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The Horribly Haunted School
Monty, who is allergic to ghosts, discovers the ghost of Lulu, who is haunting an old vintage car at the bottom of the garden, but when he tells his mother, he is sent away to the school of Sensible Thought.
128 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1997
About the author
Margaret Mahy
332 books291 followersMargaret Mahy was a well-known New Zealand author of children's and young adult books. While the plots of many of her books have strong supernatural elements, her writing concentrates on the themes of human relationships and growing up.
Her books The Haunting and The Changeover: A Supernatural Romance both received the Carnegie Medal of the British Library Association. There have 100 children's books, 40 novels, and 20 collections of her stories published. Among her children's books, A Lion in the Meadow and The Seven Chinese Brothers and The Man Whose Mother was a Pirate are considered national classics. Her novels have been translated into German, French, Spanish, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Italian, Japanese, Catalan and Afrikaans. In addition, some stories have been translated into Russian, Chinese and Icelandic.
For her contributions to children's literature she was made a member of the Order of New Zealand. The Margaret Mahy Medal Award was established by the New Zealand Children's Book Foundation in 1991 to provide recognition of excellence in children's literature, publishing and literacy in New Zealand. In 2006 she was awarded the Hans Christian Andersen Award (known as the Little Nobel Prize) in recognition of a "lasting contribution to children's literature".
Margaret Mahy died on 23 July 2012.
On 29 April 2013, New Zealand’s top honour for children’s books was renamed the New Zealand Post Margaret Mahy Book of the Year award.
For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret...
Her books The Haunting and The Changeover: A Supernatural Romance both received the Carnegie Medal of the British Library Association. There have 100 children's books, 40 novels, and 20 collections of her stories published. Among her children's books, A Lion in the Meadow and The Seven Chinese Brothers and The Man Whose Mother was a Pirate are considered national classics. Her novels have been translated into German, French, Spanish, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Italian, Japanese, Catalan and Afrikaans. In addition, some stories have been translated into Russian, Chinese and Icelandic.
For her contributions to children's literature she was made a member of the Order of New Zealand. The Margaret Mahy Medal Award was established by the New Zealand Children's Book Foundation in 1991 to provide recognition of excellence in children's literature, publishing and literacy in New Zealand. In 2006 she was awarded the Hans Christian Andersen Award (known as the Little Nobel Prize) in recognition of a "lasting contribution to children's literature".
Margaret Mahy died on 23 July 2012.
On 29 April 2013, New Zealand’s top honour for children’s books was renamed the New Zealand Post Margaret Mahy Book of the Year award.
For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret...
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 19, 2011
When honest Monty mentions playing spaceships with the ghost girl who haunts the rusted car in the backyard, his mother decides he needs to attend Brinsley Codd School for Sensible Thought. But this forbidding institution is also haunted! Can Monty solve the dead principal's secret sorrow? Will his mother ever win the free-form jigsaw competition? Is there such a thing as an honest used-car salesman? Can dead people learn mechanics? These and many other questions will be answered in...THE HORRIBLY HAUNTED SCHOOL.
April 24, 2022
3.5 stars
This was a fun story. I really liked the way that the story of the ghosts was tied into Monty's mum's puzzle competition, and how 2 of the past students who Monty was supposed to find, were hidden in plain view ☺ I can't imagine trying to put two 800 page novels back together after they've been shredded and mixed up. It was nice how the ghosts got some help and closure etc.
This was a fun story. I really liked the way that the story of the ghosts was tied into Monty's mum's puzzle competition, and how 2 of the past students who Monty was supposed to find, were hidden in plain view ☺ I can't imagine trying to put two 800 page novels back together after they've been shredded and mixed up. It was nice how the ghosts got some help and closure etc.
January 2, 2021
I read this in about 1 to 1 ½ hours. An entertaining kids’ book.
Monty Merrandrew is a boy with an allergy to ghosts. He starts sneezing when one is around and not visible. Once the ghost appears Monty stops sneezing.
Monty’s mother is a champion jigsaw puzzle expert and will be competing in the annual National Jigsaw Puzzle Championship, in hope of winning the grand prize.
Monty’s father is a government philosopher who works in the Department of National Despair. He is currently dealing with the failure and breakdown of his new used car.
When Monty’s mom asks what he’d been doing in the garden so early before breakfast, Monty explained he’d been playing with his friend Lulu. When he explained Lulu was a ghost, his mom became disturbed about it and decided Monty should change schools and go to the Brindley Codd School for Sensible Thought. The idea that Monty’s playmate was a ghost named Lulu was not a sensible thought.
