Parents' Guide to

The Secret of the Painted House

By Matt Berman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Easy, fun read draws kids in with ghostly chills.

Book Marion Dane Bauer Fantasy 2007
The Secret of the Painted House Poster Image

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What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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What's the Story?

When Emily and her family move from the city to the country, she is sure there will be nothing to do. But then she finds a mysterious padlocked playhouse out in the middle of the woods. Looking through the window she sees that the inside walls are painted to resemble the woods, including the playhouse itself. Her neighbor tells her that it belonged to a little girl, Pin, who died in a fire.

When she is forced to babysit her little brother, she leaves him picking flowers in the woods so that she can go investigate the playhouse. She gets inside and finds that the ghost of Pin lives in the painting on the walls, and that she can enter the painting herself. But when Pin lures her brother deep into the painting, it's up to Emily to try to rescue him.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (2):

Veteran author Marion Dane Bauer keeps the reading easy and the story intriguing in this transitional reader. Though a ghost story, with a nice goosebumpy chill that most kids will enjoy, it's never too scary. This tone is nicely matched by Leonid Gore's misty grayscale illustrations.

Many authors have discovered that there's something deliciously creepy about characters in paintings, and Bauer adds the intriguing variation of infinite levels of paintings within paintings. Combined with a forest/playhouse setting, and the magical idea of entering into a painting, this is a story that will keep young readers reading. And that's the purpose of a transitional novel -- to introduce this age to the pleasures of literature.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about ghosts and ghost stories. Do you think they are real or just fun campfire-story entertainment? Have you ever seen or heard anything you couldn't explain? Why might some people believe in ghosts even without solid evidence? Why are they so often portrayed as mean and scary?

Book Details

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