There’s a moment in every story where a child looks out of a window and wishes something extraordinary would happen.
In Space Ranger Fred and the Ghoulish Cries of Een, that moment turns into a rocket landing in a park, a glowing pumpkin lamp, and a mission that begins with a very simple problem:
Something is howling in a ballroom, and everyone thinks it’s a ghost.
I’m delighted to finally be able to say that a brand new Space Ranger Fred adventure is on its way. It’s funny, a little bit spooky (but in a safe, under-the-bed way), full of strange aliens, ridiculous inventions, and one very practical seven-year-old who turns out to be much more useful than any laser blaster.
This is a ghost story set in space for children, but like all Fred stories, it’s really about curiosity, confidence, and real-world thinking… with a lot of chaos along the way.
Let me tell you a bit about it.
A Spooky Problem on a Very Strange Planet
The story begins, as many Fred adventures do, on a very ordinary day.
It’s Halloween. Nothing is happening. No pumpkins. No costumes. No excitement.
And then the world pauses.
Zando Centauri’s ship arrives.
Fred is whisked away to the planet Een, a wonderfully strange world of glowing lava rivers, chocolate-coloured rocks, noisy moons and a castle that contains over seven hundred ballrooms (which already tells you something about the kind of place this is).
The problem?
Every time the wind blows through Ball Room Thirteen, it makes a terrifying howling noise.
The locals are convinced the castle is haunted.
The great Hallo Ball, the biggest masked party of the year, is about to be cancelled.
And nobody will go near the room.
Except Fred and Zando.
A Ghost Story… With a Twist
On the surface, this is a classic spooky setup:
- A huge empty ballroom
- Strange howling sounds
- Shaking doors
- Terrified staff
- Rumours of ghouls and ghosts
Zando is convinced it’s some sort of alien creature from a very unpleasant dimension.
Fred, however, has heard that sound before.
He’s heard it at home.
On a windy day.
Coming through a badly fitted door.
Because at the heart of this story is something I love writing about for children:
The moment when a child realises that something “scary” is actually something understandable.
The ghoulish cries of Een turn out not to be monsters at all.
They’re… draughts.
And Fred knows exactly what to do about them.
A Hero Who Solves Problems With His Brain
One of the things I’m most proud of in the Space Ranger Fred stories is that Fred isn’t a hero because he’s strong or powerful.
He’s a hero because:
- He notices things
- He thinks about them
- He connects ideas
- He remembers things from real life
- And he isn’t afraid to try simple solutions
In this story, he defeats the “ghost” using…
Sticky tape.
Or, as it’s known on Een: Gritchstick.
Sometimes the best solutions really are the simplest ones.
That’s a lovely message for children, especially in a world where stories often suggest that every problem needs a bigger explosion.
Still Silly. Still Chaotic. Still Very Zando.
Don’t worry. This is still very much a Space Ranger Fred adventure.
That means you can expect:
- A wooden slide used as an official spaceport arrival system
- A “Mobile Anything Transportation System” that turns out to be a pile of doormats
- A shopping trolley used as a high-speed castle transport device
- A rollercoaster called the “Screamway”
- A pumpkin lamp wired in by someone who really shouldn’t be allowed near wires
- And Zando Centauri being… Zando Centauri
There’s also:
- Togz
- Emperor Gandori
- Princess Glamtoola
- The Hallo Ball
- Masked guessing games
- Ball pits
- Lava gardens
- And one of the strangest parties in the galaxy
So yes. The story has a brain.
But it also has a lot of silliness.
A Book for Ages 6–10 (and the Grown-Ups Reading With Them)
This book is written to work on two levels:
- For children who are reading independently
- And for parents, teachers, and grandparents reading aloud
It’s:
- Short-chaptered
- Visual
- Fast-moving
- Full of dialogue
- And full of moments where children can say, “Oh! I know that!”
It also quietly introduces ideas about:
- How air moves
- How buildings work
- How to think about problems
- How not everything scary is actually dangerous
But without ever feeling like a lesson.
Why I Love This One
Every Fred book has its own personality.
This one is:
- A bit spooky
- Very funny
- Very visual
- And very Fred
It’s also one of the clearest examples of what I want this series to be about:
Giving children confidence in their own thinking.
Not just following instructions.
Not just waiting for an adult.
Not just assuming something is “magic” or “too big”.
But looking.
Thinking.
And trying.
For Parents and Teachers
If you’re a parent or teacher, this is a lovely story for:
- Halloween season
- Classroom reading
- Bedtime reading
- Talking about fear
- Talking about problem-solving
- Talking about how buildings and draughts work
- Talking about not jumping to conclusions
It’s also a story where:
- The child is the one who figures it out
- The adult(ish) space ranger needs help
- And being practical beats being dramatic
Which, if we’re honest, is a useful lesson for all of us.
Part of a Bigger World
Space Ranger Fred and the Ghoulish Cries of Een is part of the growing Space Ranger Fred universe, which now includes:
- Multiple books
- Audiobooks
- Animation in development
- A game in planning
- And the wider Menturity™ story-led learning world
But first and foremost, it’s still about good stories.
Funny ones.
Warm ones.
Slightly bonkers ones.
When Is It Coming?
Very soon.
The book is currently in final preparation and will be available shortly. I’ll be announcing:
- The release date
- Pre-orders
- Launch events
- And some fun extras
right here on the site and across social media.
One Last Thing
Fred doesn’t defeat a ghost in this story.
He defeats a misunderstanding.
And that’s something I think children today need more than ever.
Not everything scary is dangerous.
Not everything loud is a monster.
Sometimes… it’s just the wind.
If you’d like to be first to hear when Space Ranger Fred and the Ghoulish Cries of Een launches, make sure you’re signed up to the newsletter and following along here on mattnewnhamauthor.com.
Adventure is about to make a very spooky noise.
And then… get fixed with sticky tape.
