The Bagthorpe Saga Series by Helen Cresswell

Everybody in Jack's family seems to be brilliant - apart from Jack and his downtrodden dog Zero. Even his little sister can beat him at swimming. But Jack's uncle Parker has come up with a plan to make him and Zero shine: they'll pretend that Jack can tell the future! If only they could foresee what chaos the plan will cause.Helen Cresswell is the much-loved writer of over 40 children's books... moreEverybody in Jack's family seems to be brilliant - apart from Jack and his downtrodden dog Zero. Even his little sister can beat him at swimming. But Jack's uncle Parker has come up with a plan to make him and Zero shine: they'll pretend that Jack can tell the future! If only they could foresee what chaos the plan will cause.Helen Cresswell is the much-loved writer of over 40 children's books. She's the author of classics such as Lizzie Dripping as well as having adapted The Demon Headmaster for television. She has been runner-up for the Carnegie Medal four times. less

It's the third day of the Bagthorpes' holiday Abroad (in Wales), and they have seen no sign of the promised apparitions--no Veiled Lady, no Small Child Weeping, not even the Ring of Blue Fire. With the lack of furniture, telephone, or adequate kitchen, the family is ready to pack it in, but Mr. Bagthorpe stubbornly refuses to leave until he's seen a ghost.