The Haunted House Next Door
by Andres Miedoso · Desmond Cole Ghost Patrol #1
A gentle ghost-hunting bridge book for scaredy-cat readers ready for their first chapter series.
The story
When Andres Miedoso moves to Kersville, he discovers his new house is haunted. Luckily, his neighbor Desmond Cole is the town's ghost expert — and he is about to invite Andres onto the Ghost Patrol. Together, the boys investigate the mystery of who (or what) is causing the mess in Andres's house, in a short, funny, heavily-illustrated series opener for newly-independent readers.
Age verdict
Best fit 6-8. Works as a read-aloud at 5 and is usually too thin for confident 9+ readers.
Our take
kid_pleaser
What stands out
Each audience's top 3 dimensions. Out of 30 scored per book.
Kids love
- First-chapter grab Strong
Chapter 1 opens with Andres announcing he is 'the most scaredy-cat kid' and immediately moving into a house where a ghost is already present — hook lands faster than Bad Guys or Sleepover Sleuths, trailing Dog Man's cover-to-page-one punch.
- Ending satisfaction Strong
The 'Ghost Patrol is born' finale closes the scaredy-cat-turned-ghost-hunter arc cleanly and launches the series promise, landing with Sleepover Sleuths-level payoff — satisfying without the earned weight of Wildwood Bakery.
Parents love
- Reading gateway Strong
Short chapters, huge cartoon spot-art, a funny ghost, and scaredy-cat narrator make this a genuine bridge-book engine for kids leaving Elephant and Piggie — comparable to Mercy Watson's gateway power, just behind Bad Guys.
- Stereotype-breaker Below Average
A Latino protagonist who openly admits being scared challenges the 'brave boy hero' default gently, similar to Sleepover Sleuths' mild gender work, but the book does not actively subvert other stereotypes.
Teachers love
- Reluctant reader rescue Strong
128 pages, tons of cartoon art, short chapters, a funny ghost, and a narrator who is openly scared make this a strong reluctant-reader bait book, sitting with Bad Guys-tier pull though slightly behind Dog Man's sheer magnetism.
- Read-aloud power Solid
Short chapters, exclamatory first-person voice, and illustration-driven beats read aloud briskly and draw laughs at the Mercy Watson / Stink level — lively, though not the clear read-aloud heavyweight that Bad Guys or Dog Man are.
✓ Perfect for
- • Kids leaving early readers and ready for their first chapter series
- • Fans of Mercy Watson, Princess in Black, or Bad Guys who want something spooky but not scary
- • Reluctant 6-9 readers who respond to heavy cartoon illustration
- • Kids who like monsters, ghosts, and Halloween vibes year-round
Not ideal for
Older readers already devouring full chapter books, or children genuinely frightened by any ghost imagery.
⚠ Heads up
At a glance
- Pages
- 128
- Chapters
- 10
- Words
- 5k
- Lexile
- 630L
- Difficulty
- Easy
- POV
- First Person
- Illustration
- Heavy
- Published
- 2017
- Publisher
- Little Simon
- Illustrator
- Victor Rivas
Mood & style
You'll know it worked when…
A short, satisfying 128-page read most kids in the sweet spot finish in one or two sittings.
If your kid loved "The Haunted House Next Door"
Matched across 30 dimensions — interest hooks, character appeal, tone, pacing, emotional core. Not by what other people bought. By what fits the same reader profile.
Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea
by Ben Clanton
Same genre (comedy). Same pacing (steady clip)
Fly Guy and the Frankenfly
by Tedd Arnold
Same genre (comedy). Same emotional weight (light)
Danny and the Dinosaur: School Days
by Syd Hoff
Same genre (comedy). Same emotional weight (light)
A Bear Called Paddington
by Michael Bond
Same genre (comedy). Same pacing (steady clip)
A Fabumouse Vacation for Geronimo
by Geronimo Stilton
Same genre (comedy). Same pacing (steady clip)
Junie B. Jones Is a Party Animal
by Barbara Park
Same genre (comedy). Same pacing (steady clip)
Want more picks like this?
Get 5 hand-picked book reviews for your child's age — one email a month.