Review: Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier

After enjoying Smile so much, I just had to give another of Telgemeier's novels a go. Ghosts, her most recent release, is a paranormal story set in Northern California. Cat enjoys her life in Southern California and is disappointed that the family is moving to a small coastal town up north. Cat resents leaving all of her friends behind, but she understands why they have to move--her parents think that the cool, salty air will be better for her younger sister Maya, who suffers from Cystic Fibrosis. Determined to hate the town and everything in it, Cat has a good reason to be suspicious when the boy next door offers to take them on a ghost tour, and a chance encounter with some ghosts plays havoc with Maya's health. Cat makes up her mind that she wants nothing to do with any of the ghosts or the customs that the local population have brought with them from their Mexican ancestors. But the ghosts, and Carlos from next door, have other ideas ...

A little different from Smile, this was an interesting paranormal story with themes of responsibility and of the difficulties that kids, particularly the eldest kid, face when a younger sister or brother has a serious illness. (The blame that the parents put on Cat for the ghost incident, when Cat had told her sister not to play with the ghosts is a prime example.) The illustrations are, as always, brilliant. 

Recommended. 

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