Hello, friends! Our book today is Ghostbusters: A Paranormal Picture Book, adapted by G. M. Berrow and J. M. Kehoe, and illustrated by Forrest Burdett.

At Weaver Hall Elementary, there is one club that is not like the others – the Ghostbusters! Ray, Egon, Peter and Winston are passionate about the paranormal, and love spending their time studying and fighting specters and ghouls. Soon, pal Janine joins their crew, and they’re helping friends like Louis and Dana deal with their paranormal problems, all while Walter and Principal Jaeger try to shut them down. But we all know how this story ends, and when a massive marshmallow man appears, well… who you gonna call?

Delightful. Fans of the classic 1984 Ghostbusters will definitely enjoy this kid-ified picture book version of the film, complete with repurposed and paraphrased quotes, familiar story beats and characters, and a some delightful visual Easter eggs. The character of Janine is bumped up to have a more active and central role, which gives the original lineup some much-needed female representation (though Dana is confusingly relegated to non-speaking side character status). The climax with the Stay Puft man is also surprisingly brief, and makes the story’s ending feel a little abrupt. But overall, this is a fun way to revisit a familiar and well-loved story in a family-friendly and child-centric way. The length is perfect for a quick storytime, and JJ absolutely loved this one. A must-read for fans of the original movie, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)