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The Snow Ghosts
Caroline, Kit, and Richard have gone to stay in the English countryside with their Aunt Amethyst at Farthingdales while their parents are on a cruise. While there they discover a snow globe that moves them through time to when the house was in its hey-day. They meet and befriend Michael who lived there then and together they try and solve the mystery of the lost family fortune.
Subsequently published in paperback as The Snow Ghosts.
Subsequently published in paperback as The Snow Ghosts.
183 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1967
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
January 9, 2011
My favorite book as a child...I read it over and over. How exciting to go to stay with an unknown relative...the mystical 7th child of a 7th child, with the amazing name of Aunt Amethyst. In a spooky old house, rarely visited, with so much to explore and so many things not to be touched (which makes them SO worth being touched!)
I think I got this from one of those Scholastic book orders...might have been the Willy Whale book orders. I've always been a sucker for anything with "Ghost" or "Witch" in the title...this one was not at all scary, not at all malevolent, or a story of a "haunting." It's more of a time-travel story.
Engaging characters, fun plot to get lost in. I'm excited that I found my copy not to long ago, at age 46. And I'll read it again.
I think I got this from one of those Scholastic book orders...might have been the Willy Whale book orders. I've always been a sucker for anything with "Ghost" or "Witch" in the title...this one was not at all scary, not at all malevolent, or a story of a "haunting." It's more of a time-travel story.
Engaging characters, fun plot to get lost in. I'm excited that I found my copy not to long ago, at age 46. And I'll read it again.
July 3, 2008
When Caroline, Kit and Richard find themselves visiting their Aunt Amethyst in an English country house called Farthingales, they discover an old snow globe which takes them back in time. Using the snow globe, they befriend a boy who lived in the house in its prime, and by pooling their knowledge, try to recover the lost family fortune.
October 16, 2018
Copyright 1967. This is an old Scholastic book. They used to have book orders back in the 70s (I guess they still do!). I got this one probably in 4rth or 5th grade. A favorite reread. Definitely a tween story, but I enjoyed rereading it.
So, Caroline, Kit & Richard come to live with their great aunt Amethyst in spooky old Farthingales. This is in Devonshire, England. When I first read this story I was thrown by some of the English terms. Anyway, their parents dump 3 kids & a dog on an impoverished old lady who lives in the middle of no where with no money to feed said kids & dog. This is so they can go on a cruise to New York & then to Bermuda for 3 months.
The kids are fortunately well behaved & helpful. They have fun exploring the old house & discover a snow globe that apparently has time traveling abilities. They go back & meet Michael from 1836 & discover a mystery. If they can find some hidden treasure, they may be able to help Aunt Amethyst save Farthingales.
Enjoyable story, written in an intelligent manner. I recommend!
So, Caroline, Kit & Richard come to live with their great aunt Amethyst in spooky old Farthingales. This is in Devonshire, England. When I first read this story I was thrown by some of the English terms. Anyway, their parents dump 3 kids & a dog on an impoverished old lady who lives in the middle of no where with no money to feed said kids & dog. This is so they can go on a cruise to New York & then to Bermuda for 3 months.
The kids are fortunately well behaved & helpful. They have fun exploring the old house & discover a snow globe that apparently has time traveling abilities. They go back & meet Michael from 1836 & discover a mystery. If they can find some hidden treasure, they may be able to help Aunt Amethyst save Farthingales.
Enjoyable story, written in an intelligent manner. I recommend!
November 4, 2015
What a great book with all the elements of a mysterious, fun story--old house, magical snow globe, lost treasures, eccentric aunt people from the past and three children trapped on their own in a snowstorm.
October 6, 2020
One of my favorite books as a child. The subject of the book is not ghosts, but time travel. Rereading it as an adult gives it a different perspective of course, but it still was a fun read. It brought me back to my childhood and made me remember how I became intrigued with time travel.
February 9, 2012
My absolutely favorite book when I was a kid.
October 12, 2016
Delightful! A total gem!
July 5, 2020
Fans of C.S. Lewis's Narnia books and those who adore E. Nesbit's time-travel adventures will find themselves on familiar ground here. A solid effort, but not as great as the models upon which Beryl Netherclift so clearly based the story. Two quibbles. The magical house in which the story is set is named Farthingales. Farthingales? Who in his right Tudor mind would name a big house after a woman's bum roll (padded petticoat, to you)? Then there's the utter train wreck of a cover. If Farthingales is Tudor in origin, why is there a great honking Mansard roof plopped upon it? Mansards were either French baroque or Second Empire, never never seen on the age of the Henrys, Mary or Queen Elizabeth. And the child in Tudor costume, obviously drawn after a photograph of some contemporary kid? A minor, unnamed character gets the limelight? Why?
February 1, 2021
A joy to read! This magical story about two twin girls and their brother visiting Aunt Amethyst's decaying home in the country was full of comfort and adventure. Ms. Netherclift's writing style was truly enjoyable to read and I found myself noting many passages throughout the book. Though this story was not similar to Elizabeth Goudge's 'Linnets & Valerians', it still reminded me of that beautiful children's book. I fell in love with the descriptions of the manor house, the meals they ate together and the loyal almost-butler dog, Fauntleroy. Everything about this book sparkled like a brilliant January morning full of icicles and newly fallen snow. This will definitely be added as a yearly winter re-read to warm my heart and revive my spirits! Highly recommended!
