Jan Napjus and the Ghost

About the Book

A young Dutch boy was not happy at home after his mother died, so one dark night he hit the road. His encounter with the “ghost” in one neighborhood almost made him give up. BUT encouragement from an unexpected source got him through a difficult situation. This is a little story based on something that really happened more than 100 years ago, and it has a happy ending!

About the Author

Author Sharon Terpstra Foltz enjoys helping families pass the old stories down to the generations still arriving. Family stories provide a warm welcome and show each child how she or he fits in and how we can all benefit from the experiences of the previous generations. The Terpstra descendants of Jan Napjus are telling this adventure to children who constitute the eighth generation. It is still meaningful because it alludes to faith and determination as helpful attributes to a good life. Illustrator Susan Convery Foltz (no relation) provides lovely, family-oriented watercolors to help the young reader understand that the historic children in the “funny clothes” experienced the same emotions that a child copes with in present day life. It seems today’s children have some of the same problems and find some of the same solutions. Foltz’ well-researched and historically correct watercolor pictures add so much to the story of Jan and the ghost. You can see more of her work at www.JuicyUniverse.com