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Penelope Lively - Author
A lively supernatural adventure pairs comic disruption with curiosity about local history, memory and the passage of time. It may appeal to children who enjoy ghostly mysteries where the unexplained is explored through investigation rather than treated only as frightening.
James investigates dusty diaries and local folklore while encountering a ghost connected with an earlier period and discovering traces of lives before his own.Exploratory / explanatoryExploratory / explanatory: the book explains or explores the subject without an established evaluative position.Exploratory / explanatory: the book explains or explores the subject without an established evaluative position.
How the book presents it: The past is treated as meaningful and discoverable, not merely as background for supernatural events.
Talk about: Does James come to value the past differently, and how does that affect his sense of belonging?
Belief and being believed
James says he did not cause the events, while no one else believes in ghosts. He must try to deal with Thomas Kempe’s actions and demands.AmbiguousAmbiguous: the book leaves its position open to more than one reasonable reading.Ambiguous: the book leaves its position open to more than one reasonable reading.
How the book presents it: The book leaves its stance open to more than one reading.
Talk about: If James is not believed, what helps him decide how to respond and whom to trust?
Growing up and change
James is described as nine years old, and the story leads him towards recognising his place in the passage of time and that people cannot remain ten forever.Exploratory / explanatoryExploratory / explanatory: the book explains or explores the subject without an established evaluative position.Exploratory / explanatory: the book explains or explores the subject without an established evaluative position.
How the book presents it: Growing older is presented as part of James’s developing understanding, alongside the adventure rather than as a separate lesson.
Talk about: What does James learn about changing, and whether growing older alters his view of the world around him?
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Why It May Be Worth Reading
The story offers a way to discuss how the past can remain present through objects, records and stories. Its humour may make those ideas approachable, while the ghostly premise creates room to talk about uncertainty and belief.
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What Deserves Attention
The ghost causes unsettling and disruptive incidents: writing appears on lists and fences, bottles are smashed, and tea is poured into the Vicar’s lap. The overall framing is described as funny.
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A Conversation Worth Having
How does James respond when other people do not believe what he says, and does investigating the past change how he understands his new home or his relationship with Thomas Kempe?
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Reading Approach
Read it as a comic mystery, pausing to distinguish the ghost’s actions from the events attributed to James. Afterward, explore what the diaries, folklore and physical objects add to the story, without assuming the ending resolves every question.
Confidence & Basis
Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.
What remains unconfirmed
The past in the present: Some details of this treatment remain unclear.
Belief and being believed: Some details of this treatment remain unclear.
Growing up and change: Some details of this treatment remain unclear.
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