Christina's Ghost facts for kids

Christina's Ghost is an exciting novel written by Betty Ren Wright. It was first published in 1985 by Scholastic Inc. This book is popular and can be found in over 2,000 libraries.

The Mystery of Christina's Ghost

This book tells the story of Christina, a 10-year-old girl. She's not happy about her summer plans. Her grandmother is sick, so Christina has to stay with her grumpy Uncle Ralph.

A Spooky Summer House

Uncle Ralph is house-sitting for a friend. The house is an old, spooky Victorian mansion. It's located by a lake and feels very isolated. When Christina arrives, she finds a room that looks like it once belonged to a young boy.

The Boy in the Sailor Suit

In that room, Christina sees a little boy. He is wearing a blue sailor suit. But before she can speak to him, he disappears! Christina also hears strange noises coming from the attic. No matter what she tries, she can't get inside the attic. Christina becomes very curious. She wants to know who the boy is and why he's there.

Uncovering a Secret

Christina decides to investigate. She goes to a nearby city to look for old newspapers. She hopes to find clues about the mysterious house. She finds a newspaper from 30 years ago. It talks about a terrible event that happened in the house. A man had stolen valuable stamps. The people he stole from found him. The little boy lost his life because he saw what happened.

The Hidden Stamps

One of the people involved later confessed. They said the valuable stamps were never found. When Christina returns to the mansion, she reads a comic book. She had taken it from the little boy's room. Suddenly, she hears something coming down from the attic. She sees the boy again, but this time he looks terrified. He points at the comic book Christina is holding. Christina realizes the stamps have been hidden in that comic book for 30 years!

Peace at Last

Christina and her uncle quickly leave the house. The ghost of the house-sitter causes a lot of chaos. They manage to escape and spend the night in a nearby town. The next morning, they take the stamps to the local sheriff's office. When they return to the house, they find something amazing. The doors and windows are all open. The old, musty smell is gone, replaced by fresh air and bright sunlight. Christina believes the little boy's ghost is finally at peace. The mystery of his death has been solved.

Awards and Recognition

Christina's Ghost has won several awards, showing how much readers love it:

• Sequoyah Children's Book Award (1988)
• Young Hoosier Book Award Nominee (Intermediate, 1988–1989)
• Young Hoosier Book Award Winner (Intermediate, 1988–1989)
• TASL Volunteer State Book Children's Choice Award (1989–1990)