The William Ghost

Deborah Dowson is a Canadian children’s librarian living in Powell,
Ohio.

Thomas senses something sad about the old farmhouse that is to be his
new home. It makes him uneasy that his room always feels cold and his
dog refuses to come in. Thomas soon learns that his room is being
visited by the ghost of a small boy. Thomas wants it to go away, but in
order for that to happen, he must help the young ghost right a past
wrong. The ghost had taken his sister’s doll and hidden it, and he
can’t rest until it is returned to her. With luck and some help from
his own sister, Thomas is able to fulfil the ghost’s wish.

This quaint little story has neither a strong enough plot nor strong
enough characters to carry it forward. The ghost is friendly and just
needs some help, but Thomas is extremely defensive and suspicious, so
conflict is created by his attitude. It is unfortunate that Thomas is
continually teased by his older brother and, in turn, is dismissive and
curt toward his younger sister. The characterization of the adults as
insensitive, unsympathetic, and judgmental is disheartening as well. The
formal writing style and dated expressions give the characters a stiff
and banal impression and may be a barrier to some young readers.
Editorial sloppiness is noted when Fred becomes Ted for a few
paragraphs. Not a first-choice purchase.