Prompted by the extraordinary success of his Album for the Youth Op. 68 which was published at the end of 1848 and sold like hot cakes, Schumann started to work on a cycle for piano duet in September 1849 which, like the Album, is aimed at young piano players. Ghost Stories too forms part of this cycle. The editions are based on Vol. III/2/1 (RSA 1023) of the Robert Schumann Complete Edition.