Hey Dad, Get a Life!

Kelly and Sasha tease their father that he is too involved in their lives, but after he dies, they miss him terribly, until one magical day, their father reappears as a spirit and picks up where he had left off, helping them with their homework and chores.

From Publishers Weekly

Engaging characters and credible dialogue securely anchor an episodic plot in this affecting story. Twelve-year-old Kelly and eight-year-old Sasha miss their recently deceased father, but he's been such an involved, hands-on dad that his spirit comes back to help out his family. Strasser (How I Changed My Life) doesn't keep readers guessing, but from the start makes it clear who's manipulating the ball when Kelly becomes a sudden star on the soccer field, who's making Sasha's messy bedroom picture-perfect every morning and who's responsible for the flat tires and dead battery that sabotage their mother's initial attempts at dating. Deftly cutting its pathos with humor, Strasser brings his tale to a bittersweet close as Dad gently teaches his beloved family a lesson in self-sufficiency. The literary equivalent of a good, double-hankie movie. Ages 8-12. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7. Kelly knows that she left nine answers blank on the math quiz in Mr. Ratsky's class. But when she gets the test back, she has a perfect score! And that isn't the only weird thing occurring in the Halkit household. Kelly's younger sister, Sasha, wishes that her room would be neat every morning?and suddenly it is. The explanation is scary, but reassuring, too?their deceased dad is back and doing almost everything he did when he was alive. Sasha depends on him for everything and Kelly starts to rely on him too much?for math, for winning plays in soccer, and even for getting the new boy in school to sit next to her. Now if only their mom would believe and accept what is going on, they could almost be like the family they once were. Dealing with grief and the realities of life after death are adroitly handled through the relationship between the girls and their father's ghost. The humor relieves the overwhelming sadness at the loss of a parent and gives those who might have a shared tragedy an opportunity to experience a different type of emotional healing. The author's creative approach, a lighthearted look at a serious topic, makes this story enjoyable; it will also encourage readers to find closure in ways they can understand and appreciate.?Jana R. Fine, Clearwater Public Library System, Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 5^-8. Twelve-year-old Kelly Halkit and her eight-year-old sister, Sasha, are experiencing ghostly visits from their recently deceased and beloved father. Although Kelly is initially skeptical of Sasha's claim that Dad is still around, she soon joins her sister in taking advantage of his ghostly assistance: Dad makes the girls' beds, does their math homework, works the occasional small miracle on the soccer field, and even holds his daughters on his lap. When the girls finally let their mother in on the secret, Mom is doubtful, but she eventually welcomes the ghostly help around the house. All too soon, however, the family members realize they need to be self-sufficient: they'll always love and remember Dad, but they must let him go. This lighthearted and occasionally poignant ghost story, narrated by Kelly, is at its best those few times when it is exploring the girls' unspoken grief. But Strasser also delivers appealing, believable characters and a satisfying plot (with a hint of first romance) that will draw middle-school and junior-high readers. Debbie Carton

From Kirkus Reviews

Kelly and her little sister Sasha share a secret: Their father has come back from the dead--and, like an invisible genie, he's eager to grant their every wish. In no time, they have him cleaning their rooms, helping them dress, doing their homework, and sabotaging their distracted mother's dates; Kelly discovers that even her guilty conscience doesn't prevent her from soliciting her father's help during math and soccer games. The girls can't keep their secret forever, of course, and although the story is lesson-heavy, Kelly's inner conflict is well drawn, and her mother, once made to believe, rises to the occasion wisely. She persuades the ghost to stop spoiling the children, and whips the household--neglected since the death of her husband--into shape without resorting to supernatural means. An easygoing morality tale for the middle grades from Strasser (Girl Gives Birth to Own Prom Date, p. 1158, etc.). (Fiction. 10-12) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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