January 18, 2018
An old house in England owned by a little known aunt where three children are sent to live for awhile is perhaps not a new idea, but their discoveries come via a snowglobe, linking their understandings of the house to its history through many owners, and in their learning comes keys to helping their aunt. Super fun read, light hearted.
January 23, 2015
Loved this book as a child. Am actually looking forward to tracking it down and rereading it as an adult. It introduced me to so many things.
March 13, 2017
Lovely children's book. The setting is an old mansion set on the English Moors. Filled with suspense and fun characters. Great for any age!
April 9, 2018
An intriguing story for both young adults and adults.
March 24, 2019
Wow I wish I had read this as a child. It was very creative having them time travel both directions and the villains were minor.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2021
It’s been awhile since I’ve read such a fun, adventurous, detective, haunting, and character fellowship book. Such a treat. ❤️
June 10, 2017
A book that I loved as a kid. I was a total bookaholic as soon as I learned to read, and I adored all things mystery. Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Bobsey Twins, Happy Hollisters, all of Enid Blyton's ten thousand or so mystery series. . . And of course the books that weren't part of series. When you added in a bit of fantasy, well, then I was in seventh heaven.
I recently was looking through the donated books at the library used book sale and found a copy of this old story and bought it to re-read. Now, as an adult, I can't believe what the adults let the kids do in that time, things that would get them hauled up on child endangerment charges nowadays, but that at the time I didn't think anything about. Of course, I don't know if that was because I was a kid or if it was just the different mind set of that time. Back when we were all younger and more innoucent. Before child predators made the evening news nightly, before serial killers were better known than their victims, a time that let children actually BE children.
Ah well, everyone looks back at their childhood and compares it to what their life is like as adults.
This story is set in the countryside of England (it doesn't specify WHERE exactly, or I didn't catch where) where the 3 children that are the main characters of this story are sent to stay with their great-aunt in the old "no longer stately home" of their mother's family. Their parents are being sent to Bermuda, partly for business and partly because of some kind of health issue that their father is having. While there, they fall in love with the family home and their great-aunt and have lots of adventures.
Even with the somewhat dated story telling, its a rollicking fun adventure that late elementary/early middle schoolers should enjoy. If for no other reason than to say, "wish MY family was that cool."
I recently was looking through the donated books at the library used book sale and found a copy of this old story and bought it to re-read. Now, as an adult, I can't believe what the adults let the kids do in that time, things that would get them hauled up on child endangerment charges nowadays, but that at the time I didn't think anything about. Of course, I don't know if that was because I was a kid or if it was just the different mind set of that time. Back when we were all younger and more innoucent. Before child predators made the evening news nightly, before serial killers were better known than their victims, a time that let children actually BE children.
Ah well, everyone looks back at their childhood and compares it to what their life is like as adults.
This story is set in the countryside of England (it doesn't specify WHERE exactly, or I didn't catch where) where the 3 children that are the main characters of this story are sent to stay with their great-aunt in the old "no longer stately home" of their mother's family. Their parents are being sent to Bermuda, partly for business and partly because of some kind of health issue that their father is having. While there, they fall in love with the family home and their great-aunt and have lots of adventures.
Even with the somewhat dated story telling, its a rollicking fun adventure that late elementary/early middle schoolers should enjoy. If for no other reason than to say, "wish MY family was that cool."
April 16, 2023
I read this book in grade school and was captivated by it. Now, many years later, passages from the book called me like children called to Caroline, Kit, and Richard. This is a classic in my opinion and a first-rate read. You might say this was a fore-runner of things to come in fantasy and I thoroughly enjoyed it. i will be reading it with my grandchildren to turn them on the great adventures a well-written book can take you on.
February 1, 2018
Probably my favorite book as a teen.
January 19, 2019
I read this book as a child and own an old copy but the title is "the snowstorm" not snow ghosts.
February 3, 2022
Interesting story.
April 29, 2013
Okay, as a kid I loved loved loved this book, which was then called The Snowstorm (much less spoilery). I recently reread it and was deeply disappointed to see the lack of magic. The plot hinges on three children (ages 11-12) lobbying to clean and redecorate a large house belonging to their rich but cash-poor aunt. Huh? And the adverbs! Holy mackerel, he snickered. The author seems to have written for a perceived audience of pre-teen Antiques Roadshow fanbois. It is starting to dawn on me that if they'd had Antiques Roadshow in my youth I would have enjoyed it. Anyway, if you read this as a kid and have fond memories of the spookiness, by all means live in your memories and do not re-read.
October 4, 2015
It was a good book, not the type I would normally have for my children or grandchildren since I try to stay away from the magical, superstitious or unreal. I like more true to life, character building stories. But it was a book that was hard to put down.
March 12, 2014
Childrens book similar to Enid Blyton.
August 29, 2016
B+. children's fiction, grade 4, England, mystery, Weekly Reader Book Club, mom's stash, keep
June 16, 2015
Another quick, easy read and favorite from my childhood - my gateway to supernatural stuff!
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews