Ghost Knight by Cornelia Funke

Here is another from Cornelia Funke.  I liked it better than Reckless and it was a better translation.  This book reminds me of Funke's first big hit, The Thief Lord, kids banding together so solve a supernatural mystery, and building strong friendships in the process. Jon's mother has a new boyfriend, a bearded dentist, and Jon hates him.  Jon causes so much trouble, that finally his mom decides to send him to a boarding school so that he and the family can have a respite from the conflict.  Jon is not at the school long before he is visited by a ghost who is bent on reeking vengeance on him because of something his great-great-grandfather did. Jon needs help, and he finds is in the form of a girl named Ella, who is familiar with the ghost society of the town, and her eccentric grandmother, Zelda. Together they enlist the aid of a ghost knight who has sworn to help the helpless in order to pay a moral debt to society.  I am not a great fan of ghost stories, but this one has just the right amount of spookiness and mystery.  The characters of Jon, Zelda, and Ella are all well drawn and there is great chemistry between them.  Funke throws in some nice plot twists, that keeps the story from being too predictable.  This is a good spooky read for kids who like creepy, but not too creepy.  (330 p.)