It Creeps!

Ghost Detectors #1

by Dotti Enderle, Howard McWilliam (Illustrator)

Malcolm and his best friend Dandy aren't like other 10-year-old boys. Malcolm would rather avoid his older sister, experiment in his lab, and read his science magazines than play sports. In one magazine, he comes across an advertisement for an Ecto-Handheld-Automatic-Heat-Sensitive-Laser-Enhanced Specter Detector. Its arrival is the beginning of the boys' new career as Ghost Detectors when they discover a practical-joking poltergeist! Calico Chapter Books is an imprint of Magic Wagon, a division of ABDO Group. Grades 2-5.

Genres: Childrens, Ghost Stories, 2nd Grade, Middle Grade, Ghosts

80 pages, Library Binding

First published August 1, 2009

About the author

I'm the author of literally (get it) dozens of books for children.

Born in Killeen, Texas on a cold January day in 1954. My family moved around a lot, allowing me to, over the years, live on a farm, in an historic home and always near rivers or bayous. My playthings were hula-hoops, old typewriters and a wooden leg named Charlie. (Yep, you read that right.) If you want a true glimpse of my childhood dreams, read my novel, Man in the Moon. The character Janine allows you inside my young mixed-up mind.

I’ve lived most of my life in Houston and still live there today. You’ll find me here reading, writing and smiling.

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

In It Creeps! (which is the first instalment of the twenty-four volume early reading Ghost Detectors chapter books, with the first eighteen stories penned by Dotti Enderle, two by her daughter Adrienne and the last four books by Jan Phillips) main protagonist Malcolm (who seems to be around ten years old) is textually depicted as a typical nerdy inventor. And yes, Malcolm has turned his family's entire basement into a huge science laboratory complete with chemistry sets and the lingering odours of stink bombs, which is all depicted quite humorously to a point, but is also rather too typecast and too stereotypical for my personal tastes, not to mention that Malcolm in It Creeps! is also often (and actually usually) shown by Enderle as being unnecessarily cruel and almost always horrid towards his older sister Cocoa. But just to say that I do indeed appreciate how Malcolm in It Creeps! is shown by Dotti Enderle as not babying his great-grandmother and equally so understands why Eunice has been pretending to be "not all there" (for why make an effort if Malcolm's mother does not consider Eunice as being intellectually capable), but that Malcolm also does not want to heed his great-grandmother's advice regarding staying away from going hunting for ghosts.

So with Malcolm in It Creeps! often ordering scientific contraptions advertised in magazines, while he is generally disappointed with the objects that he has bought, well, the arrival of the recently ordered Ecto-Handheld-Automatic-Heat-Sensitive-Laser-Enhanced Specter Detector (and supposedly meant for serious ghost hunters Only) is indeed the very best thing Malcolm has ever received and also seems to work (which Malcolm and is best friend Dandy then test at the known by everyone as haunted grey, gloomy and overgrown with vegetation McBeaky House, where prankster ghost Herbert McBeaky then gives Malcolm a huge and hilariously creepy wedgie and that It Creeps! ends with Herbert chasing after and obviously being interested in Cocoa, in Malcolm's sister).

Funny, very mildly creepy, pretty simplistic, and yes, my inner six to eight year old has certainly enjoyed It Creeps! (although she does NOT really like Malcolm as a person all that much, thinks that he definitely has a bit of a nasty streak and is obviously also a very annoying younger brother) and that my rating for It Creeps! is thus three stars (but that said three stars is definitely and equally very generous of and from me). And just to point out that Howard McWilliam's accompanying artwork for It Creeps! provides a nice decorative trim, but that his pictures are also not essential for It Creeps! (which I personally appreciate, because albeit what Dotti Enderle textually presents is very simple, I do like that readers also do not need McWilliam's pictures to enjoy and to also sufficiently understand Enderle's features storyline for It Creeps!).

[Andrew J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really what I expected, but decent for a ghost story for (probably) 6-8 year olds (or whoever, really. A book is a book). The main character is named Malcolm. He's this scientist wannabe (I think) who seems to have a general knowledge of how to work on pranks and just standard scientific reactions. His sister is oddly named. Cocoa. I wonder how they managed to leave the hospital with that as a name... Then again, it's better than Peanut or Cabbage or Rainbow. I'd sooner let 'Cocoa' leave the hospital than 'Rainbow,' and that's for darn sure; but I digress.

At the beginning of the story, Malcolm ordered something from a kid's catalog that looks like a curling iron. It's supposed to fusion things together, but turns out to be just a toy. I remember an age where I thought toys could "be real." The second thing he orders just might be legit. It's got a REALLY long name. The Ecto-Handheld-Automatic-Heat-Sensitive-Laser-Enhanced Specter Detector. Welp, that's one way to avoid having to deal with copyright issues :P. There's a house up the road called the McBleaky house that is allegedly haunted. They decided to try this thing out on the house. The house itself looks somewhat like the house from the 'Monster House' movie.

I spotted this on an end cap at the library in the chapterbooks part of the "children's books floor." Not everything on that floor could be deemed strictly for children, but in some ways, I suppose this one could be. There's some "boyhood humor" in it. The main character's best friend Dandy (short for Daniel Dee) is often picking his nose (or "digging for buried treasure" as it's sometimes called), and there's an underwear joke later on in the book. There's also a grandmother than somewhat serves as the whole "laughing about old people thing" during boyhood that is present briefly, but thankfully went a different direction. It almost had only 2 stars. Not great, but not bad.

