The Man Who Tricked a Ghost by Laurence Yep

Book Genre: Folktale

Publisher: Troll Communications, September 1997


Summary:
A courageous man, Sung, was not frightened by anyone or anything. After leaving his friend’s house, Sung meets a ghost on a dark and mysterious path. The ghost informs him that he is on his way to scare a man named Sung because he is not terrified of ghosts. Pretending to also be a ghost, Sung taunts the ghost. During the adventure Sung learns all of the ghost’s secrets. When they finally make it to Courtesy Town, the ghost turns himself into a white fluffy sheep. Knowing the ghost’s secrets, Sung is able to keep the ghost in the form of a sheep. Not only did Sung trick the ghost but he received a hefty sum for the sale of his new sheep!

Personal Rating, ***Good. This Chinese Folktale was full of extraordinary illustrations. The colors and innovative details were extremely creative.

Reading Level: 3rd grade (A.R. Level 3.9)

Interest Level: K-5 grades

Possible uses of the text in integrated units of study:

Reading/Writing: Do a lesson on conflict/resolution. Examine the way that Sung had a conflict and how he was able to resolve the situation. Compare and contrast ghost stories using a Venn Diagram. Students could create and write about their own ghost. Math: Create a classroom graph and see which students believe or do not believe in ghosts.

Potential Problems or Difficulties: At times, pictures and text may be a little scary for younger audiences.