"The Mystery of the Haunted Farm" by Elys Dolan

"The Mystery of the Haunted Farm" 

by Elys Dolan

34 pages /  Print / Sci-Fi

Summary: Farmer Greg calls the pig ghost hunters to investigate paranormal activity at his farm. There are zombie ducks, mummy sheep, ghost cows, and a Dracula horse. The pigs aren't registering any paranormal activity on their ghost machines, which lead them to look more closely at the haunted animals. As it turns out, the animals are all pretending to be haunted by dressing up in scary costumes. They are trying to scare away a werewolf, which actually turns out to be farmer Greg! The pigs tame Werewolf Greg and enter him into a dog/werewolf competition. Werewolf Greg wins the competition and the farm is at peace once again.


Evaluation: This is an adorable book that fits nicely into a Halloween themed lesson. Readers can play detective along with the pigs. Little clues are left on each page that makes the reader realize that the animals are not really haunted. Teachers can talk to students about these clues and encourage them to share their opinions. Werewolf Greg turns out to be a nice monster, which is good for students that are afraid of monsters.

Appeal Terms: spooky, creepy, ghost story, breakneck, humorous, event oriented, plot twist, resolved ending