Common Sense Media Review
Good for kids too young for emotional suspense.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Hiking with their friend, the Old Lady, Babar and family decide to take refuge from a rainstorm in the Black Castle, which is reputed to be haunted. There, the kids encounter the friendly ghost, Baron Bardula, when they run off to explore the castle after the adults fall asleep.
After the baron shows them around the castle and regales them with stories of long ago, the children--who can see the ghost, although others can't--invite him to follow them back to Celesteville.
Upon the elephant family's return to the palace, mysterious things begin to happen: A lemonade pitcher floats in the air, and Arthur is pushed through the park in a shopping cart by an invisible hand. But when the ghost disrupts school and Celesteville's traffic, it's time for him to go back home.
Is It Any Good?
This is a good-natured and well-meaning book, ideal for parents who are being hounded for a ghost story by children too young to handle emotional suspense. Laurent's pictures are not as detailed or compelling as his father's, but in the end he succeeds in his lifelong effort to keep Babar alive in children's minds.
Laurent de Brunhoff grew up listening to his mother's stories about a small elephant that his father, Jean, turned into Babar, one of the most solid icons of children's literature. Jean began publishing his stories late in life, and it fell to Laurent to keep up the family tradition. This tale, however, lacks the characterization and plot twists you might expect from Jean's stories, and standing alone as a ghost story, even without Babar's family, it lacks the suspense and thrills American children have come to expect from the genre.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about fear of the unknown. The children are afraid of the ghost at first. How do they overcome their fear? Can you think of a time you were afraid of something you didn't understand? Did you conquer your fears?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Laurent de Brunhoff
- Genre : Picture Book
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : HarperTrophy
- Publication date : January 1, 2000
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 4 - 7
- Number of pages : 32
- Last updated : July 12, 2017
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate