The Haunting of Granite Falls

Be aware that there are 3 books with the exact same story word for word. "The Haunting of Granite Falls", "The Haunting of Hiram C. Hopgood", and "The Haunting of Hiram" are all the same story by the same author. Just a different title and different cover art, same book inside. This is not the author's fault by the way, it is just that 2 publishers have the right to publish, Puffin and Macmillan, and this is what they have done. For some reason that is done with another book from this author, "Island of the Aunts" is also released as "Monster Mission". Personally, I like the artwork on the Macmillan covers better. On to the story - This is a book about a rich Texan that buys a Scottish Castle named Carra from the last heir of an old family, an orphan boy. But he does not want any ghosts included as he is worried that they will scare the little girl that will live in the castle. The millionaire ships the whole thing stone by stone and rebuilds it in Texas. But the castle does have ghosts, very nice ones who have helped raise the boy. They include a viking, a ghost dog, and Miss Spinks. What the millionaire does not notice is that the ghosts do come with the castle. The boy flies to America to get the ghosts out and stays in the castle. When they learn they cannnot stay, they move into an old movie theatre next door, where they meet the mysterious ghost hand. Somehow, he is trying to solve the mystery of his murder many years ago. And when the little girl is kidnapped for ransom, the ghosts must join the effort to rescue her and the boy. This book is suspenseful, but laugh-out-loud hilarious. The author creates the most charming and imaginative characters you can imagine. I strongly reccommend!

Eva Ibbotson writes stories about funny and not too scary ghosts. A recurring theme is displaced or homeless ghosts. The Haunting of Granite Falls, 2004 is the story of a millionaire who purchases an ancient Scottish castle from 12-year-old orphan Alex MacBuff, and moves it to Texas. Every castle has ghosts; this one has five of them and they are the only family Alex has every had.Her writing always makes me grin. There is just the right touch of ghoulish humor. It occurs to me that her "Granite Falls" could be modeled on Marble Falls, Texas where Granite Mountain is a huge dome of pink and red granite. This granite was used for the construction of the Texas Capitol. A fun connection for Texas readers.

This book was one of Eva Ibboton's top books!!! The story has a boy, a girl, and of course ghosts. The ghosts are a Viking, a governess with Water Madness, an old man in a wheel chair who was once a vampire, a little girl who is a polterguist, and a hellhound dogg that is the size of four dachsands end to end. The boy, Alex, has lived in the Scottish mansion, Carra, with his ghost "parents" his whole life. When money starts to run low, he decides to sell it. A man from America wants to buy it but on one condition, it has to be ghost free. This shocks the ghost and starts the whole adventure. It is as exciting as Harry Potter but much less scary in my opinion. When I was younger, I started reading Eva's books and couldn't stop reading it. I had to put down the second Harry Potter by chapter eight because it was too scary. This is the newest book so far by Eva and I have read all her other books. I am her #1 fan!!!!!!! I have even researched her and made sure I didn't miss a book. Other books by her are Dial-a-Ghost, Which Witch, The Secret of Platform 13, Island of the Aunts, and Not Just a Witch. Enjoy!!!

A young scottish boy, the Laird of Carra, Errenrig and Sethsay, named Alex Mcbuff, has to sell his beloved castle to a rich multi-millionare from America. But there is a deal, he will only buy the castle if Alex can assure him that the castle is completely ghost-free. What can Alex do, he knows that there surely are ghosts in his castle, and they are very close to him. How can he send his beloved ghost-friends away? Surely there must be a way out, but if he doesn't shoo (unwillingly) the ghosts away, which he can never think of doing, and if he doesn't sell the castle to the multi-millionare, he and his Aunt will face poverty, and that, he also doesn't want to happen, no matter how much his love was for the ghosts. He had to sell the castle. This book is exciting and magical in both feelings and the writing, all the way through the book. Eva Ibbotson entertains us, putting magic into each page. A fab story, for the whole family.

Poor Alex MacBuff! He's being forced to send away his only friends from his castle in Scotland. But his friends are all extraordinary. A Viking, a Victorian governess with webbed feet, a retired vampire, a poltergeist, and a hellhound-all of which are ghosts! They are harmless, but when Alex and his new found friend, Helen, are caught in an evil plot, the spirits reveal some hidden powers!