Story Time: The Ghost Catcher

One of the books I found to go along with our study of India was The Ghost Catcher by Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weiss. It is a wonderful retelling of a traditional Indian folktale of a barber from Bengal who is so kindhearted that he does not want to charge anyone for his services. He and his wife are very poor and she becomes angry and tells him that he must start charging for his services. He goes to a neighboring town so as not to have to ask his current customers for money. While there he encounters a ghost. The barber is able to outwit the ghost and find a solution to all his problems. The story is fast-paced and witty and captured Lizzie’s attention immediately. The illustrations are bold and colorful and beautifully capture the colors and artwork of India.

I thought this was the perfect book selection to introduce India to my girls. I love to find a good retelling of a folk tale and The Ghost Catcher didn’t disappoint.