Published: 2025
Author/Illustrator: Matthew Forsythe
Genres: Picture Book, Fiction, Humor, Fantasy
Audience: Pre-K–Grade 3
Number of Stars: ★★★★★ (5/5)
Goodreads Link: Aggie and the Ghost
Content Warnings: None.
Publisher’s Summary
From Matthew Forsythe, the creator of the acclaimed and beloved Pokko and the Drum, comes a surprising and pleasing picture book about rules. And sharing. And an epic game of tic-tac-toe.
Aggie is very excited to live on her own—until she finds out her new house is haunted. But no fear, the situation is nothing that can’t be fixed with a carefully considered list of No haunting after dark. No stealing socks. No eating all the food.
But the ghost doesn’t like playing by the rules and challenges Aggie to an epic game of tic-tac-toe—winner gets the house.
Review
Aggie and the Ghost is a charming new children’s book that is both funny and thoughtful. The story centers around Aggie, a girl who is excited to move into a cottage all her own. She likes being independent and having quiet, responsible routines. However, she quickly discovers that her cottage is already inhabited by a mischievous, yet friendly, ghost who refuses to follow basic household rules, like not stealing socks or eating all the cheese!
When Aggie becomes fed up, the two compete in a large tic-tac-toe match to see who gets to stay. After the ghost leaves, Aggie realizes that she actually misses the connection they shared. She eventually finds a compromise: the ghost doesn’t live with her, but visits from time to time. This is a wonderful message about healthy relationships and boundaries.
Matthew Forsythe’s expressive illustrations, a mix of colored pencil and watercolor, bring immense humor and a calming beauty to the pages. This book was an instant hit with my 7-year-old son; it’s an excellent resource for practicing oral reading fluency, providing great opportunities for 1st graders to practice expression, tone, and pacing. I give this book 5 solid stars.
📚 Literacy Spotlight: Oral Reading Fluency
For 1st and 2nd graders, Aggie and the Ghost serves as a high-interest text for developing reading skills. Because the ghost is mischievous and the situations are funny, students are naturally inclined to use Prosody—the patterns of stress and intonation in a language.
- Expression: Using different voices for the “orderly” Aggie and the “silly” ghost.
- Pacing: Slowing down during the tense tic-tac-toe match and speeding up during the ghost’s chaotic antics.
- Tone: Capturing Aggie’s initial frustration versus her later realization of loneliness.
🎒 Classroom & Home Activities
- The “House Rules” Workshop: Have students create their own list of “No-Ghost Rules” for their classroom or bedroom. What boundaries are most important to them?
- Tic-Tac-Toe Math: Use the giant tic-tac-toe match from the book to practice logic and strategy.
- Watercolor Exploration: Following Forsythe’s style, have students paint a “friendly” ghost using watercolors and add details with colored pencils to see how the mediums mix.
- Reader’s Theater: Assign students to play Aggie and the Ghost to practice reading the dialogue with maximum expression!
