Ghostworld
Jean Hager
📚 Genre
Young Adult Horror / Supernatural Fiction
🏢 Publisher
Scholastic Inc. (Apple Paperbacks)
📅 Publication Year
1991
🔢 ISBN
0590451351 / 9780590451352
About This Book
The story follows two siblings, Kim and Justin, who move into a house that was once used as a boarding house for circus performers. They discover that their new home is haunted by the vengeful ghosts of circus people who died in a tragic accident. The cover features a stylized illustration of a yellow school bus (numbered 180) with a skeletal figure and a snake painted on the side, reflecting the macabre, surrealist horror themes of the 90s Scholastic era.
Book Details
Language
English
Pages
153
Edition
First Edition (Mass Market Paperback)
Series
Standalone novel
Target Audience
Middle Grade / Young Adult (Ages 8-12)
Collector Information
Condition
Fair to Good. Visible shelf wear on the edges, slight creasing on the top left corner of the cover, and minor scuffing on the spine and corners. The paper shows slight yellowing consistent with mass-market paperback aging.
Estimated Value
$10 - $25
Rarity
Uncommon. While mass-produced in the early 90s, many copies were destroyed or lost due to the fragile nature of paperback binding. It is not 'Rare' in the bibliophile sense but is becoming harder to find in collectable condition.
Historical Significance
Representing the height of the mid-1990s 'Point Horror' and Scholastic 'Apple' horror craze, Jean Hager transitioned from adult mystery novels to create this entry in the lucrative juvenile horror market popularized by series like Goosebumps.
Collector Notes
Collectors of 90s horror look for vibrant cover art without 'white' spine creasing. This copy has moderate edge wear which lowers its value to the low end of the range. To preserve, store in a PVC-free archival bag away from direct sunlight to prevent further fading of the yellow and red cover pigments.
Similar Books
The Ghost Next Door (R.L. Stine), Wait Till Helen Comes (Mary Downing Hahn), The Dollhouse Murders (Betty Ren Wright), The Curse of the Blue Figurine (John Bellairs)
Notable Features
Includes the distinct 'Apple Paperbacks' branding (implied by design). Notable for its surreal cover art which was characteristic of 90s YA horror.