The Boggart facts for kids
The Boggart is an exciting children's book written by Susan Cooper. It was first published in 1993. The story was even nominated for a Young Reader's Choice Award in 1996!
This book tells the fun tale of the Volnik family from Canada. They suddenly inherit an old castle in Scotland. But they soon find out that the castle comes with a surprise: a playful and sometimes tricky spirit called a boggart!
Contents
What Happens in the Story
A very old spirit, known as the boggart, has lived in Castle Keep for ages. He loves to play tricks on the MacDevon family who used to live there. The boggart believes his job is to keep life "interesting" for his favorite family. He's been busy stealing apples, tying shoelaces together, and making a mess in the kitchen. He hasn't paid much attention to how time has passed.
But then, the last MacDevon family member passes away. The boggart has to deal with new owners: the Volnik family from Toronto. They don't plan to live in the old, drafty castle they inherited. The boggart is very unhappy about this. He gets accidentally shipped to Canada inside an old desk! The desk is meant for Emily Volnik's room.
Once he's out, the boggart is amazed by this new world. He discovers peanut butter, pizza, and cool electric gadgets. Stealing oatcakes is now old news! The boggart finds many new ways to prank this modern family. He can possess the TV set, no problem! He booby-traps the house for Halloween, thinking if kids can do it, boggarts can too. He even changes the traffic lights in downtown Toronto! He thinks they would look prettier in different colors.
But when the boggart's pranks cause Emily to go to the hospital, she and her brother Jessup know they must act. They need to find a way to get the boggart out of his new home. They have to send him back to the castle where he belongs.
Back in Scotland, the mail carrier thinks his van is haunted. He delivers Tommy's Christmas package all the way from Canada. The video game Tommy finds inside seems to have a mind of its own! When Tommy crashes into the black hole in the game, the boggart bursts out of his computer. He is finally home and free! The happy boggart returns to Castle Keep. He is ready to welcome its new owners with lots of boggart tricks.
Meet the Characters
Emily Volnik
Emily is a twelve-year-old girl. She is the first one to discover the boggart. Emily is cheerful, loves adventure, and is very clever. She is the most interested in her family's Scottish history. She tries hardest to keep the castle, or at least some of its furniture. The grown-ups often blame Emily for the boggart's pranks. They think she is causing "paranormal" things to happen. Even though Emily likes the boggart, she needs to get him back to Scotland. She wants to do this before Dr. Stigmore tries to take her away.
Jessup Volnik
Jessup is Emily's ten-year-old brother. He is very proud of his high IQ. Jessup is an amazing computer programmer. He spends most of his time with the "Gang of Five," a group of older kids who also program. Jessup and his gang are creating a video game called Black Hole. This game becomes very important to the story. Jessup also plays ice hockey, a sport the boggart gets involved in by accident!
Tommy Cameron
Tommy has known the boggart for years. The boggart often causes trouble at his family's general store in Port Appin, Scotland. Tommy slowly becomes friends with Emily and Jessup. They arrive in his hometown to see Castle Keep. But he doesn't tell them about the boggart in their family's castle. Tommy sends Emily and Jessup some postcards after they leave Scotland. He becomes a huge help when they need to understand what a boggart is and how to deal with it. Thirteen-year-old Tommy is also great with computers. With his help, the boggart is finally sent back home to his beloved Scottish castle.
Maggie Volnik
Maggie is Emily and Jessup's mother. She gets very stressed easily. When the boggart throws furniture out the window or makes expensive wine glasses float in her antique shop, she almost has hysterics. Maggie tends to blame the children for the chaos in their house. She is easily convinced by Dr. Stigmore that Emily needs special care.
Robert Volnik
Robert is Emily and Jessup's father. He works as a theatre producer. Mr. Volnik is more relaxed than Mrs. Volnik. He also suspects the children are behind most of the pranks. But he is very understanding when the boggart's traffic light experiment sends Emily to the hospital. He refuses to let anyone take Emily away. He also doesn't like the reporters who want to write about the strange things happening at his theatre.
Dr. William Stigmore
Dr. William Stigmore is the only bad guy in the story. He is a parapsychologist, someone who studies strange mental abilities. Emily and Jessup dislike him the moment he enters their mother's store. Dr. Stigmore earns the nickname "The Creep." He is rude to the children and talks down to their mother. He also takes an antique that Emily really wanted. He is shopping when the boggart starts playing with the items. He blames the flying glasses and dancing dolls on a poltergeist. Dr. Stigmore sneaks into Emily's hospital room. He tries to get her to tell him about the "paranormal" events. When Emily refuses, Dr. Stigmore tries to have her moved to his special care ward. Luckily, Maggie finds out that Dr. Stigmore is trying to use Emily's so-called "poltergeist" to become famous. She promises she will never let him near her family again.
Mr. Maconochie
Mr. Maconochie is the MacDevon family lawyer. He helps the Volniks inherit and later sell Castle Keep. Mr. Maconochie is so sad that the little castle might be left empty. So, he decides to sell his law practice and buy the castle himself! At the end of the story, he is happily settled in his new home. He has even updated it with heating and electric lights. He has new clothes, a new puppy, and his grandnephews sleeping in their beds. The boggart is thrilled! He can't believe his luck to have a kind old man, small children to play with, and a dog to tease in his castle. He even sews their shirtsleeves closed to give them a proper welcome!
Sequel
The Boggart has a sequel! It's called The Boggart and the Monster.
