ARAMINTA SPOOKIE 1: MY HAUNTED HOUSE - Angie Sage

Having received an ARC of a more recent book in this series via NetGalley, I decided to start with the first in the series to at least get an idea of the characters.  Araminta Spookie lives in Spookie House with her Aunt Tabby and Uncle Drac - a huge, rambling old home that, quite frankly, Aunt Tabby is getting tired of maintaining (she hates the boiler; OMG, do not get her started on the boiler).  So while it shouldn't come as a surprise when she decides to sell the house, a startled Uncle Drac (who sleeps in a sleeping bag hung suspended in a turret of the home that houses his bats) and obstinate Araminta don't want to go ... and it's Araminta who formulates a series of plots - including spreading word that the house is haunted - in order to save her home.  Though very light on plot, this first-in-the-series has a likable young heroine as its star, and blends the right elements of spooky fun and humor without being too scary for the youngest of readers at all.  Also kudos to what could have been an entirely predictable ending that, instead, ends up being kind of funny and sweet, setting readers up for the next book, as well as some nice, gothic-style illustrations via artist Jimmy Pickering.  ***1/2