The Ghost Prison - Hardcover

Joseph Delaney

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1849397775 ISBN 13: 9781849397773

Publisher: Andersen Press, 2013

Synopsis

`This is the entrance to the Witch Well and behind that door you'd face your worst nightmare. Don't ever go through there.' Night falls, the portcullis rises in the moonlight, and young Billy starts his first night as a prison guard. But this is no ordinary prison. There are haunted cells that can't be used, whispers and cries in the night . . . and the dreaded Witch Well. Billy is warned to stay away from the prisoner down in the Witch Well. But who could it be? What prisoner could be so frightening? Billy is about to find out . . . An unforgettable ghost story from the creator of the Wardstone Chronicles (Spook's Apprentice) series.

About this title

About the Author:

Joseph Delaney used to be an English teacher, before becoming the best-selling author of the Spook's series, which has been published in 24 countries and has sold over a million copies. The first book, The Spook's Apprentice, is now a major motion picture starring Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore.

From School Library Journal:

Gr 4–7—Billy Calder seizes a job opportunity as a castle prison guard, hoping to earn his way to independence from the Home for Unfortunate Boys. After minimal training, the 15-year-old orphan is summoned to work nights under an imposing supervisor named Adam Colne. He tells Billy that a feisty castle ghost, "Long-Neck Netty," had her eyes on him during training and had insisted on his hire. The boy learns that many ghosts haunt the castle, especially at Execution Square, and is advised to be cautious when alone, and to keep close track of his keys. When Colne falls ill, Billy is charged with feeding raw, bloody meat to a dangerous prisoner in the Witch Well. During the frightful task, he leaves the key in the door and someone-or something-seals his fate by locking him in the Well. This suspenseful Dickensian tale boasts black-and-white illustrations on nearly every page, evoking nightmarish scenes of a dark and drafty castle and its grotesque, ghostly inhabitants. Younger, or less fluent, readers may be steered to this abbreviated, and more accessible ghost story before tackling Delaney's wildly popular "Last Apprentice" series. Given its brevity, this book could be used as a spooky read-aloud.—Vicki Reutter, State University of New York at Cortland

About this edition

• Publisher: Andersen Press
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1849397775
• ISBN 13: 9781849397773
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 112