Kids will probably really like the illustrations, which are both fun and beautiful. It's also a terrific story about moving, family traditions, and what it's like to have a family member who is unwell. What makes Ghosts similar to Raina Telgemeier's other books is that the main characters are pre-teens, and the story deals with complicated and potentially upsetting ideas. The thing that makes Ghosts different from Raina Telgemeier's other books is that the story has many fantasy elements, and an overall mysterious feel to it.

The themes and situations in Raina Telgemeier's books often tend to feel a bit too mature for children who are younger than ten, but Ghosts manages to deal with complicated topics such as death and illness while still being kid-friendly. Telgemeier addresses the worry connected to a family member with cystic fibrosis sensitively and honestly (with an additional note at the back of the book about the condition), but extrovert Maya is the one who encourages introvert Cat to be more confident and enjoy life in the moment.I read this book when it first came out after reading Raina Telgemeier's other graphic novels. Maya’s cystic fibrosis is represented with clarity and sensitivity in a good amount of detail, for instance showing Maya using her vibrating breathing vest and night time nutrient drip.

Cat is skeptical until Maya persuades her to believe – and the Day of the Dead celebrations end up being strangely life-affirming for everyone.įans of the Disney film Coco will love Ghosts, as will any existing Year 5/6 or tween graphic novel or comic readers (particularly anyone who loves graphic novels by Terri Libenson, Truly Tyler or Victoria Jamieson’s Roller Girl.

In fact, lots of people believe in ghosts, who, they say, are attracted to Bahia de la Luna because of the fog. When the family start to explore Bahia de la Luna, they discover that their new town takes the annual Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations pretty seriously.

She’s not overjoyed about leaving her life and friends behind for a new, dark house in a chilly environment – but what choice does she have? Cat is moving with her family to a new town in Northern California where the colder, wetter climate will be better for her sister Maya’s cystic fibrosis.

Ghosts by raina telgemeier