Allergy-prone Alex's figurative itch to spend a week with his grandparents at their country house becomes a literal one when, it turns out, every brush with the house's resident ghost causes him to break out instantly in hives. Said ghost's cryptic pleas for help itten, ouch, directly on the rash nd Alex, along with his friend and cousin Sarah, first to the town's historical society and then on an expedition into the woods in search of a hidden cave. Apparitions (and the occasional shriek) notwithstanding, this opener in the Monster Itch series is more adventure than chiller and scores low on the fright-o-meter. Ultimately, Alex and Sarah become local celebrities by not only righting a false accusation of theft but also by recovering an old money box stuffed with cash. Occasional comical line drawings of pop-eyed figures (including the ghost, who turns out to be a timorous former bank teller) lighten the tone further.

A monster allergy may ruin Alex's visit to his grandparents'.Alex and his cousin Sarah are spending a week visiting their grandparents in their grandparents' new house…except the house is very old. It is likely haunted, and that was actually a selling point for Alex's writer grandmother and artist grandfather, who together write the twisted and scary comic book Little Grendella. The whole family appears to be white. When he enters his room, Alex has an immediate allergic reaction…but when he tries to duplicate the reaction in front of Sarah and his grandparents, nothing happens. The strange rash on his arms reappears later, and it becomes obvious he is allergic to a ghost that's haunting the house. Only Sarah and Alex can see the strange phantom, and it can write in the rash on Alex's arm (unsurprisingly, this does not feel good). The duo decides to clear up the business that is keeping the ghost on Earth. Can they do it alone? This ghost story kicks off Lubar's new series of light spooky tales à la his Monsterrific Tales, though for a younger audience. Customarily excellent writing at the sentence level unspools an undemanding adventure carefully pitched to his audience. What's light, foolish, and transparent to adults will be enjoyable to youngsters seeking slight chills with a smile or two along the way. A superior alternative to Goosebumps for elementary-age chill-seekers. (Fantasy. 6-9)

Lubar (the Weenies series) takes a page from the Goosebumps playbook in a series opener that mixes laughs and light chills. During a visit to his grandparents- house, allergy-prone fraidy cat Alex starts breaking out in an unusual (and unusually itchy) rash, then discovers the culprit: a ghost. Using the rash to track (and communicate with!) the ghost, Alex and sister Sarah try to uncover why he-s hanging around. West-s b&w spot illustrations amplify the lightly creepy mood, but it-s Lubar-s sharp humor (-If mice make you scream, you-re going to lose your voice this week,- Grandma cracks) that will have readers looking for the next book. Ages 7-10. Illustrator-s agency: Astound. (June)

Gr 2-4Though he has terrible allergies, Alex is excited to stay at his grandparents' new house with his cousin Sarah. But the two quickly discover that it's haunted by a ghostand Alex is horribly allergic to ghosts! Using Alex like a spectral Geiger counter, the cousins track down the ghost and offer to help him with a problem from his past. The author's trademark humor is less prevalent here than in his titles for older readers; this offering favors a simpler plot and word choice, befitting the chapter book audience. Lubar's ability to blend kid-friendly horror with goofy situations works wonderfully. Illustrations provide a nice break from the action, and the characters' big eyes and worried expressions often add to the silliness. The accessible vocabulary and short chapters make this ideal for kids starting to venture into independent reading. VERDICT A strong addition for elementary school libraries and a great way to infuse chapter book collections with a small dose of horror.Peter Blenski, Greenfield Public Library, WI