down. I feel in love with Samantha and the magic of this story. I'm almost forty and I still vividly remember how much I loved this book and how I devoured it in a single weekend.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, for a child, this is a wonderful book. I remember, as a child, loving it, and my children were really into it and begged for a chapter each night. As an adult, you can see issues with it of course. There is the problem of parents not bothering to go out to meet their child's friend for ages. Really there are numerous other "leap of faith" things as well that as adults we might shake our head at, but children don't seem to question. As this is geared for children though, it works. Or worked, as the case may be, as this book is rather old and difficult to find now. If one does happen upon it though, children do really seem to enjoy it.

[Cathy Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways. It was interesting and made for kids! Many have so-called invisible friends, but this book went to another level with that. She was real and no one saw her but Jennie. I wonder why Ben did not tell her anything? He was there to be asked. It was nice she met Beth and became friends, and to explain "the rest of the story". A very good read!

[Kitty Tomlinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story of Jennie Andrews, whose work-at-home artists parents have moved the family into a haunted house out in the country. Jennie is befriended by the ghost of a young girl who lived in their house.

Fun read.

[JJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this children's book to see if Madison would like it. Not terribly interesting or anything. At least not scarey.

[Amanda B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A favorite from childhood

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books as a kid.

[Becky Hiatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this book as a child unfortunately all my childhood books are missing so I really am so happy I found it again

[Debi Bourdette · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read young adult books looking for things for my grandchildren to read. This one was a little younger. a quick, easy read. I do like a little more story, but it was entertaining for a bit.

[Susan Roitmire]

good

[Sommer Davey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book in grade school!