The Ghost on Saturday Night
Sid Fleischman; Illustrated by Eric von Schmidt
📚 Genre
Children's Fiction, Mystery-Comedy, Western Ghost Story
🏢 Publisher
Scholastic Book Services
📅 Publication Year
1974
🔢 ISBN
ISBN-10: 0590031713
About This Book
Young Opie is a boy living in the Old West who earns money by guiding people through the thick Tule fog. He encounters an eccentric man named Professor Pepper who plans to raise a ghost on Saturday night. Opie's common sense helps him navigate a plot involving a bank robbery and theatrical trickery. The cover features a whimsical, sketchy illustration by Eric von Schmidt showing a tall ghost-like figure, a short crouched figure holding a sign with the author's name, and characters in the background near a coffin under a moonlit sky.
Book Details
Language
English
Pages
64 pages
Edition
First Scholastic Printing (Paperback)
Series
Standalone novel
Target Audience
Children (Ages 7-10), Middle Grade readers
Collector Information
Condition
Good/Fair. Visible creasing along the spine and front cover edges. Some corner wear and minor chipping at the top right. Slight yellowing of the paper indicative of its age (1970s pulp paper quality).
Estimated Value
$3.00 - $8.00
Rarity
Common. This specific Scholastic paperback edition was printed in very large quantities during the 1970s and 1980s for school distribution.
Historical Significance
Sid Fleischman is a Newbery Medal-winning author known for his tall-tale style and humor. This book is a staple of 1970s and 80s elementary school book fairs and helped popularize the blend of Western tropes with supernatural humor.
Collector Notes
Collectibility is low for this specific mass-market paperback unless seeking a nostalgic copy. Condition is the primary factor. Because of the cheap paper used by Scholastic in the 70s, many copies suffer from brittle pages and acidic yellowing. Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to prevent further paper degradation. High-quality first edition hardcovers (Greenwillow Books) are more sought after by serious Sid Fleischman collectors.
Similar Books
The Ghost in the Noonday Sun by Sid Fleischman, The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman, Bunnicula by James Howe, The Enormous Egg by Oliver Butterworth
Notable Features
Features expressive line-art illustrations by Eric von Schmidt; identifies as Scholastic item TW 3171 on the bottom left corner.