Children’s Book Review: School Spirits by Charlotte Gunnufson
SCHOOL SPIRITS
By: Charlotte Gunnufson
Illustrated by: Rebecca Crane
Published: July 14, 2026
Publisher: Antheneum Books for Young Readers
Fiction
In my neck of the woods, school begins today! To kick it off, I’m sharing the newest from Iowa author Charlotte Gunnufson, a book perfect for reading at the start of the school year and at Halloween.
Some kids are excited for school to begin while others are nervous and full of worry. Will they make new friends, will their teachers be nice, and…is their school haunted?
When some strange things start happening at school, including suspicious doodles and spooky spills, an investigation reveals some school spirits are making a mess in the lost and found room. The kids decide it’s time to be brave and teach the ghosts the rules of school. From lining up to putting things away, soon the ghosts learn that working together makes their school full of “spirit”!
From first day jitters to questions about what the school day will look like, this book focuses on social and emotional learning, reminding teachers and parents that this piece is just as important as phonics and math in the learning process. As the kids teach the ghosts how to behave, their modeling behavior makes a great lesson for kids about having good behavior at their school…just in case someone is watching.
Gunnufson dedicates this book to teachers everywhere, and Crane’s illustrations are inclusive and fun. Gift this one to your child’s classroom for the perfect read aloud during their first week of school!
Click HERE to purchase a copy of SCHOOL SPIRITS
Charlotte Gunnufson went to an ordinary school that was not haunted. (She’s pretty sure about that.) Now she puts ghosts in some of her stories. Her first book, Halloween Hustle, has one ghost. School Spirits has oodles of ghosts! Dream Submarine, Hard Hat Hank and the Sky-High Solution, and Eight-Nine-Tengineers have no ghosts. They’re just ordinary b o o o o o o oks. (Right?) Her website, BooksbyCharlotte.com, isn’t haunted either.
Rebecca Crane is an author, illustrator, and visual development artist specializing in dynamic character designs for books and animation. Over the years, she has illustrated a number of popular stories enjoyed by readers around the world, and she spends her spare time traveling and seeking out new inspiration in coffee shops. Visit her at RebeccaCraneIllustration.com.
