Sent to his late father's boarding school in nearby Salisbury, England, 11-year-old Jon sees the change as banishment, or possibly punishment for his antagonism toward Mum's boyfriend (aka the Beard). Jon initially wallows in homesickness, self-pity, and hatred of the Beard, but these preoccupations are dwarfed by his terror when he is hounded by murderous ghosts bent on ancestral revenge. With the help of his classmate Ella, Jon hides in Salisbury Cathedral at night and raises the ghost of a medieval knight to defend him. Funke uses her storytelling skills to create an exciting narrative while juxtaposing Jon's problems at home with his new life at school and the ghostly reality around him. Though the story occasionally relies on coincidence, readers will happily suspend disbelief to follow Jon's expeditions to Stonehenge, a cemetery after dark, a haunted abbey, and a medieval battlefield. The many black-and-white drawings, though not seen in final form, capture the spirit of the story and intensify its drama, wit, and charm. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Funke's legion of fans are always interested in what she is up to. Her middle-grade audience will be pleased she is turning her attention back to them.

Jon Whitcroft, eleven, resents being sent to boarding school; he thinks Mum's new boyfriend is trying to get rid of him. After being accosted by a terrifying band of ghosts with a centuries-old ax to grind, Jon's problems get worse. Funke's consummate way with setting is well interpreted in Offermann's looming illustrations. An author's note provides some history.

Banished" to boarding school in contemporary Salisbury, England, 11-year-old Jon finds himself targeted by phantom riders determined to punish him for something that happened centuries before. When his mother sends him off to Salisbury Cathedral School, Jon arrives "shrouded in thick mists of homesickness." Pursued by ghost riders only he can see and who call him "Hartgill," his mother's maiden name, a terrified Jon confides in fearless classmate Ella. She takes him to her grandmother, an expert on local ghosts. Ella's grandmother warns Jon he's being haunted by the ghost of Lord Stourton, a villain hanged in 1556 for the murders of Jon's Hartgill ancestors. Ella suggests Jon evoke the ghost of William Longspee, a famous knight buried in Salisbury Cathedral. Longspee's ghost proves a valorous champion, helping Jon eradicate Stourton and his vendetta. But Longspee harbors his own dark secret, which Jon pledges to resolve. Historic details about the real Hartgill, Longspee and Stourton are deftly woven into a ripping good story. It's told with self-effacing humor from the perspective of an awkward boy who emerges as honorable and brave as the ghost knight and the contemporary girl he befriends. Black-and-white illustrations add to the Tudor atmosphere and drama. Sword-swinging ghosts will haunt readers of this droll, harrowing and historically grounded ghost story. (author's note) (Fantasy. 8-12)

Gr 5-8 Jon Whitcroft, 11, relishes the maniacal tricks he plays on "The Beard," his stepfather-to-be, but his mother is not amused and sends him to a boarding school in Salisbury (England). His troubles multiply when he encounters a bloodthirsty ghost who vows to kill him because of an ancient feud with the Whitcrofts. Jon and his schoolmate Ella summon Sir William Longspee, a medieval ghost knight, to fight off Stourton. In return, Jon promises to find Longspee's stolen heart and return it to his wife's spirit so he can rest in peace. Salisbury cathedral makes a fitting setting for a story steeped in historical detail. Readers will shiver in pleasure at ghostly duels in graveyards and beneath Gothic vaulted ceilings. Jon's problems seem believable, and the first-person conversational style creates an intimate, informal tone. Offermann's illustrations are a gift to readers. Carefully thought-out perspectives and soaring lines contrast the massive cathedral with its temporally bound human inhabitants. However, a few problems mar the story's potential. Readers may wonder why Jon chooses to tell the story eight years later and with an adult sensibility. The major action, defeating Stourton, ends 100 pages before the conclusion, which makes for an extended period of falling action. Several significant plot twists turn on coincidence. While Latsch's translation is often lyrical, it occasionally stumbles ("Ella never makes too many words"). Funke's gift is demonstrating the transformative power of adventure. During those moments, readers will be delighted. Caitlin Augusta, Stratford Library Association, CT