The Great Ghost Hoax (The Great Pet Heist #2)

by Emily Ecton (Author) David Mottram (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade

The Secret Life of Pets meets Scooby Doo in this hilarious sequel to The Great Pet Heist that follows the furry friends as they hunt down a ghost!

Butterbean is bored. She and the other pets pulled off a heist once, but that was like a million years ago. Nothing exciting has happened since then. That is, until Mrs. Third Floor shows up at their apartment, convinced there's a ghost in the building.

Mrs. Third Floor's rental unit is showing signs of paranormal activity--eerie noises, objects moving when no one is there, fish disappearing from the tank overnight. The pets decide to investigate. Soon they're confronted with a bigger problem than just ghosts: professional ghost hunters who are offering to drive out the spirits for a hefty fee. It's up to Butterbean and the rest of the gang to save Mrs. Third Floor from losing her life savings to scammers, all while dealing with some really annoying new animals. Can the furry friends uncover the truth in time?

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Kirkus Reviews

Silly business galore, with more than a few sly tentacular twists. 

School Library Journal

Gr 3-7--Ecton's sequel to The Great Pet Heist pits pets against the paranormal. Butterbean, Mario, Walt, and the rats become ghostbusters as they investigate the strange happenings in a vacant apartment. But while putting their ghostbusting skills to work, they uncover a scam that endangers Mrs. Third Floor's livelihood. Mottram's black-and-white illustrations are scattered throughout; they are realistic and complement the humorous tone of the plot. Despite the length of the book, the narration style keeps the action moving; this would be an excellent choice as a read-aloud in schools. Kids new to the series can enjoy this sequel without reading the first, while those already familiar with the group of oddball friends can find a few new reasons to enjoy, one being in the form of an octopus. VERDICT This funny animal adventure caters to a wide audience, and will look appealing on a Halloween display.--Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake P.L., Alta.

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

 
Emily Ecton
Emily Ecton is the author of The Great Pet Heist series as well as a number of middle grade books published under the names Emily Ecton and Emily Fairlie. She is also a former writer and producer for Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me!, the Peabody Award­-winning comedy news quiz on NPR. She lives in Virginia, with Howdy, a dog who dreams of someday going to a supermarket. Visit her at EmilyEcton.com.

Dave Mottram is an illustrator living in Ohio who worked as a graphic designer for many years, which led him to pursue his passion for illustration. He paints traditionally and digitally with color and layers and line. He loves tacos, animals, tikis, and nerding out over art supplies. Visit him at DaveMottram.com.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781534479913
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
A
Publisher
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Publication date
September 20, 2021
Series
The Great Pet Heist
BISAC categories
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV002190 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Pets
JUV028000 - Juvenile Fiction | Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories
Library of Congress categories
Humorous stories
Pets
Mystery and detective stories
Ghosts
Ghost stories
Detective and mystery fiction
Apartment houses
Swindlers and swindling
Humorous fiction

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