Georgie the friendly little ghost -- who is not to be confused with Casper the Friendly Ghost -- helps a Scrooge-type character find his Christmas spirit.

It took me a little while to figure out nobody except animals can see Georgie, but just when I got used to that, a person in the story could see Georgie. Now I'm just going to throw my hands up in the air in frustration.

Apparently Georgie has a complex mythology and jumping into the middle of the series with this eighth book might have been a mistake. ( )

One of thirteen picture-books, published from 1944 to 1983, that follow the adventures of a gentle little New England ghost, Georgie's Christmas Carol is a sweet send-up of Dickens' classic tale of holiday redemption. Scrooge, in this case, is named Mr. Gloams - a gloomy, crotchety old man who, alone amongst the villagers, despises Christmas - and his transformation, thanks to the letter to Santa written by his young niece and nephew, is effected, not by three ghostly visits, but by one. Georgie himself, of course, assisted by Miss Olive the owl, Herman the cat, and the harmless cow from next door!

Fans of Georgie will enjoy this holiday tale, with its charming, old-fashioned artwork - done in blue, with orange accents - and gentle tale of reviving the holiday spirit in the heart of one embittered old man. Although somewhat sentimental, I liked the fact that Mr. Gloams ends up being less villainous than lonely, and deeply dissatisfied with life. I don't know that Georgie's Christmas Carol ranks amongst my favorites, of Robert Bright's series - the initial volume, Georgie, and Georgie's Halloween hold that honor - but it is still an engaging book, recommended to younger children who like milder ghost stories, and sweet, old-fashioned holiday tales. ( )

A little ghost decides to win over the town Scrooge - crabby Mr. Gloams who lives alone in a gloomy mansion - by giving him the sled he had asked for as a boy and never got - hence his bad attitude toward Santa. The present melts the old geezer's heart and love wins him over. Wonderful blue and red illustrations bring back the coziness of an earlier time. ( )