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Overview
After his triumph over a ghost collector and a doctor who does no good, Tom Golden thinks life is finally...well, golden. Grey Arthur and his ghostly crew have happily settled into their roles as Invisible Friends while Tom has made a new human friend with Pick-Nose Pete.
But when one friendly ghost is overly enthusiastic about his duties, the TV show Exceedingly Haunted Homes of England is called in to investigate. A hysterical fear of ghosts takes over the school, and the Invisible Friends are glad that they witness the chaos unheard and unseen. Too bad that the same cannot be said for the ghosts in the world beyond.
The disappearance of the Crown Jewels in a rather Poltergeist-like manner is trouble enough, but a frightening specter caught on film and a knight seen charging through streets and pedestrians spell trouble. Restoration of the peace between the ghostly and human realms may be too much for one boy to handle, but Tom hopes that the help of Grey Arthur and the Invisible Friends may be just what he needs to track down the cause of this supernatural chaos.
In this third installment to the Golden & Grey series, Louise Arnold takes the reader on an exciting adventure full of Laundry Runs, ancient castles, and the ever dark and dangerous woods.
Synopsis
After his triumph over a ghost collector and a doctor who does no good, Tom Golden thinks life is finally...well, golden. Grey Arthur and his ghostly crew have happily settled into their roles as Invisible Friends while Tom has made a new human friend with Pick-Nose Pete.
But when one friendly ghost is overly enthusiastic about his duties, the TV show Exceedingly Haunted Homes of England is called in to investigate. A hysterical fear of ghosts takes over the school, and the Invisible Friends are glad that they witness the chaos unheard and unseen. Too bad that the same cannot be said for the ghosts in the world beyond.
The disappearance of the Crown Jewels in a rather Poltergeist-like manner is trouble enough, but a frightening specter caught on film and a knight seen charging through streets and pedestrians spell trouble. Restoration of the peace between the ghostly and human realms may be too much for one boy to handle, but Tom hopes that the help of Grey Arthur and the Invisible Friends may be just what he needs to track down the cause of this supernatural chaos.
In this third installment to the Golden & Grey series, Louise Arnold takes the reader on an exciting adventure full of Laundry Runs, ancient castles, and the ever dark and dangerous woods.
Children's Literature
In the third book in the "Golden & Grey" series for young readers, Tom Golden and his ghost buddies, the Invisible Friends, have settled into life at school. Then Tom hears a rumor that the television show Exceedingly Haunted Homes of England is going to run a feature on his school. While the Invisible Friends are excited by the prospect of being on national television, Tom is worried that the delicate balance between the ghost world and the living world will be upset. In order to keep an eye on things, he volunteers to be the tea boy on the set. He is horrified to discover that the hostess is a "faintly real" (a ghost who can appear to be human) and that she may give away the existence of the Invisible Friends on the show. However, she proves to be an ally when a ghost is captured on film in another incident. Tom and his friends must come up with a plan to restore the balance between the two worlds, since humans are not supposed to be able to see ghosts. The resolution of the problem is clever and entirely within the powers of readers' willing suspension of disbelief. The characters in this series are charming and endearing, and the richly imagined world of the ghosts will delight readers. Reviewer: Ellen Welty
Editorials
Children's Literature -
In the third book in the "Golden & Grey" series for young readers, Tom Golden and his ghost buddies, the Invisible Friends, have settled into life at school. Then Tom hears a rumor that the television show Exceedingly Haunted Homes of England is going to run a feature on his school. While the Invisible Friends are excited by the prospect of being on national television, Tom is worried that the delicate balance between the ghost world and the living world will be upset. In order to keep an eye on things, he volunteers to be the tea boy on the set. He is horrified to discover that the hostess is a "faintly real" (a ghost who can appear to be human) and that she may give away the existence of the Invisible Friends on the show. However, she proves to be an ally when a ghost is captured on film in another incident. Tom and his friends must come up with a plan to restore the balance between the two worlds, since humans are not supposed to be able to see ghosts. The resolution of the problem is clever and entirely within the powers of readers' willing suspension of disbelief. The characters in this series are charming and endearing, and the richly imagined world of the ghosts will delight readers. Reviewer: Ellen WeltySchool Library Journal
Gr 4-7
Tom Golden can see ghosts. In fact, he is one of the very few humans aware of the parallel Ghost World that exists alongside the normal plane. With his Invisible Friend, Grey Arthur, he is the link for all the Poltergeists, Sadness Summoners, Screamers, and other phantom citizens of the spectral realm. He would like to keep the two sides of his life separate. Talking about ghostly adventures worries his parents-and it doesn't do much for his reputation at school, either. Then, an inexperienced Invisible Friend-in-training tries to help a harried substitute teacher and creates the impression that Tom's school is a hotbed of haunts. When the popular television show "Extremely Haunted Houses of England" decides to feature the story, Tom and his otherworldly friends realize that Ghost World is in serious danger. There is a lot going on here-the TV show, Tom's difficulties at home and school, the "politics" of Ghost World-and it can be a challenge to follow all the twists and turns. The ghostly characters are convincingly depicted, although it is sometimes hard to keep track of who is haunting whom. Familiarity with Tom and Grey's two previous adventures is helpful, but not essential. An acceptable choice for readers who like humorous ghost stories.-Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL
Kirkus Reviews
Tom Golden's latest adventure among the unseen involves a trio of escaped ancient ghosts and the dread prospect of ghost sightings by ordinary humans. Tom is the only human who is able to see ghosts for what they really are, although there are some Faintly Real ghosts who routinely pass for human. His ghostly companions are quite delighted with their work as Invisible Friends and thrill at the prospect of appearing on an episode of Exceedingly Haunted Houses. But when some old Druidic bonds are inadvertently broken, the security of the unseen ghost world is threatened. Enigmatic references to earlier incidents in the series may pull careful readers up short, but Arnold hurtles charmingly along and provides a great deal to like about Tom and this elaborately constructed ghostly world. Moments of hilarity abound, as when Tom and his non-corporeal friends journey through the fabric-lined, sometimes odiferous Laundry Run, the ghostly highway for sock-stealing Poltergeists. And a climactic scene where the ghosts are terrified by an exceedingly haunted house has both chilly and silly moments. Lightly frightful, frothy fun. (Fantasy. 9-12)