Das kleine Gespenst (The Little Ghost)

Author: Otfried Preußler
Original Title: Das kleine Gespenst
Genre: Children's book

Original publisher: Thienemann Verlag
Date first published: 1966
Date first read: ca. early 1993

Main character(s): Das kleine Gespenst (the little ghost), Uhu Schuhu (an owl and the little ghost's best friend), General Torsten Torstenson, Herbert, Jutta & Günther (children of the town's pharmacist who help the little ghost)
Favorite quote: N/A

Synopsis:
The Little Ghost lives in the castle Eulenstein. It's a really friendly ghost, whose best friend is a smart owl named Schuhu. Its biggest dream is to see the castle and the surrounding town by daylight, but it can just never stay up long enough till sun-rise. Then, one day, the town's clock strikes midnight during midday by mistake, and the Little Ghost does wake up during day time. Unfortunately, it gets hit by the sun's rays and turns black, which causes quite some problems, as the town people now fear the "Black Unknown", which according to the townspeople has been 'wreaking havoc' all over town. Lost in the town's underground, it will need to rely on its old and new friends, the three children of the town's pharmacist, to fix things and find its way home.

Review:
This is another classic by Otfried Preußler. It is such a fun read for early readers and it teaches some valuable lessons, such as being careful what you wish for and that friendship is truly the most important thing in the world. I absolutely loved it, even more than The Little Witch.