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The Ghost of Thomas Kempe

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Illustrator
  
Anthony Maitland

Publication date
  
26 March 1973

ISBN
  
0-434-94894-2 (US)

Author
  
Publisher
  
Heinemann

Awards
  
3.9/5
Goodreads

Language
  
English

Pages
  
156 pp (first edition)

Originally published
  
26 March 1973

Genre
  
Supernatural fiction

Country
  
United Kingdom

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Media type
  
Similar
  
Penelope Lively books, Carnegie Medal winners, Children's literature

The Ghost of Thomas Kempe is a low fantasy novel for children by Penelope Lively, first published by Heinemann in 1973 with illustrations by Anthony Maitland. Set in present-day Oxfordshire, it features a boy and his modern family who are new in their English village, and seem beset by a poltergeist. Soon the boy makes acquaintance with the eponymous Thomas Kempe, ghost of a 17th-century resident sorcerer who intends to stay.

Contents

Lively won the annual Carnegie Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's best children's book by a British subject.

Characters

Major characters
  • James, the main character
  • Mrs Harrison, James's mother
  • Mr Harrison, James's father
  • Helen, James's sister
  • Tim the dog
  • Thomas Kempe, the poltergeist who troubles James
  • Minor characters
  • Simon, James's friend
  • Bert, the local handyman who tries to deal with the poltergeist
  • Mrs Verity, an old lady whom Thomas Kempe accuses of being a witch
  • Arnold, a Victorian boy who experienced the ghost before James
  • Aunt Fanny, Arnold's aunt
  • Mr Hollings, James's teacher
  • The vicar
  • Julia, Helen's friend
  • Themes

    An interest in history, the passage of time and local change is a running theme in the work of Penelope Lively and can be seen in many of her books. Beside Mr Kempe from the 17th century, this story involves both a 20th-century resident of the cottage and the history of the surrounding countryside.

    Adaptations

    In 1978, a film was made based on the novel, which aired on the ABC Weekend Special, a showcase for a variety of different films aimed at children. The film was re-broadcast many times over the years, and has had several releases on home video, and is currently hosted on YouTube. The book was also read on BBC's Jackanory. In 1977, a radio play version was aired over a number of weeks on Australia's ABC radio. In 1978 the book was adapted as a radio play by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation.

    References

    The Ghost of Thomas Kempe Wikipedia


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