Animals Don’t Have Ghosts by Siobhan Parkinson
Published O’Brien Press, 2002

Told in the voice of eight-year-old Michelle, this story is an account of her culchie cousins’ visit to Dublin. Michelle’s description of a range of amusing incidents leaves readers in no doubt as to how unused Dara and Sinead are to city life. Through her version of their visits to places of historical interest in Dublin, Michelle airs her views and prejudices about life in the country.

Dara’s escapades include, being scared by the ghost of a megaloceros in the Natural History Museum, getting lost in a big department store and getting filmed by a camera crew in the Garden of Remembrance.

Michelle never misses an opportunity to highlight just how sophisticated she is by virtue of living in the Capital and also how little her country cousins know about the “only” place to live in Ireland.

If you enjoy this book read also Siobhan Parkinson’s Cows Are Vegetarians and find out how Michelle copes on a visit to her culchie cousins in the country.
Intended by the publishers, O’Brien Press for readers of 8 plus, it will definitely appeal to younger readers, both boys and girls. It is also a great story to read aloud and share with younger children.

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