Gus was a friendly ghost vs The ghost wore gray: Which Should You Read?

Both live on shelves: Ghost Stories, Ghosts, Children's fiction, Fiction

Gus was a friendly ghost Jane Thayer · 1962 ★★★★☆ 4.1 32 pages · ≈ 36 min · Light

A ghost and a mouse have a summer house all to themselves while the folks are away for the winter.

Mice

The ghost wore gray Bruce Coville · 1988 ★★★★☆ 4.1 156 pages · ≈ 2 h 53 m · Light

Nina ("Nine") Tanleven and her best buddy Chris Gurley are having a hard time. The play that led to them meeting a ghost and unraveling a mystery has ended. Now the rest of the summer looms ahead, looking dull after…

Adventure

Find on Amazon More like this →

Side by side

The verdict

Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
Gus was a friendly ghost is the quickest read — about 1 hours vs 2 for The ghost wore gray.
The ghost wore gray has the widest readership — 644 ratings behind its score.
The ghost wore gray runs the darker storyline; Gus was a friendly ghost stays the lighter read.

Gus was a friendly ghost: Check price →The ghost wore gray: Check price →

Affiliate links: we may earn a commission on purchases.

How to choose

Want a one-evening read? Gus was a friendly ghost ≈ 1h vs 2h for The ghost wore gray In the mood for something dark? The ghost wore gray a darker storyline than Gus was a friendly ghost Want something lighter? Gus was a friendly ghost an easier tone than The ghost wore gray

Scores by source

	Gus was a friendly ghost	The ghost wore gray
Goodreads	4.2 (43)	4.1 (644)
Hardcover	—	4.0 (1)
	Check price →	Check price →

Reception

	Gus was a friendly ghost	The ghost wore gray
Ratings	43	644
Editions	7	10
Want to read	60	288
Reading it now	—	13
Written reviews	6	45
Pages	32	156
	Check price →	Check price →

Questions readers ask

Which is rated higher: Gus was a friendly ghost or The ghost wore gray?

Gus was a friendly ghost has the higher combined reader rating across sources (Gus was a friendly ghost 4.1/5, The ghost wore gray 4.1/5).

Which is shorter to read: Gus was a friendly ghost or The ghost wore gray?

Gus was a friendly ghost is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: Gus was a friendly ghost (32 pages, ≈ 36 min); The ghost wore gray (156 pages, ≈ 2 h 53 m).

Which is harder to read: Gus was a friendly ghost or The ghost wore gray?

Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — Gus was a friendly ghost: Light; The ghost wore gray: Light.