Ghost Cat

Miss Maggie McCullen has been the keeper for the Port Carrick lighthouse for many years. She has never missed a night, keeping the big light going. And while the people in Port Carrick are grateful to her, they worry about her lonely life at the lighthouse. But they don't know that she has her cat, Sailor Boy, for company. Because Sailor Boy is no ordinary cat. He's a ghost cat. He can make himself visible or invisible, especially when visitors come to call and he wants to be mischievous. But when a fierce storm comes and Miss Maggie needs special assistance, Sailor Boy proves his worth.

Format List Price Your Price Qty
$16.99 $16.99
$28.99 $28.99
Interest Level Kindergarten - Grade 2
Reading Level Grade 1
Dewey E
Lexile AD580L
ATOS Reading Level 2.9
Guided Reading Level M
Language English
Publisher Sleeping Bear Press
Available Formats Hardcover (9781585369935), PDF (9781534103092), Hosted ebook (9781534103245)
Copyright 2017
Number of Pages 32
Dimensions 9 x 11
Graphics Full-color illustrations

Booklist - Ghost Cat

Miss Maggie McCullen is the lighthouse keeper of Port Carrick, where she lives with her cat, Sailor Boy, the narrator of this tale. After a long and happy life with Miss Maggie, Sailor Boy decides to stick around
for the hereafter and continue to help his owner with her lighthouse duties. The scraggly Siamese, who can choose to be visible or invisible—a fact that doesn’t bother Miss Maggie in the least—bounds around the
island, gleefully teasing visitors and accompanying Miss Maggie each night as she lights the lighthouse beacon. One stormy night, Miss Maggie trips on her way up the lighthouse tower, and it’s up to Sailor Boy
to fetch help for her and see that the beacon gets lit. Dusky plums and luminous golds flood Barry’s scratchy watercolors, through which the semitransparent Sailor Boy perches and pounces. Bunting’s
endearing ghost story is as cozy as they come, and young readers will appreciate both the fullness of the narrative and the notion of a beloved pet “living” past the grave.

School Library Journal - Ghost Cat

Although no longer living, Sailor Boy, an opaque ghost cat, rendered in pen-and-ink, hasn’t left his owner’s side. This title is set in the 19th century, in a lighthouse in Port Carrick, Ireland. Miss Maggie McCullen and her faithful cat light the beacon each night to keep sailors safe on the hazardous coastline. Sailor Boy leads this clear, matter-of-fact first-person narrative, explaining that although a ghost, he retains his earthly shape and body but can choose to be invisible whenever he pleases. Sailor Boy teases lighthouse visitors with his haunting purrs and unseen pawings. One night, while Miss Maggie’s niece Cissie is visiting, Miss Maggie injures her ankle as she’s walking up the steps to illuminate the lamp of the lighthouse. It’s up to Sailor Boy, previously unknown by Maggie’s niece, to graciously show Cissie how to light the great warning beam. The charming text, paired with Barry’s gothic watercolor and ink illustrations, has a playfulness that may intrigue readers rather than spook them. An appended author’s note provides a brief history of lighthouses and their importance. VERDICT Certainly not a ghost story, this selection may work best paired with other lighthouse picture books and nonfiction titles on the subject. An additional purchase.

Author: Eve Bunting

Eve Bunting was born in a little town in Ireland called Maghera and she was brought up in the tradition of storytelling. Her mother started a library in their house and there were always books available to read. Most were poetry, which Eve loved. She also loved ghost stories and adventure stories; actually stories of all kinds. So she grew up, got married, had three children, and became a storyteller herself.

Now Eve lives in California and writes books that tell stories. She has written a lot of books, more than 250, and hopes to write many more. Because storytelling is what she does. And what she loves to do.

Illustrator: Kevin M. Barry

Kevin M. Barry was eight years old when he found a monster living in his house. It was a slimy, grimy beast that lurked in a dark corner of the basement. When light shone on it, the monster looked suspiciously like an oil tank. TERRIFYING! When not designing fearsome fiends for picture books, Kevin is usually painting from nature or imparting the secrets of eerie art to the students of Pine Hill Elementary. Follow Kevin on Instagram @KevinBarryArt, and check out his other Sleeping Bear Press books, including Ghost Cat; Kindergarrrten Bus; and Bobby Babinski’s Bathtub.

Narrator: Michael Gillick

  • Beginning of text
  • Author's Note
Author/Illustrator biography
Reviewed
Full-color illustrations