The Ghosts of Rathburn Park

by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

Book Overview

Eleven-year-old Matthew Hamilton-a.k.a. The Hamster-is new in town, and just about the first thing he does is get lost in the woods of Rathburn Park. It's a typical boneheaded thing to do, and Matt is... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385327676
• ISBN13: 9780385327671
• Release Date: October 2002
• Publisher: Delacorte Press
• Length: 182 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.8" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

A good creepy tale

The main character in The Ghosts of Rathburn Park is Matt Hamilton, the youngest child of three, and an awkward 11-year-old. His family has just moved to Timber City, where his dad has been hired as city manager. As usual, his older brother and sister almost right away start making friends, yet Matt stays to himself. While his brother starts to hang out with the wrong crowd and tension begins to build up at home, Matt finds solitude in the mysterious Rathburn Park. There he finds a helpful dog and a mysterious girl. There are numerous ghost stories of the park and the old Rathburn mansion, the only house that remains after a fire burnt the town down. The new town was rebuilt in another area, and the stories say that the original land of the town is haunted. Matt can't resist investigating the connections of the girl and all the ghostly tales. The characters are pleasurable and the story is suspenseful. While the story may be predictable to older readers, it is still a well told story with a decent amount of creepiness to it. Many will enjoy this book.