While at the new school, Monty discovers it is haunted by a ghost; Mr. Brinley Codd’s ghost to be exact. Monty connects with Mr. Cobb and is give a task to find out what happened to three students from the past. Monty finds there are secrets to discover and a very disagreeable character to deal with, while searching for the three students.
I’ve read a few books by Margaret Mahy and have a few more on the TBR shelves. I’ve enjoyed each one and each one has been different.
Monty Merrandrew is a boy with an allergy to ghosts. He starts sneezing when one is around and not visible. Once the ghost appears Monty stops sneezing.
Monty’s mother is a champion jigsaw puzzle expert and will be competing in the annual National Jigsaw Puzzle Championship, in hope of winning the grand prize.
Monty’s father is a government philosopher who works in the Department of National Despair. He is currently dealing with the failure and breakdown of his new used car.
When Monty’s mom asks what he’d been doing in the garden so early before breakfast, Monty explained he’d been playing with his friend Lulu. When he explained Lulu was a ghost, his mom became disturbed about it and decided Monty should change schools and go to the Brindley Codd School for Sensible Thought. The idea that Monty’s playmate was a ghost named Lulu was not a sensible thought.
While at the new school, Monty discovers it is haunted by a ghost; Mr. Brinley Codd’s ghost to be exact. Monty connects with Mr. Cobb and is give a task to find out what happened to three students from the past. Monty finds there are secrets to discover and a very disagreeable character to deal with, while searching for the three students.
I’ve read a few books by Margaret Mahy and have a few more on the TBR shelves. I’ve enjoyed each one and each one has been different.
April 14, 2018
Monty Merryandrew is a boy who has a strange friend. His friend is a ghost named Lulu who lives in a car, forever stuck haunting that car. Monty starts his day hanging out with Lulu, complaining about how today will be another boring day. It turns out to be anything but that. He solves a big mystery at his school and learns that it's good to be creative. He even figures out a way to help Lulu. This book is definitely a little strange, but sometimes that makes reading more fun.
I gave this book three stars because it has some good characters. The characters are not your typical people, as two of them are ghosts. The plot is also interesting. The entire book takes place in the time of one day, which made the book go quickly for me. The overall lesson is important, as Monty learns to be creative in order to help his friends and family. This is a good book which 3rd-5th grade elementary kids should enjoy.
I gave this book three stars because it has some good characters. The characters are not your typical people, as two of them are ghosts. The plot is also interesting. The entire book takes place in the time of one day, which made the book go quickly for me. The overall lesson is important, as Monty learns to be creative in order to help his friends and family. This is a good book which 3rd-5th grade elementary kids should enjoy.
July 12, 2020
A fun, easy chapter book for young readers.
"...it suddenly seemed that surprises were lurking in the heart of everything, and that even a sensible life could be unexpectedly full of ghosts, jokes, old cars, stories, puzzles, and astonishment – – and that that was the best way for any sensible life to be."
"...it suddenly seemed that surprises were lurking in the heart of everything, and that even a sensible life could be unexpectedly full of ghosts, jokes, old cars, stories, puzzles, and astonishment – – and that that was the best way for any sensible life to be."
May 30, 2020
A short but fun and lively middle-grade story with happily dovetailing plot threads and larger-than-life characters for the intended audience (and also some light touches of droll absurdism for adult readers). Where the title is somewhat misleading, Mitchley’s audiobook reading is spot-on.
October 21, 2019
En rigtig fin og velskrevet fortælling og fornuft og fantasi.
February 22, 2023
It is so unique in Children’s stories to find such a sweet, good-feeling ending. It will leave a lasting impression on children and adults alike.
December 13, 2012
This is a very strange, but entertaining story about ghosts and redemption. The plot includes numerous ghosts, but they aren't scary. The story moves somewhat slowly, though, and our youngest would whine if we read more than one chapter each night. That is, until we got to the end of the story. Then she wanted me to read the last few chapters until we finished the book. I think it's because she liked the ending, but it could be partly because we would be finished. I'm not sure. I should ask her.
interesting quote:
"Lying was the basis of all great literature, you told me, though of course we must struggle to grow past the magic of the lie and attain the deep truth that lies beyond." (pp. 75-6)
interesting quote:
"Lying was the basis of all great literature, you told me, though of course we must struggle to grow past the magic of the lie and attain the deep truth that lies beyond." (pp. 75-6)
March 6, 2014
mp3
Freeform section of the jigsaw competition - how fun!
Freeform section of the jigsaw competition - how fun!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews