Bob's Hungry Ghost

Bob's Hungry Ghost
by Geneviéve Côté
Tundra Books, 2014. Picture Book

Bob wants a dog or cat for his birthday, but instead he gets a ghost.  He names the ghost Fluffy and wants him to act like a dog.  Fluffy doesn't want to "sit" or "fetch". He wants to do what ghosts do, like hiding and flying. Finally out of boredom, Fluffy starts eating things.  As he eats he gets bigger and bigger until he finally eats Bob.   From inside the Fluffy, Bob finally comes to understand the ghost and later, when he comes out again, the two become best friends. Côté's text is clever and accessible, but Bob's story is largely told through lighthearted and expressive watercolor and pastel drawings. This is a fun new book for Halloween, with a great lesson about accepting people as they are.