Details
Synopsis
Dennis has been seeing ghosts, lots of ghosts, ever since the death of his father. Most of the ghosts come and go, but then Dennis receives a visit from the ghost of his Uncle Arvie. Uncle Arvie has lots of plans for Dennis: he needs his help to find a lost love letter, finish a painting, and dig up a buried treasure for Dennis's Aunt Julia, who is Arvie's widow. Dennis loves being haunted by his uncle but wonders if the ghost of his own father will ever come to visit him., Nine-year-old Dennis, whose uncle and father died within a year of one another, is visited by the ghost of his uncle, and together they settle some unfinished business.
| Size | | Length: | 89 pages | | Height: | 7.8 in | | Width: | 5.0 in | | Thickness: | 0.2 in | | Weight: | 2.4 oz |
Industry Reviews
This simultaneously sensitive and ridiculous romp by a Newbery-winning author (Walk Two Moons) begins as spunky nine-year-old Dennis explains that ghosts keep visiting him in his bedroom "a constant parade of ghosts, but never the one I really want." Pining for his late father, Dennis instead finds himself host to a motley crew of spirits, in particular his Uncle Arvie. Arvie wants Dennis to help his widow, Aunt Julia, discover the gifts and money he has left hidden for her in his house. Unfortunately, a stroke he suffered before his death prevents him from finding the appropriate vocabulary to convey his meaning. Kids will enjoy deciphering Arvie's speech: "Good carpet, Dinosaur!" translates as "Good morning, Dennis!"; Aunt Julia's oily suitor and Billy, the class bully, are "beany boogers." Dennis's much-missed father his "pepperoni" never does appear, but the boy finds common ground and a possible friendship with Billy, also fatherless. Arvie's earnest affection for Julia and Dennis makes him a role model as well as a clown, and Creech's attention to nuances of feeling grounds this light tale in emotional truth. Ages 8-12. (Sept.)
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