AMONG THE GHOSTS

Ghostly children, a long-dead inventor, a voracious monster (sort of), a motherless-but-plucky girl, a mysterious private school, clever chapter headings and arch authorial asides are all jumbled together to create something that winds up being less than the sum of its parts. Young Noh (full name Noleen-Anne Harris Morgan Maypother) finds her way to New Newbridge Academy and her aunt Sarah after her absent-minded father sends her to stay with a different aunt who happens to be unavailable. Within a few days, Noh makes friends with various ghosts, finds a mysterious formula, thwarts the inventor’s evil machine, escapes from the monster and discovers that she has unusual powers. Benson’s celebrity (she played a role on Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and multimedia directing credits may attract some potential readers, but the hodgepodge of typical fantasy conventions, unlikely plot twists, excessive description and decidedly flat characterization will prevent all but the most persistent from slogging along to the final page. Which, in typical fantasy fashion, sets up a sequel. Skip this one and the next one too. (Fantasy. 9-12)