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Summary
Summary
When Carolina Giddle moves into the Blatchford Arms, no one knows what to make of her sequin-sprinkled sneakers and her trinket-crusted car. But the parents are happy there's a new babysitter around, and Carolina seems to have an uncanny ability to calm the most rambunctious child with her ghostly stories. Armed with unusual snacks, candles to set the mood, and her trusty sidekick -- a tarantula named Chiquita -- Carolina entertains the children with some good old-fashioned storytelling and, at the end, a great Halloween party. Governor General's Award winner Glen Huser brings his quirky sense of humor and horror to some time-honored motifs. Holy terror Angelo Bellini discovers that no one can throw a tantrum like a double-crossed pirate. Timid Hubert and Hetty Croop become inspired by the story of a boy who finds the perfect weapon for overcoming his fear of the dark. And Dwight and Dwayne Fergus, two would-be Freddy Kruegers, finally meet their match in Carolina's story of the footless skeleton. As for Carolina, it turns out she has a timeworn connection to the Blatchford Arms, and to the ghost who still haunts the building -- especially its old-fashioned elevator.
Author Notes
Glen Huser's novels include Touch of the Clown (short-listed for the Mr. Christie's Book Award), Stitches (winner of the Governor General's Award), Skinnybones, and The Wrinkle Queen (nominated for the Governor General's Award and the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Award). A former teacher and librarian in Edmonton, he has taught writing for children at the University of British Columbia. He recently explored his passion for musical theater in Time for Flowers, Time for Snow, a picture-book retelling of the myth of Demeter and Persephone (with a CD featuring a 180-voice children's chorus). He lives in Vancouver.
Reviews (5)
Publisher's Weekly Review
In episodic chapters that call to mind the quirky problem-solving of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, Huser (Skinnybones and the Wrinkle Queen) introduces Carolina Giddle, who drives into town on Halloween night and moves into #713 at the Blatchford Arms. Carolina's business card says it all: "Experienced babysitter, mah-jong instructor, and vegetarian caterer. Will do light housekeeping and seances upon request," and the Southern transplant uses the power of storytelling (ghost stories, in particular) to charm Blatchford's young residents. For unruly twins Dwight and Dwayne Fergus, a story about two boys who get on a skeleton's bad side after they steal its foot for a prank, is just enough to scare them straight; the tale of a mountain king who creates scary shadows helps timid Hubert Croop conquer his fear of the dark (along with the gift of a penlight). Although Huser's story is set in the present, the once-grand apartment setting, eccentric character names, and many candlelit storytelling sessions call to mind children's novels of yesteryear. Innerst's moody b&w illustrations make Carolina's eerie tales feel all the more real. Ages 8-11. Illustrator's agent: Susan Cohen, Writers House. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
A less formidable Mary Poppins, Carolina Giddle shows up at the Blatchford Arms apartment house one Halloween and disappears on the next, in between dispensing candy and babysitting and stories--and truth and courage--to the children who live there. Drawing upon traditional lore and urban legend, Carolina's stories, slightly scary and unobtrusively bibliotherapeutic, nicely punctuate the episodic novel. The Blatchford Arms' resident ghosts, as well as Carolina's pet tarantula, add to the fun, and a concluding party for all concerned provides a satisfying sendoff for readers and for Carolina, off to chase a ghost of her own. roger sutton (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Caroline Giddle is a new resident at Blatchford Arms who offers her babysitting services to the struggling parents in the building. This fun offering takes us through a year of babysitting adventures as Ms. Giddle corrects behavior by telling ghost stories. Twins Dwight and Dwayne don't need no babysitter, but this isn't Giddle's first rodeo. When the kids sneak a dash of Louisiana hot sauce into her soup, she tastes it, then takes the cap off and dumps in the whole bottle. After other failed attempts to best her, they finally sit down for a story that also provides a lesson about the pitfalls of being a prankster and so it goes with other similar children and related tales. After each night of gentle child-rearing via ghost stories, Giddle retires to the sun room to visit with a ghostly friend or two, who eventually encourage her to rekindle a ghostly romance from her past. These moderately scary stories should make great read-aloud sessions, making this perfect fare for Halloween.--Dobrez, Cindy Copyright 2014 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-6-Carolina Giddle is the new babysitter at the Blatchford Arms. Armed with ghost stories and snacks, she travels from apartment to apartment dispensing lighthearted spookiness and tasty snacks that calm and soothe the children of the building. Each chapter contains one short ghost story. The tales are relatively tame and are appropriate for readers new to the genre or those faint of heart rather than the true horror enthusiast. When readers are finally introduced to the ghost in the elevator, the result is less than spectacular.-Elizabeth Speer, Cisco College, TX (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Rumors abound that the Blatchford Arms is hauntedjust the kind of place where a quirky babysitter like Carolina Giddle can brew her ghost tales for a cauldron of young apartment dwellers. This middle-grade spookfest from Governor General Award winner Huser (Stitches, 2003) promises goose bumps and chills but comes up a bit unseasoned. Carolina Giddle arrives at the Blatchford Arms with a bang. She drives a knickknack-laden VW Bug (aptly named Trinket), carries around her companion tarantula, Chiquita, in his cage, and holds heartwarming conversations with her beloved aunt Beulah and her friend Grace, who both happen to be ghosts. The apartment building overflows with young trick-or-treaters in need of attention and supervision. With her gift for storytelling and setting the right mood, Carolina Giddle enchants them with eerie stories they can't resist. Each tale mirrors the children's woes or flaws, such as Hubert's fear of the dark or Galina's habit of ruining her artist father's canvasses. Although the tales are well-told, entertaining stand-alone stories, they offer predictability (the children become more well-behaved after listening) instead of a sense of memorable wit and enlightenment. The ending may leave readers wondering if they've missed something.This creepy gathering of stories creates buzz and possibility but in the end falls short. (Fiction. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Excerpts
Excerpts
Blatchford was scary any night of the year, not just on Halloween. It was a very old part of town with crooked streets and bad lighting. Cats yowled and scrapped in the alleys, and teenagers with tattoos hung out under the bridges by the park. In the middle of it all, a huge apartment building loomed like a castle, darkened with age. It poked up above all the buildings around it. And when there was a full moon, its two towers looked like they were nibbling at it. Some said it was haunted... * Dwayne and Dwight didn't notice the car creeping along the street beside them... Inside the car, Carolina Giddle sighed and shook her head, so that the crystal globes dangling from her ears spun around. Sometimes, when things got out of kilter, spinning the crystals helped. The truth was, she was lost. As she tried to look at a street map and steer, she wasn't moving much faster than the boys ... Carolina Giddle came to a full stop. She patted something about the size of a shoebox on the seat beside her. It was covered with a red bandana. "Are you awake, Chiquita?" Carolina whispered. Then she giggled. "Saints preserve us, will you look at that. I've been holding the map upside down. Why, we just need to turn left at this next corner." Excerpted from The Elevator Ghost by Glen Huser All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.