The Ghost in Annie's Room; Philippa Pearce, illustrated by Cate James

Emma and her family are excited to be on holiday and staying with Great Aunt Win in her cottage by the sea. Despite some ghostly talk from her brother Joe, Emma is happy to sleep in the attic room that used to belong to cousin Annie. But when bedtime comes and the lights are off Emma becomes uneasy and begins to wonder if she really is alone in the attic. Can she uncover the mystery of the ghost in Annie’s room…

Oooh, this is a lovely little atmospheric read with all the traits of a typical ghost story. There are noises in the middle of the night, strange shadows appearing, eyes peering out in the dark and the necessary thunder and lightning just to add a bit of drama to proceedings. Yes it is a ghost story but for the most part the mood is upbeat and fun as the family enjoy days at the beach. The night-times bring the frights that are gentle on young readers and really explore how an over-active imagination and fears of the worst are often unnecessary as there is usually a much more rational explanation as Annie proves. To that extent, Annie is great. She is not influenced by here-say and the teasing of her brother, she faces the mysterious noises and shadows head on and is able to prove to herself that there is nothing to be scared of.

The story is presented over five chapters and is delightfully illustrated throughout. Colourful scenes at the beach are contrasted nicely against the darker and scarier attic scenes which add just the right amount of tension to the narrative. Extra content inside the front and back covers includes a spot-the-difference and some top tips for getting a good night’s sleep.

Recommended for 5+.