Bauer continues the theme she began with The Blue Ghost (2005). Here the ghostly aspects issue from a doll dressed all in red velvet. Jenna finds the doll at a neighbor's garage sale, and is certain it will be a perfect gift for her little sister. But the doll gives off what can only be described as bad vibes. No one wants her, not Jenna's sister, not the neighbor, not even Jenna. But there's a mystery surrounding the doll. It once belonged to Miss Tate's sister, who died as a child. When Jenna learns that Miss Tate's mother poured all her sadness and love into the doll, a clue to the doll's vibrations emerges. A spooky cover will draw kids, and once between the covers, they'll find a clever ghost story that will engage readers, especially new ones, who'll push their personal envelopes to find out what happens next. Pencil illustrations nicely break up the text.

Jenna discovers that the antique doll she finds at her neighbor's garage sale is haunted by the ghost of its first owner. This easy-to-read companion to The Blue Ghost is well suited to readers newly ready for chapter books. The story is suspenseful without being too scary, and the plot is intriguing without being confusing. Sketchy black-and-white drawings illustrate the mysterious goings-on.

Known for her ghostly tales, Bauer has successfully opened a trap door for transitional readers who want a scary—but not too scary—story. This companion to The Blue Ghost (2005), part of the Stepping Stones series, features an old doll dressed in red velvet that Jenna finds at a neighbor's garage sale. It's just the gift she needs for her younger sister's birthday, and the neighbor even gives it to her for free! But when Jenna's cat hisses and attacks the doll, and strange sounds come from it in her closet, she tries to get rid of it, even putting it in a garbage can. Is the muted voice calling for help coming from the doll? Why won't Mrs. Tate take the doll back? Is the doll haunted or haunting? Ferguson's sketchy black-and-white drawings decorate the text, but it's the eerie plot that will have girls racing to the end, and even looking at old dolls with widened eyes. Bauer's hit on a perfect formula, and like Andrew Lang with his Fairy Books, she has many more colors to go. (Fiction. 7-10)

Gr 2-4 In this companion to Bauer's The Blue Ghost (Random, 2005), fourth-grader Jenna and a friend find a doll at Miss Tate's garage sale that would be a perfect birthday present for Jenna's little sister. However, there is something about its eyes that makes the girls uneasy, and they're suspicious when Miss Tate gives it to them for free. Jenna's cat furiously spits and strikes at the wrapped gift, and in the middle of the night, Jenna is wakened by rustling and crying sounds. When she gives the doll to her sister, Quinn refuses to keep it, saying "she's full." The easy-to-follow plot involves the ghost of a child who died from scarlet fever years earlier and has a happy ending. Ferguson's expressive, humorously spooky pencil illustrations accompany the text. Readers moving into chapter books will find this eerily entertaining. Debbie S. Hoskins, Grand Rapids Public Library, MI