Author Ignatius B. Grumply needs to write the next book in his popular Ghost Tamer series, but he’s been troubled by a serious case of writer’s block. He decides to move into an
old Victorian mansion in Ghastly, Illinois, for the summer to focus on writing. When he arrives, however, he discovers that there is already an 11-year-old boy, his cat, and a ghost living there. The ghost, Olive, was once an author, too, but she could never get any of her work published. Before she died, Olive vowed to haunt her house and Ghastly forever or until one of her books was published. Ignatius goes from being a grumpy guy who hates his housemates to one who enjoys their company and assistance.
The most interesting aspect of Dying to Meet You, the first book in the 43 Old Cemetery Road series, is its format. Told in letters, pictures, and newspaper articles, this book might appeal to readers who enjoy comics/graphic novels or books that are told in journal format (i.e., Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Klise’s other series, Regarding the Fountain/Sink/Trees/Bathrooms/Bees). Its humor is often tongue-in-cheek, including the wordplay on characters’ names: Anita Sale (the realtor), Paige Turner (Grumply’s publisher), and Seymour Hope (the 11-year-old boy who is desperately trying to keep the mansion from getting sold or demolished). A fun read with a lot of interesting details. Don’t forget to check out the rest of the books in the series if you enjoy this one.
Note: This book is also nominated for the 2012 Bluestem Award: Illinois’ Grades 3-5 Readers’ Choice Award.
Review submitted by Dana
