Review of "Ghost Ship" by Mary Higgins Clark

Young Thomas is visiting his grandmother's house on Cape Cod. Thomas loves to visit the Cape and explore the beach below the house. The house was built over 200 years ago by a sea captain named Andrew Hallett whose portrait hung over the mantle. One day while sifting through the wet sand looking for any treasures that might have been washed ashore, he finds a very old belt buckle with a picture of an old sailing ship on it. Just as Thomas had cleaned the dirt off the buckle, a voice over his shoulder said, "I thank thee for finding my buckle. I lost it a very long time ago." Thomas turned around to see a young boy dressed in a style from long ago. The boy introduces himself as Silas Rich, and says he was the cabin boy to Captain Hallett. Silas proceeds to tell Thomas an exciting story of the brave and skillful Captain Hallett, and how he nearly lost his ship on the shore where the two boys stood.

Was Silas a real ghost, or had Thomas' imagination run away with him? It's an intricate tale that will hold the interest of children ages 7-10 through many re-readings. Famed author Mary Higgins Clark deftly bridges the differences in speaking styles between the two boys without overdoing it. Just as importantly, the finely detailed illustrations by Wendell Minor show us just what Thomas imagines the world was like back in Captain Hallett's day.