Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier

Genre: Horror

Justification: I took some creative license and chose Raina Telgemeier's Ghosts as my K-6 Horror genre book pick. Many 5th and 6th graders frequently check out this book in my library so I picked it as a high taste book/popular selection.

Evaluation : The illustrations in Ghosts are dominated by variegated hues of blustery blues which evoke the wind whipping through the new coastal town where the two sisters now live. Telgemeier uses a vivid and bright full-color palate for the imagery throughout the book. Much of her depictions, in spite of the subject matter, are happy and exuberant. Her scenes of Dia de Muertos at the end of the book are particularly spectacular and dazzle the reader.

The graphic novel Ghosts is about two sisters, middle-schooler Catrina and her little sister Maya, who has an incurable lung disease called cystic fibrosis. Telgemeier writes eloquently about the complex relationship and bond between sisters. Their family has just moved to a new town on the Northern California coast where the parents hope the breezy sea air will help Maya breathe. The thing about this new town is that it turns out to be full of ghosts! Maya wants to make friends with the ghosts and Cat (Catrina) wants to shy away from them as much as possible. Ghosts is ultimately about the tough topic of death as Maya is facing her mortality with her degenerative disease. Cat struggles with overcoming her extreme fear of ghosts in order to bolster her sister, who is exploring what it might be like to become a ghost herself.

Another beautiful layer to this graphic novel are the ways in which Maya and Catrina's learn about their Mexican heritage. One of these ways is by honoring loved ones who have passed in ritual offerings. The book describes Day of the Dead pictorially in vivid images of these ofrendas. Dia de Muertos is a celebration of dedicated to remembering and honoring those loved ones who have passed. Catrina decorates the ofrenda they keep at home for her abuela with marigolds, candles, and sugar skulls.

I've learned that the Horror genre doesn't have to be all about gore; I chose this graphic novel for elementary children because of the difficult subject of death; we watch Maya struggle with her illness and observe her desire to know what will happen in the afterlife. Additionally, Horror is frequently supernatural, and this novel fits with its subject matter of ghosts and reconnecting with our elders after they have crossed over during festivals of remembrance.

Conclusion: Raina Telgemeier handles a difficult and oftentimes scary topic for children with humor and sensitivity. While the book is at times spooky, it also uplifting. Ghosts addresses themes about overcoming your fears and making sacrifices for the good of others.

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Reference:

Telgemeier, R. (2016). Ghosts (First edition.). New York: Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic.