Review Detail

On the way to the beach, a lone coconut hits twelve-year-old Finn on the head. Suddenly, he finds himself dead. Add to that the surprise that he has to go to a ghost academy. Seems school doesn't end when you die. He finds himself a student at Phantom Academy. The building is creepy, but even more so are the paintings that only talk to him! Plus, he can't leave to see his parents on the other side until he graduates. Not fair! He convinces his friends they need to break out. When one of their big clues disappears, they find that's not their only problem. Their memories start disappearing too. One thing is certain: they all need to be able to find a way through the veil before all their earthly memories disappear.

What worked: Fun ghostly tale that is perfect for younger readers. Think Harry Potter in the Ghost world. There's a big mystery about how to break out of the school. Even the teachers have their own secrets they're not too great at hiding.

Add to the fart jokes and disgusting poop references-yes, it seems you even have to go to the bathroom in the afterlife! The enormous library reference is my favorite! The card catalog, where all the book references were in, which might be something younger readers won't get, as most everything now is done on the computer.

I did have a hard time with how quickly Finn ended up as a ghost without any further explanations. The fart and poop jokes were perfect for younger readers. Plus, the idea of a boarding school for the recently dead is something fans of Harry Potter might enjoy.

Quirky ghost tale perfect for fans of paranormal tales who enjoy humor mixed in with mystery.