Emily Howard wasn't having a particularly good day. She tried on her older sister's bonnet only to have it snatched by her brother's goat. Then, the dogs chased a cat through the house creating a trail of mess that included the spilling of Emily's guaranteed freckle remover.

So Mama, in order to try to have a little peace and quiet, sent the youngsters out to pick blackberries (not a chore they enjoyed). It seemed like the day wasn't improving until a brightly painted wagon carrying a photographer arrived.

Now, taking a photo of the Howard family was, to say the least, a challenge for the photographer. However, it's a lot of fun to read about.

Faye Gibbons has done a worthy job of recreating life on a farm during the turn of the 20th century. Sun washed illustrations enhance the text, especially the portraits of red-haired, freckle faced Emily.

- Gail Cooke

My son is at the age where he no longer has interest in cute picture books about animals and farms. He wants books about real little boys his age who are adventurous. This book was a real find! He simply loves to listen to this book about a little boy who agrees to sleep in the barn overnight with his older cousins. The illustrations and text depict in a subtle way, the fear and hesitation each boy has about spending the night in the barn, but who are too proud to admit it. The boy's reactions to the scary sounds and noises heard in the barn pose and element of excitement and adds a cute suprise ending to the story. I only wish that the author would write more stories about this boy and his adventurous relatives.

These spooky tales are skillfully woven together. As a Georgia mountain family gathers together at night on the front porch, the traditional ghost stories are told, one gracefully transitioning into the other. Many of the tales are eerie like the one of the woman who was buried alive. But my favorite was the one of the ghostly teacher who inspires a lame boy to learn and to teach. The black and white drawings are especially evocative and haunting. This is a terrific collection of ghost tales.