A fantasy novel written by one of the most important authors (Germany, 1958) in children's literature. Little Jon Whitcroft, 11 years old, is sent by his mother to a boarding school in Salisbury. He is angry about the decision and when he arrives he doesn't like anything about the school and the English town: the rain, the dark walls, the narrow corridors, the room shared with two roommates ...... On the sixth day of his arrival three ghosts appear at his window and come to threaten him with death because he has the same last name as the person who killed them. He is very frightened and feels alone. He is helped by Ela, a brave girl who studies there and tells him how to wake up the only ghost who can help him. It is about a real character who lived in the Middle Ages, William Longespee, illegitimate son of King Henry II of England.
The story is interesting, entertaining, intriguing, humorous, full of magic and adventure. The atmosphere is excellent. It mixes present, past and future. The style is simple, easy to understand, the action is fast and has a magnificent ending. Some background themes: the struggle between good and evil, friendship, the importance of family, loyalty, among other values. Friedrich Hechelmann's illustrations enrich the book. Children might be confused by the fact that Jon's mother, who is a widow, lives with her boyfriend and that some of the characters do not believe in the afterlife.