Little Ghost Laban ( [Laban the Little Spook]) or "the ghost who wouldn't haunt", is a Swedish children's book character created by Inger and Lasse Sandberg from Karlstad Municipality. The books revolve around the boy ghost Laban and his family, the Father ghost, the Mother ghost and Laban's sister Labolina.Nikolajeva, M, and C Scott (2001). How Picturebooks Work. London: Psychology Press. pp 63-64. The first book about Laban was published in 1965.
Background Laban is a friendly character who does not want to haunt and scare people, and who lives in the basement of the castle "Gomorronsol" where he is friends with the youngest prince. The setting is domestic and shows the everyday life of the characters. The characters were created to help the creators' son Nicklas get over his fear of ghosts as a child.
Other characters created by the authors include The Thumb and Little Anna.
Books Year (Sweden) Swedish titles English titles Alternative titles Translated by Notes 1965 Lilla spöket Laban Little ghost Laban (1968) Little Spook (1969), Little Spook Laban (2009) Kersti French, Nancy Swenson Leupold, Carrie and Fredrik Magnusson and Ralf Askman 1977 Gissa vem jag är i dag?, sa Labolina Tiny Spook's guessing game (1978) 1977 Kommer snart, sa Laban och Labolina Little Spook's grubby day (1978) In a minute, said Laban and Labolina (2009) Carrie and Fredrik Magnusson and Ralf Askman and 1977 Labolinas lina Tiny Spook's tugging game (1978) 1977 Labolinas snubbeldag Tiny Spook's tumbles (1978) 1977 Lilla spöket Laban får en lillasyster Little Spook's baby sister (1978) 1977 Pappa är sjuk, sa lilla spöket Laban Little Spook haunts again (1978) 1978 Var är Labolinas Millimina? Little Spook and the lost doll (1980) 1980 Glad spökjul A merry spook Christmas! (1980) Ray Bradfield 1991 Laban och Labolinas jul Labans & Labolinas christmas (2009) Carrie and Fredrik Magnusson and Ralf Askman 1992 Sov gott pappa!, sa Lilla Spöket Laban Sleep well dad, said Little Spook Laban (2008) Carrie and Fredrik Magnusson and Ralf Askman 1993 Spökpappan i simskolan The ghost father in swimming school 2004 Vem är det som låter? sa Spöket Laban Who's making that noise? (2008) Carrie and Fredrik Magnusson and Ralf Askman 2005 Är det jul nu igen? sa Spöket Laban Is it Christmas again? said Little Spook Laban (2009) Carrie and Fredrik Magnusson and Ralf Askman
See also List of ghosts Lilla Anna och Långa farbrorn another books series by the same authors
References