The Hungry Ghost of Rue Orleans

PreS-Gr 2—Fred the ghost is very happy haunting the leaky, dusty, rundown house on Rue Orleans until Pierre and his daughter, Marie, fix up the place and turn it into a jazzy-snazzy restaurant offering gumbo, crawfish, red beans, and rice. Reluctantly deciding to move because of all the "clean and gleam and shine," Fred stumbles onto a powerful reason for staying: Pierre's delicious Powdered Ghost Puffs—if only the house were as ghostly as before, with leaks and creaks and broken doors. Fortunately, Marie comes up with a satisfactory solution and all ends well. The painterly illustrations, rich in color and detail, are reminiscent of Don Wood's work in King Bidgood's in the Bathtub (Harcourt, 1985), with reds, purples, and gold-browns, conveying the atmosphere of the old house and the New Orleans setting perfectly. A good story for both storytime and a one-on-one read.—Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA