The Haunted Library: The Underground Ghosts

SNATCH A STORY

Chapter 1: A Visit to Seattle

“Look, Kaz!” Little John gazed out Claire’s window. “We’re up above the clouds!”

Kaz didn’t want to look. He, Little John and Claire were on an airplane. Claire had flown

on an airplane before, but this was a new experience for the ghosts. Kaz wasn’t sure he liked it.

“I wonder what it would feel like to pass through a cloud,” Little John said, edging closer

to the window.

Kaz pulled him back. “We’re not going to find out,” he said.

Claire smiled at Kaz and Little John as they floated above her. She couldn’t talk to them

because there were too many people around. Those people couldn’t see or hear ghosts like she could, so they would wonder who she was talking to.

Claire and her ghost friends were on their way to Seattle. Claire’s parents were at a

convention for detectives and Grandma Karen was at a convention for librarians. So they had arranged for Claire to spend the week with her Aunt Beth and cousin, Maddie.

Back before she met Kaz and Little John, Claire used to live in Seattle. She saw Aunt

Beth and Maddie all the time then because they took care of her whenever her parents were away. But Claire’s family moved to Iowa last year to be closer to Grandma Karen. This was her first trip back to Seattle. And her first trip without her parents.

Claire couldn’t imagine a better time to visit Aunt Beth and Cousin Maddie because

Halloween was this Friday. Maddie was on the teen advisory board at the Seattle Public Library and the teen advisory board had planned an overnight Halloween party at the library. There would be ghost stories, crafts, and games. Claire could hardly wait.

“Remember, Little John. You said you’d be on your best behavior if you got to come to

Seattle with Claire and me,” Kaz said.

“I am on my best behavior,” Little John replied.

“No glowing. No wailing. And no scaring solid people,” Kaz said. “No passing through

airplane windows, either!”

“I was just looking out the window,” Little John said. “I wasn’t going to pass through it.

Relax, Kaz. We’re on vacation!”

How was Kaz supposed to relax when he had to worry about his little brother? Honestly,

Kaz was surprised Mom and Pops let him and Little John go all the way to Seattle.

Especially after everything that had happened to their family.

A year ago, Kaz and Little John lived with their big brother, Finn, their parents, their

grandparents, and their dog, Cosmo, in an old abandoned schoolhouse. Everything was fine until Finn accidentally passed through the schoolhouse wall and the wind blew him away.

Grandmom and Grandpop tried to rescue Finn, but they blew away, too.

A few months after that, the schoolhouse was torn down and the rest of the ghosts blew

away. Kaz didn’t think he’d ever see his family again.

The wind blew Kaz to a small town library. That’s where he met Claire. Claire lived

above the library with her parents and her grandma.

Kaz and Claire had formed a detective agency, C&K Detectives, to solve ghostly

mysteries and find Kaz’s family. It took a while, but they found everyone—Kaz’s whole family.

Now what if someone got lost again? What if Kaz or Little John got lost in Seattle?

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

THE WICKED READ

The Haunted Library #10: The Underground Ghosts

by Dori Hillestad Butler

Published by Grosset & Dunlap ISBN 978-051515711-6

Ages 6-10

It's almost Halloween, and Kaz and Claire are off to Seattle to visit Claire's cousins. They explore the local library...and find a ghost living there! The ghost's family has been missing, so Kaz and Claire decide to investigate. When they discover ghostly activity in the city's subterranean passages, they put their detective skills to work. Kaz and Claire are on the case!

Look For It If You Dare...

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THE CREEPY CREATOR

Dori Hillestad Butler is the author of more than 50 books for young readers including the two-time Geisel Honor award winning King & Kayla series, the Edgar award winning Buddy Files series, and the Haunted Library series. Dori has also been a ghost writer for the Boxcar Children and other popular series. She lives in the Seattle area.