Changes

|title=Zero to Hero - Ghost Buddy

|author=Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver

|borrow=Yes

|isbn=9781407132280

|pages=181

|publisher=Scholastic

|date=June 2012

|summary=The first in a new series, this is a funny and reassuring story for young readers with an endearing lead character with whom many will identify.

}}

Billy Broccoli has moved to a new house and school and is anxious about fitting in and making new friends. Things are made more difficult for him because his mum is the head teacher of his new school and Billy is also learning to cope with a new stepfather and stepsister. Just when Billy thinks things could not get any more difficult he discovers a ghost in his bedroom wardrobe. Not just an ordinary ghost either. His own personal ghost is Hoover Porterhouse, a teenage ghost with attitude, who is going to help Billy learn not only how to be cool but also how to deal with the obnoxious school bully. This is the first in a new series by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver and on the basis of this first instalment it promises to be as successful as their popular Hank Zipzer series.

I enjoyed this book very much and warmed to Billy who is an appealing lead character. As a typical eleven year old boy with normal insecurities and a somewhat awkward manner he is someone that many readers will identify with. Each chapter ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger and this cleverly encourages the reader to read on. The length of the book and the writing style which is both humorous and light in tone make this an ideal read for slightly reluctant readers of about eight and over. This is not surprising as this is the book’s target market but I do think that it achieves this aim very well and would also appeal to both boys and girls. I had not read the first series by this writing duo but I can now understand their success and am looking forward to following the further adventures of Billy and Hoover.

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[[Category:Henry Winkler]]

[[Category:Lin Oliver]]