Ghost Book (Remy Lai, A&U Children’s)

July Chen sees ghosts, but because her dad doesn’t believe in them, she pretends otherwise. Except during Hungry Ghost Month, when dangerous ghosts run amok. When she saves a ghost boy from a Hungry Ghost, he becomes her first-ever friend. William, it turns out, is not a ghost after all; he’s a wandering soul stuck between worlds while his body is in a coma. He has survived several near-death experiences and the god of the Underworld is looking for him. But in order for William to survive, July must die, so together, they travel to the Gates of the Underworld to save them both. Ghost Book is a delightful contemporary fantasy graphic novel for middle-grade readers. Remy Lai (Pawcasso) has woven traditional Chinese myth and an out-of-this-world adventure through a story of friendship, grief and family. July is courageous and quick to pledge her allegiance to William; she is willing to risk everything to save his life. It is through friendship and courage that July learns the truth about her birth and her fate. Lai’s illustrations and text are funny and pitch-perfect for the age group. Ghost Book may be a story about ghosts, but children will not be scared, though the Hungry Ghosts are enjoyably spooky. Perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli, Raina Telgemeier or Kayla Miller, children will love this romp through the Underworld.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Erin Wamala is a teacher librarian and owner of The Kids' Bookshop. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Category: Reviews