The Haunting of Uncle Ron

Clever and entertaining, there’s much in this story to amuse young readers. Uncle Ron arrives unannounced for his usual long-term stay. The family is not amused for he’s incredibly thick-skinned and boring. His stories are long-winded, and he’s always in the kitchen making messes and stuffing his face. He has no plans to return home and the family is unable to convince him to leave. That is, until Ian comes up with a plan that involves the assistance of Hetty, the delightful new girl next door. Together, they feed into Uncle Ron’s love of the Other World and his incessant communication with acquaintances who have ‘passed over’.

Brilliantly readable, the story is effortlessly funny, offering a mischievous and perceptive glimpse into everyday family life. Ian and Hetty’s original – if macabre – solution to rid the family of Uncle Ron’s plodding presence triggers much of the humour – as do the characters themselves. The story sparkles with energy, snappy dialogue and wordplay. An engaging writing style, child-friendly typography and a layout that facilitates decoding make the book accessible to reluctant and dyslexic readers.