28/04/2025
Disclaimer: I am writing this post not as a biased friend, partner, fan or fellow librarian, but as a teacher/ librarian who works with children and books. So, here goes, A Home to Haunt by Sudeshna Shome Ghosh is one of the finest children's books I have read in a long time. No, seriously! Read on... What I loved most about the book, is how Sudeshna really gets children and their vocabulary standards. The dialogues are so natural, the language is so relatable and there is absolutely no pretense to keep up with jargons to sound smart. The characters, the boy or bnoy, the bhoots, the mama are all so lovable. Before you know it, you are taken on an adventure, through cemeteries, on trains, magical Kolkata cabs, a cricket match at Eden Gardens and so much more! You are left rooting for the charactes, laughing with them and feel a little sad when the book ends and you have to say good bye to Poltu and his bhoot friends. The book is fast paced, but not hurried, quirky, but not over the top. There is so much heart in this book along with adventure, a quick Kolkata darshan by night, and that Sudeshna humour. Intelligent and satirical.
You will never look at a packet of Cadbury Gems again without thinking of, A Home to Haunt. Why? Read the book!
Home to Haunt has been published by Harper Collins and illustrated beautifully by Pankaj Saikia.
I give this "spooky" book two thumbs up and many sparkly stars. This is a perfect book to celebrate summer holidays with a boy and his bhoot friends.
