Murray the cat enjoys living the good life with Fumblethumb the wizard, a life made even better when Fumblethumb accidentally turns one of Murray’s favourite buns into a bunny, complete with a cherry for a tail. But when he messes up again and turns the cat flap into a gateway to adventure, instead of just the garden, then the fun really starts…
This time, when Bun goes through the catflap and Murray has no choice but to follow him, they find themselves in the stately home of Lady Daphne and her husband Geoffrey Hogchester. Except rather than a grand mansion, the house is dark, dusty and covered in cobwebs and Geoffrey is a skeleton! Sort of. And that's just the way they like it because their house is supposedly haunted, bringing in tourists from around the world. But the problem is Morris the ghost has disappeared from his home in the rusty, creaky suit of armour and they need him back!
Told as much in the illustrations as it is in the text, this is the fourth in this series for newly independent readers consolidating their skills that uses the common trope of having an everyday object as a portal to other times and places - this time to the quintessential English village and life of yesteryear that ensures television programs like Escape to the Country continue to pull in the viewers. But whether Murray and Bun can actually find a ghost and if they do, whether they can persuade it back to haunt the Hogchesters' home is an intriguing story that will keep young readers turning the pages to the end.
them with as it not only supports their developing skills but its format almost verges on the graphic novel that is popular with their older peers, making them feel like real readers, perhaps even becoming a portal itself to other adventures in the Land of Stories.
And if the previous books – Murray the Viking, Murray the Knight, and Murray the Pirate are not yet in your collection, this could be one to give to your Review Committee of reluctant readers to read, review and recommend.
Recommended by: Barbara Braxton, Teacher Librarian, New South Wales AUSTRALIA
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Murray the Ghosthunter is the fourth book in the Murray and Bun series by Adam Stower, featuring the cat and bun duo as they become ghosthunters in a haunted house for a spooky, funny adventure perfect for new readers, with black-and-white illustrations and a special "ghost goggles" trick. Published by HarperCollins, it's a seasonal release ideal for Halloween, following previous books like Murray the Viking and Murray the Knight. ---from the publisher
192 pages 978-0008740795 Ages 7-10
Keywords: chapter book, humor, fun, ghosts, haunted house, fantasy and magic, bunnies, cats, adventure, wizards, part of a series, 7 year old, 8 year old, 9 year old, 10 year old
