
By Kelly Jones, Paul Davey (Illustrator)
A boy's summer plans change when a ghost demands help with a sauerkraut contest.
HD Schenk's summer project to build a computer takes a wild turn when he encounters the ghost of his great-great-grandmother in his uncle's basement. She needs his help to recreate her famous sauerkraut recipe and win the county fair's pickle contest. As HD navigates this unexpected challenge, he must balance his own ambitions with his family's quirky legacy. Can he help his spectral Oma become the pickle queen, or will her ghostly presence remain a secret? Dive into a tale of family, creativity, and unexpected summer adventures.
A quirky-funny book from the author of Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer about a boy whose plans for the summer go sideways when the ghost of his great-great-grandmother demands his attention. HD Schenk is a maker, and his plan for the summer is to build his own computer and enter it in the county fair. To earn money for parts, HD has promised to clear out his uncle’s overflowing basement. But there’s more in that basement than HD bargained for. On his first trip down there, a voice only he can hear starts talking to him. About…sauerkraut? Who knew the ghost of his great-great-grandmother was haunting an old pickling crock? She’s got a plan, too. She wants HD to help make her famous recipe for sauerkraut and enter it in the county fair so that she can be declared pickle queen. After some initial shock, HD is willing enough to help. This ghost is family, after all. But only HD can really see and hear his Oma, which is going to make it hard for her to win on her own… Kelly Jones spins a wonderfully goofy ghost tale that celebrates creative problem solving, family ties, and makers of every variety.
What families may want to know
Every family reads differently. These are the concepts our editors noticed in this book — worth seeking out for some readers, worth knowing about for others. The list isn't exhaustive, but it's a spoiler-light head start.
LGBTQ
Near the end of the story readers learn that the main character's uncle, whose basement the character has been cleaning, has a boyfriend.
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