Christmas Challenge 7th Dec - The Christmas Eve Ghost

Shirley Hughes' books are always so wonderfully evocative and nostalgic and this seasonal gem is no exception. The story is set in Liverpool where Shirley herself grew up and it's all the little details of day to day life that make the story come alive, the eating your dinner under a rack of drying clothes and all of the processes that had to be gone through just to clean them. The ghost referred to in the title is naturally not a ghost at all but the two children hear a series of thuds whilst their mother has popped out and are convinced that they are hearing a spirit. Luckily their kindly neighbour takes them into her house and they discover it is just the sound of darts being thrown at a board on the other side of the wall! The story has much to teach us all about getting on with our neighbours , now matter what religion they are or how different from ourselves they seem. 

My hardback copy has gorgeous bronze embossing on the jacket as befits such a lovely book. The pencil and watercolour illustrations are just exquisite and the personal note from the author at the back of the book is wonderful. A treasure in book form.