3 out of 5 stars.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Malcolm is your typical young nerdy inventor. He has turned the family basement into his laboratory complete with chemistry set and lingering smell of a stink bomb. Malcolm loves getting magazines in the mail, but not for their enlightening articles. He flips straight to the advertisements in the back to see what strange contraptions he can order through the mail. Sometimes he is disappointed with his purchases, but that all changes with one particular package. The arrival of the Ecto-Handheld-Automatic-Heat-Sensitive-Laser-Enhanced Specter Detector (for serious Ghost Hunters Only) is the BEST thing he has ever received! Now he just has to find the perfect place to do some ghost-hunting. The McBleaky House is perfect: gray, gloomy and overgrown. Reluctantly helped by his best friend Dandy, he waits until nightfall to test his Specter Detector. The results are hair-raising, spine-tingling and pretty funny too! The Ghost Detectors is a fun new series for readers who are just starting to read chapter books and like things a just a tad spooky.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

“It Creeps!” is book one in Dotti Enderle’s “Ghost Detectors” series. This short chapter book with black-and-white illustrations is intended for young children, and as such it is slightly immature and silly. Reminiscent of Jimmy Neutron, Malcolm—the main character—is a junior inventor and scientist with his rather clueless sidekick, Dandy. When he isn’t busy fending off his older sister Cocoa, Malcolm enjoys discovering new devices. Of course he is unable to resist an ad for the Ecto-Handheld-Automatic-Heat-Sensitive-Laser-Enhanced Specter Detector, which entices him to check out the local haunted house in search of ghosts. He and Dandy may end up finding more than they bargain for, however, in this fun and mildly frightening story, the last page of which is dedicated to the “Top Five Ways to Detect a Ghost, Spirit, or Poltergeist.” Young children who are fond of silly antics with a slightly ghostly theme will likely enjoy this book with its short length and quick ending.

[Kate Schwarz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ben is into creepy, spooky books--and this series is just the right length for him (Goosebumps is a little long, Beast Quest is a little...um, interesting). The main character orders a specter detector to find ghosts in the haunted house down the road, but he ends up replacing his sister's blow dryer with it as a practical joke. Everything in this book is mild--spook, humor, teasing siblings, which makes it a fine choice for younger good readers.

[AMY · Rating 3 out of 5]

80 pages. Lots of suspense in this book makes for a fun ghost busting story. Two friends Malcolm and Dandy use a ghost detector gadget to find a ghost in their neighborhood. I think boys will like this one because it has lots of goofiness, nose-picking and comedy. It has great cover art that will entice readers to take a chance. Recommended for Gr. 3-5. With only 80 pages, this book is a fast, fun read. Great illustrations throughout. Recommended.

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book doesn't have a lot of deep characterization, social lessons, or profound morals, it is pretty entertaining as a read-aloud book. My listeners were laughing aloud frequently and were sad when I had to cease reading each night. We were all hoping for something a little different -- a little smarter -- at the end, but I guess that's what the sequels are for.

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Large print
Easy to read
Good book for boys who want a scary book.

[Lucas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I that it was good but not super good.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for what it is - beginning chapter book with just enough ghost to spook but not enough to keep young readers up at night. Large print and illustrations means that kids who are reluctant might not put this one back :)

[Siena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book! In the beginning its kinda boring but then when they get to the mcbleeky house it gets really creepy and I just don't want to stop! I LOVE THE END!!! I won't say what I like about the end because I don't want to spoil it.

[WKPL Children's/YA Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miss Linda enjoyed this book, which is the first in a series. She says anyone in grades 1-4 will like it as well!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two ten years old boy find a machine for find ghost, they go to a ghost house and found a ghost, I think this book is interesting, maybe some kids would like it, is about horror and adventure.

[Dawn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't really like this. The main character was annoying, and I think he was unnecessarily harsh to his older sister. I did like his friend Dandy and his Grandma Eunice.

[Elissa Schaeffer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was sorely disappointed in this book. I was hoping to find an exciting adventure story that boys ages 7-9 would like to read. They may still, as there was plenty of "nose-picking" humor, but overall this was lacking likeable characters, decent family relationships, and even a good mystery. Not to mention that I was offended by using the great-grandmother's apparent dementia as a tool for laughs.

I borrowed this from another library to see if I would want to add it to my own library's collection. Short answer: NO. I'm glad I didn't buy it for my library!

[Beth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Malcolm and his friend Dandy use a mail-order spector detector to find a ghost in a nearby deserted house.
Story was a bit rambling and the dialogue was annoying. Malcolm fights with his cliche older sister and the supposedly demented grandmother is used unsuccessfully for comic effect. Not scary.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary:
Malcolm can’t resist the latest gadget advertised in his science magazines. His most recent purchase, the Specter Detector, creeps him out as he stumbles upon a ghost that is a prankster.

[Luke "Bob" · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was awesome. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

[Kalynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

L likes this series

[Connie Gunderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Other than some unnecessarily gross nose-picking parts, this was a fun little ghost story.

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

We read this with our son before bed over the course of a few nights. Compelling funny and spooky story. We had a great time with it.

[Gena Lott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This ghost story is anything but scary--especially since the ghostly being is a joker! A fun read for 3rd grade to 5th grade.

[Kristi Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great kids story!! Wyatt loved it. He was actually asking me to read, instead of me making him...