The Ghost at the Point (Charlotte Calder, Walker Books)

Dorrie has always lived at Ned’s Point with her grandfather, where she relishes the simple things: barefoot wanderings with her cat Poppy and fishing and exploring the bush on her horse Sampson. But when Dorrie’s grandfather takes a fall and is forced to recuperate in hospital, Dorrie’s idyllic lifestyle is threatened. Dorrie is forced to decide whether she should leave Poppy and the other animals to stay with her horrible cousins or tough it out on her own. Consequently, Dorrie has a lot on her plate even without the ghosts—a terrified shipwreck victim and the greedy, treasure-hunting Crickles—to deal with. While the plot is fast-paced and interesting, it is the realistic and affectionate descriptions of Dorrie’s life, family and friends that are the true highlight of The Ghost at the Point. The 1930s setting offers Dorrie the freedom that most children won’t dream of today, and as such provides the perfect backdrop for this feel-good adventure, which will suit children aged eight years and up. With villains, some unlikely heroes and buried treasure, this chapter book is built around an old mystery and a new one where good triumphs most emphatically over evil.

Clare Hingston is a bookseller and librarian-in-training

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Category: Reviews