A Ghost Named Wanda (Zack Files Series #2) ANNOTATION
Zack feels that a supernatural force is at work in his apartment when he encounters floating television sets, pancakes that flip by themselves, and a ghost named Wanda.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Primary graders will love these illustrated first chapter books about Zack, an unflappably normal 10-year-old New Yorker to whom strange things keep happening. In A Ghost Named Wanda, a supernatural force that flips pancakes and makes the TV float is at work in Zack's apartment.
FROM THE CRITICS
Children's Literature - Rebecca Joseph
Greenberg appears to strike a cord, or perhaps a funny bone, with kids in his "The Zack Files" series. A Ghost Named Wanda is an amusing story about a ghost that is haunting Zack's apartment. Why is she there, and how is Zack going to get rid of her? It is a funny story accompanied by quirky black and white illustrations, and a good choice for kids reading below their grade level.
School Library Journal
Gr 3-5Zack is a normal 10-year-old boy with a knack for getting into weird situations. In Wanda, he attempts to rid his apartment of a rude eight-year-old poltergeist who communicates by spelling out words with peanut M&Ms. In Litter Box, he plans to adopt a kitten but instead acquires a cantankerous talking cat that claims to be the reincarnation of his great-grandfather. He sees his reflection in the Medicine Cabinet mirror and falls through into a skewed world that its inhabitants consider much "cooler" than ours. An electrical accident occurs at school and Zap!Zack can hear thoughts, including a bloodthirsty voice expressing an eagerness to kill. The stories have a whacked-out, off-the-wall humor that is reminiscent of the work of Daniel Pinkwater. At the same time, they neatly poke fun at the conventions of popular horror series. Kids will find some of the episodes tremendously funny. Great-Grandpa the cat threatens to "take a leak" on the sofa if Zack doesn't provide him with his preferred food (herring with sour cream!); Wanda and a fellow ghost yank down a bully's pants. The books are short without looking babyish and would appeal to reluctant readers as well as those with a taste for oddball humor.Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL
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