The Mystery of the Haunted Farm

Reviewed By  Grasshopper2       October 12, 2015

 

Author  Elys Dolan

Distributor:     
ISBN:                 9780857634054
Publisher:         Nosy Crow
Release Date:    

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What a colourful and imaginative Children’s Picture Book this is.  Inside this large, hard-backed book, we find the story of a farm which becomes haunted.  What do you do when your farm is taken over by ghosts, slime and ranting animals?  Why, you call “Ghosthunters……for all your farm-based hauntings.”

The Three Little Pigs (or Ghosthunters) leap into their vehicle with the latest up-to-date “Phantom Finder 5000,”and set off for the farm.When they arrive, there are many strange things to see, but the “Phantom Finder 5000,”doesn’t register anything.

The mystery is eventually solved after the farm yard is explored carefully. All of the animals seem to be affected.  “There are Slime Sheep, a Franken Horse, a Donkula Donkey, and many more.

There is a great deal of humour in the telling of this story, and the Speech Bubbles add to this.  Each double page spread is illustrated in appropriately spooky colours, with small amounts of text and many speech bubbles.

The text often relates to the film, “Ghostbusters”, and uses both visual and textual humour.  Goats which wrap themselves in Toilet Paper and claim to be Mummies, and ducks which pretend to be Zombies, are examples.

Eventually, the farmer is able to reclaim his farm, and the animals happily return to their pond and barn.  This is a book to be pored over as the smaller illustrations reveal humorous aspects. Even the vegetables are trying to look frightening.

The appeal of the book would cover a large age group.  This is to be enjoyed by many, from non-readers identifying the animals, to more sophisticated readers relating to the theme.