Ghosts in the House!

Ghosts in the House! is a delightfully odd story about a witch who moves into a haunted house and solves her ghost problem in a very creative way. This adorable, beautifully illustrated picture book will show kids that ghosts don't have to be scary. With a charming narrative and lovable characters, this story is sure to be a favorite; it definitely belongs on your shelf this Halloween.Kazuno Kohara's orange-and-black manga-esque illustrations are fantastic, with dynamic lines that keep the eye moving and adorable character work that kids will love. I'm a huge fan of the cat, who dons a suit when the witch puts on her black hat in a panel that never fails to make me giggle.The translucent white ghosts provide the perfect level of contrast to the two-color illustrations, and the smiling ghosts make this the happiest ghost story I've ever read (with apologies to The Closet Ghosts, the previous holder of the title). I must admit, it surprised me that a ghost would be satisfied to take a spin in the washing machine and then end up as a tablecloth, but you can't argue with the ghost's charming grin!Ghosts in the House! is an adorable, charming book with beautiful artwork. Don't let the orange and black fool you — this is a story to be enjoyed year-round, not just at Halloween. Kids won't be scared at all by this book; rather, they will be delighted by the smiling characters and creative story. It may even help children with their fears. It's hard to be scared of a ghost once you've seen one happily go through the spin cycle!

My daughter is 2.5 years old and just loves this book. Halloween season has just passed, but from the time we bought it in September, through Halloween, it was read multiple times a day. (I have put it on a high shelf for a while now that Halloween is over, so we can enjoy our many other great books!) My daughter is almost past the "board book" phase. We are starting, more and more, to read regular hardcover picture books, and this book makes it easy. The language is simple, with only one or two lines per page. The illustrations are absolutely adorable. This is a Halloween classic in the making, and already is in our house. As a side note, I wanted something equally perfect to gift to my son, so I did a search for a boys' Halloween book by this author/illustrator. There is one-- Little Wizard-- but it unfortunately is out of print. I was happy to find a new copy from one of the outside sellers via Amazon, and we love that book, too.

This picture book is a masterpiece of thwarted expectations. I love how Kazuno Kohara's simple text twists typical Halloween conventions in witty and whimsical ways.As one might expect, what appears to be a "splendid" old house turns out to be haunted with ghosts. BUT the little girl who moves into it turns out to be a witch who knows how to catch ghosts. And the first thing she does upon catching them is . . . throw them in the washing machine? She goes on to hang them out to dry and use them as curtains and tablecloths. Ultimately she and her black cat sleep peacefully under the covers of the final two ghosts, living "happily ever after."I adore this only mildly scary and overwhelmingly sweet Halloween story. The plot alone convinced me to purchase this book for my preschoolers, who are easily frightened. I love this little chance to transform any of their initial apprehension into surprise and even laughter. That Kohara illustrates "Ghosts in the House" with fantastic linoleum prints made me covet it even more.

This is a quick read that keeps the action moving. I have been collecting read aloud books for 52 years and I consider this book to be near the highest level. You might also consider her Midnight Library book which is an enchanting story.

I enjoyed reading this to my 1 year old son for October. The text is simple, but it's a clever little story. The illustration is adorable and the contrast made it intriguing for my son. I would ask him to point out the ghosts, the girl, and the cat on different pages and he would do so with ease. Definitely a new Halloween favorite.

the pictures, how they are created is fun to see. story does not have much depth but cute story & art. may have been happy just borrowing at library.

One of our favorite children's books--and we've read *a lot* of children's books!Sweet and simple, one of the unexpected bonuses of this book is that it offers a fun way (re)considering things that might seem scary: ghosts are no longer something to fear, but something that become useful. The magic of the story is heightened by beautiful simplicity and balance of the art. Kohara is a wonderful author and illustrator, but this is perhaps her best book to date.NYTimes 2008 Best Illustrated Children's book--a well deserved award.Ideal for children 3+, but we still cherish it years later.

An inspiring message for kids of all ages -- we can take our scary things and turn them into useful things. This is no ordinary girl -- she sees a problem (ghosts in the house), puts on her get-it-done clothes (witch costume), and embraces her challenge (How lovely, I hope there are some more!). Simple, bold, beautiful illustrations. Simple, bold, beautiful text. Simple, bold, beautiful message of self- empowerment. A must-read for Halloween – and throughout the year.