Dial-a-Ghost facts for kids
.jpg) |
|
| Author | Eva Ibbotson |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Kevin Hawkes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Penguin Group |
|
Publication date
|
1996 |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 176 |
| ISBN | 978-0-525-46693-2 |
Dial-a-Ghost is a fun children's book from 1996. It was written by Eva Ibbotson and has cool pictures by Kevin Hawkes. The story is about a boy named Oliver. He's an orphan and suddenly inherits a big old house called Helton Hall. But his sneaky cousins, Frieda and Fulton Snodde-Brittle, want the house for themselves. They'll do anything to get it, even try to get rid of Oliver!
Contents
The Story of Dial-a-Ghost
The Wilkinson Ghosts
The Wilkinson family becomes ghosts after a sad bombing in World War II. Only Mrs. Wilkinson's sister, Trixie, survives. At first, the Wilkinsons haunt their old home, Resthaven. They even adopt a young ghost girl named Adopta. She doesn't remember anything about her past.
New owners move into Resthaven, so the ghosts have to leave. They travel to London and end up haunting an underwear store. It's not their ideal home! So, they contact the Dial-a-Ghost agency. This agency helps ghosts find new places to live. The agency finds a perfect new home for the Wilkinsons. It's a ruined abbey, and they are told to move in on Friday the 13th.
Oliver's Inheritance
Meanwhile, an orphan boy named Oliver Smith gets a big surprise. He learns he is related to the Snodde-Brittle family. This means he now owns Helton Hall! His cousin, who owned it before, has passed away.
Oliver is taken from the orphanage to Helton Hall by his cousins, Fulton and Frieda. They are very unhappy about Oliver inheriting the house. They believe it should be theirs. Fulton learns that Oliver has asthma. He decides to hire some scary, child-hating ghosts. These ghosts are called the Shriekers. Fulton hopes they will scare Oliver so much that he will die.
A Mix-Up at the Agency
On the day the ghosts are supposed to move, a big mistake happens. The Wilkinson ghosts and the Shriekers get each other's moving instructions! The Wilkinsons arrive at Helton Hall instead. At first, they scare Oliver. But soon, they become good friends.
The Shriekers, however, end up at the ruined abbey. They attack the animals belonging to the nuns living nearby. The nuns manage to get rid of them. The Dial-a-Ghost agency realizes their mistake. They send the Shriekers to Helton Hall and call the Wilkinsons to apologize. But Oliver doesn't want the Wilkinsons to leave. He even invites their ghost friends from London to move in too!
The Shriekers Arrive
When the Shriekers finally arrive at Helton Hall, they attack Oliver. But then, they see Adopta. She is the daughter they lost, and her disappearance drove them mad. They agree to behave better from now on. They are confused why they were sent to attack Oliver. They thought he was the one who wanted child-hating ghosts.
The Wilkinsons realize Fulton is behind everything. They send Oliver to London to keep him safe. Fulton and Frieda are now in big trouble with money. They think Oliver has been killed by the Shriekers. So, they spend a lot of money on something called 'Ectoplasm Eating Bacteria'. They hope this will get rid of all the ghosts.
A Happy Ending
Oliver returns home to find the ghosts unmoving. He is very sad. He tries to attack Fulton and Frieda. But a ghost budgie distracts him, and they escape. The ghosts then wake up. They realize the 'Ectoplasm Eating Bacteria' was a trick. Oliver is happy and decides to open Helton Hall to any ghosts who need a home. He turns it into a tourist attraction and a place to study ghosts. He even rebuilds the Wilkinson's old home, Resthaven, exactly as it was before the bombing.
Frieda feels bad about what she did and becomes a nun. But Fulton goes after the people who conned him. He is killed and asks the Dial-a-Ghost agency for a home. They send him to haunt the underwear store.
Main Characters
- Fulton Snodde-Brittle - He thinks Helton Hall should be his. He tries to harm Oliver and hates ghosts.
- Frieda Snodde-Brittle - Fulton's sister. She later feels sorry for her actions and becomes a nun.
- Colonel Mersham - Oliver's official guardian. He is an explorer and travels a lot.
- Miss Pringle and Mrs Mannering - These two women run the Dial-a-Ghost agency.
