Ghostbusters Race Against Slime, beautiful, interactive, board book fan fun

Our kids are 10 and 8; they’ve both seen Ghostbusters and know the theme song. They saw the movie with us twice. I know, there have technically been three films thus far, but here, when we say Ghostbusters, we’re just talking about the first film. How our kids know the theme song, aside from its catchy earworm of a question that begs you to yell “Ghostbusters” when you hear Ray Parker Jr. ask the question is beyond me. Ghostbusters: Race Against Slime is an interactive board book that is aimed at fans of the film aged 5 and up, or those same ages who like movement and fun.  

You hear board book and you’d associate it with thick pages crawlers and babies would chew on. This is a board book, but its quality, interactivity and memorabilia says that it’s great for small children under supervision. At least, that’s the way we’d treat the book if our kids were still chewing on everything like a teething canine. As it was, our two kids loved the graphics, interactive elements and impression that the book delivers.

I say impression because this is a very thick book. It’s a conversation piece whose spine is 1.75 inches thick. The book has the classic Ghostbusters logo that clearly marks its presence on your bookshelf from the side. Toss in the green hue that one would expect from being slimed and Ghost fans young and old will be curious as to what this is.

The cover has an inch and a half rectangular box cut into it where a collectible wind-up Ectomobile is and Winston Zeddemore, Venkman, Egon and company are hanging out of the vehicle as they’re chasing a ghost around New York City.

Open the book and you’re welcomed to spook central. This is a two-page overview of where the ghosts have been sighted and a bit about each location. After those pages you’re invited to place the Ectomobile into the pre-existing slots on the pages, wind it up and let it go. Your vehicle will go past Dana’s apartment at 55 Central Park West, the Sedgewick Hotel (site of a class-5 full-roaming vapor) and more. The illustrations are vivid and have key aspects of the, like slime, ghosts or names highlighted in glossy print.

In all, you’ll have the vehicle traverse six-pages (3 full pages) of New York City terrain for Ghostbusters fans to have fun with. It’s hypnotic. You do have to wind your Ectomobile up each time it runs out of stem. But when it goes in circles over its two pages you’ll find yourself looking at it, relaxing and probably making plans to see the first film again.

The retail of the book is $29.95, which might be high for casual fans of the film or those who are just looking for an interactive board book. Look around and you can find it online for $22, which is in line with other interactive board books, but this one has immediate recognition and more of a ‘wow’ factor. Because the Ectomobile has moving parts, the book is not recommended for those 3 and under.

 Ghostbusters Race Against Slime is by Marc Sumerak with illustrations by JJ Harrison.

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