Title: The Haunting of Freddy by Dietlof Reiche, ISBN: 0-439-53159-4, Scholastic, New York, 2006, $16.99, 320pp.

Genre: Animals/ Pets/ Detective/ Mystery Grades 3-7

Characters: Freddy, the only golden hamster famed throughout the world for his ability to read and write, is telling the story of his adventure to an English Castle. Freddy can even communicate to humans by typing on a computer. However, this alone won’t get him out of the jam he gets everyone into when he opens up a can of worms by writing his newest book. In his adventure are Mr. John his owner, Sir Williams the cat, Enrico and Caruso the performing guinea pigs who are always making jokes at Freddy’s expense, Grim Harry the main character in Freddy’s new book, Cruncher and Muncher the two ferrets in Freddy’s new book,  Lady Templeton (Aunt Agatha) the one who invited Mr. John and the other animals to the Castle, Lord Templeton the owner of the Castle, Annabelle the daughter of Lord Templeton and a fan of Freddy’s books, Sebastian the son of Lord Templeton who at first is not a fan of Freddy’s books, Bertha the house keeper, and the rabbits whom the guinea pigs are protecting from the ferrets.   

Plot: Freddy the hamster is writing his newest book “The Lord of the Ferrets” which opens up a can of worms that no one is prepared for, especially not Freddy or anyone else for that matter. His story is based on a real 1593 English court decision that sentenced Grim Harry, a poacher, and his two ferrets to death for killing three rabbits on the Baron’s land. Who would have guessed that writing a book could enable the undead to enter our world, certainly not Freddy? However, it’s true and Grim Harry was behind it all because he needed a way into our world to get his revenge on the Baron, and his way in was through Freddy’s story. He was also the one who enabled Freddy to write the story, and the one that got them the invitation to the Templeton Castle.

It turns out that every time Freddy continued to write his story it allowed Grim Harry and/or his ferrets to enter their world, and when he stopped writing they returned to the world of the undead. However, Grim Harry and the ferrets eventually got enough power to enter their world without Freddy’s story which poses an even bigger problem. But thanks to Freddy, Annabelle, and Sebastian Grim Harry and his ferrets are finally able to rest in peace because Freddy ends his story with the Baron getting struck by lightning avenging Grim Harry’s death so that he does not have to avenge it on Sebastian and Lord Templeton.  

Touchy Areas: There are some scenes that involve animal cruelty, and cruel and unusual punishment towards humans, but nothing that goes into too much detail.

Related Titles: I, Freddy (2003) by Dietlof Reiche, Freddy in Peril (2004) by Dietlof Reiche, Freddy to the Rescue (2005) by Dietlof Reiche

Movies: Jumanji (1995), Scooby-Doo and the Witch’s Ghost (1999)

Music: Fifth Symphony (1800s) Ludwig van Beethoven

Photos: Freddy (2005)

Related Websites: Information about the author and the Freddy books http://www.dreiche.de/freddysseite/fs4stell.htm

Art: Avenue at Chantilly (1888) Paul Cezanne

Classic Work: The Hound of the Baskervilles (1986) Arthur Conan Doyle

Evaluation: This was a very interesting book. I was a little skeptical at first about what the story line was going to be about because the title was a bit vague, but once the story got started I found it hard to put down. I think the way the story was written through the eyes of the hamster was very unique, yet it was not written in a childish way. Over all, the book would be great for all children and could definitely be taught in the classroom. The story could help teach children to “laugh” or “brush things off” rather than result to violence, and to be aware of other people’s feelings. I would rate this book an 8 out of 10.     

Reviewed by: April Annarino, University of Toledo