Sheets shows a situation that hurts but it's real, there are infants with adult obligations, victims of bullying, those who doesn't feel safe to open up, but still many can fight (thanks goodness!)

Heart eyes on the style of the illustrations, the characters' faces look like the animation that went on TV during my childhood, and something reminds me of Charlie & Lola.

Sheets had my heart at first page, because I love how pleasant pink and blue are together, the landscapes are so beautiful! Many of them could be a wallpaper on your cell phone, or just a big frame in the wall, Wendell's world is less colorful, but the details are so cute

Sheets is a melancholy graphic novel that deals with harsh themes but with the most incredible colors I have ever seen in sequential art.

Loved this! The story and the illustrations are beautiful! Will definitely be looking for more stories by this author. Highly recommended!

I decided to read this book on a whim, and I'm so glad I did. Sheets is an adorable children's book that talks to people of all ages. There are parts of this book that are completely fantasy, and other parts so anchored in reality you can see yourself in Marjorie's shoes. It's the juxtaposition between fantasy and reality that pulls the reader in. We all want to see good defeat evil and friendship prevail no matter what type of situation a character may be in.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Author: Brenna Thummler
Publisher: Diamond Book Distributors / Lion Forge
Publication Date: 28 Aug 2018

Marjorie is only in middle school, but she’s running her family’s laundry business all on her own after her mother passed away. Her father is there, but not really, still lost in his own grief. Marjorie takes care of her younger brother and tries not to care that she has no friends, but a sabotaging entrepreneur may be more than she can handle. Until her paths cross with a young ghost...

I really liked this graphic novel. Marjorie’s despair is palpable in the pastel illustrations, and the scenes in ghost town are a nice break from everything Marjorie is going through. I loved the sweet connection between Marjorie and the ghost, and the whimsical ending.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc.

I give this graphic novel a 2.5

I initially didn't care for the art, but when it came to the drawings of the ghosts and the outdoor scenes - absolutely adorable and breathtaking. The coloring is just stunning.

The story however was frustrating to get through. It was jumpy at first and once I got the rhythm of it, I just didn't like it overall.

But the art I liked a l ot!!

Marjorie Glatt has found herself stuck in charge of the family laundromat after her mother passes away and her father can't quite get himself together to help out or take care of his daughter.
Wendell, a ghost who is not one hundred percent thrilled with his un-life, begins to cause some mischief at the laundromat, unaware of the havoc he is wreaking on the Glatts.
The two form an unlikely friendship that ultimately saves the day - and they do it in a way that is charming and satisfying rather than cloying or cliche. The colors in this graphic novel are remarkable, too. It would be worth a read even if the story wasn't so delightful, but it is! So hooray.

A surprising turn out. From what I was expecting from the cover it would be light and. It was and it wasn’t.

Let me begin with the theme; grief. Marjorie Glatts lost her mother. She was really devastated about it. And everything seems to be falling apart around her. Marjorie’s father lost because of grief. A looming business hungry shark. Coming to claim what Marjorie’s closest memory to her mother. Even school sucks, dealing with P.E. class where she lost her interest in. And those bullies aren’t even giving her a break.

And loneliness; A ghost named Wendell, wonders, still in denial of his death tells tales of his untimely death to his friends. Despite friend invitations, he is still alone. A feeling that led him back to the world of the living. When Wendell arrived in the world of the living he found his way colliding with Marjorie. Things started to go down faster the drain for Marjorie and Wendell feeling more alone than ever.

Amazing illustration, the details of each page are great. The consistency of the sequencing theme is commendable. I liked it. The tone of colors complements the plot line’s theme. The illustration shifting from Marjorie to Wendell was great, easy to follow, the flow is natural.

Though the story wasn’t enough for me to be stirred off my seat. I find the way it was written as genius! The concept of the ghost, how it came to it, the passing through, the merging of reality and paranormal world, the depth of dealing with loss, loneliness, the conclusion. I say, yes.

I adore you, Marjorie Glatts. You’re such an inspiration.

From Brenna Thummler, a heartwarming tale of dealing with loss and recovery.

Usually I like stories that are “slice of life” where it is the day to day for the characters with the occasional drama. Sheets, mixes the day to day with an engaging ghost story reminiscent of Corpse Bride with the dead helping out in the end. The only complaint is the unevenness early with the fantasy element coming in late. An enjoyable read all around.

I couldn't open it to read it... said that the code for it was already in use? And that means I can't read it and I wanted too so badly!

Cute graphic novel! My daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and comparing notes. She really enjoys reading graphic novels, so I let her in on this one too :)

This is a super cute graphic novel that perfectly encompasses loss, grief and belonging through the unlikely friendship between a girl and a ghost.

"Sometimes I feel even less visible than ghosts."

This graphic novel really spoke to me - the main character's loneliness & emptiness was so vividly expressed within the illustrations. It broke my heart since I've worn the same expressions in the past and still do some days. The whimsical storyline perfectly incorporates grief, depression, and how these all-too-real emotions can affect you over time. In the end though, this book let's readers know that we can all make our own happiness if we put in the effort.

Aside from the impactful story, the illustrations were absolutely stunning. The color shifts between human vs. ghost realms were masterfully thought out too. All in all, I can't get enough of Brenna's art style.

This will be a perfect read during the Halloween season and I feel as-if it will become very hyped upon it's release!

An adorable story about a girl and a ghost in a laundromat, this graphic novel painted a story about friendship, love and loss beautifully. The artwork was well suited to the plot and the characters were easy to fall in love with.

Right... This wasn't what i was expecting. At all. It was mostly depressing, but still beautiful at the same time. Not a happy read, but a must read nevertheless.

Interest Level: 3-6

Have you ever had to deal with a loss in your family? Someone very close, even a parent? This is what Marjorie Glatt's is dealing with. Her family owns a laundromat that they live above, but since her mom passed away everything has changed. Her dad doesn't come out of his room and Marjorie has been forced to run the laundromat all by herself. Hours are limited, customers are limited, and money is not coming in. When a very mean man comes along and wants to take over the building (not buy, take over) for a new yoga spa, things go from bad to worse. When Marjorie refuses his offer the man begins sabotaging the merchandise. Things go from worse to even worse when a ghost named Wendall starts to destroy the merchandise also. Can Marjorie overcome all of the odds that are against her or is the mean man going to win? Is Wendall a bad ghost coming to ruin her life or does he prove that ghosts aren't so bad after all? Do not miss this amazing graphic novel love, loss, perseverance, and healing.

I found the concept of the graphic novel very interesting and different from what I have read before.
We follow the story of Marjorie Glatt who owns a laundromat and most of the times feels like a ghost. We also have Wendell who is a ghost. The story deals with serious issues like grief but is also very funny and leaves you feeling that at the end everything will be OK despite all the struggles and problems.
The art of the book was amazing. I really liked that she used a certain palette of colours and that she captured all the necessary details for the story. I caught myself staring at the art a lot.

I really liked this graphic novel and I definitely recommend to check this out when it comes out on August.

Inhalt

Nach dem Tod ihrer Mutter muss Marjorie ihr Leben zusammenhalten – auch wenn das bedeutet, Familienleben, Schule und den Waschsalon ihrer Eltern zu managen. Als wäre das für eine 13-Jährige nicht genug, kommen ihr unerwartete Ereignisse in die Quere. Denn Wendell, ein junger Geist, ist gar nicht begeistert von seinem Leben nach dem Tod. So macht er sich auf in die Welt der Lebenden. Doch in Marjories Waschsalon ist er nicht der perfekte Kunde – und wirbelt ihr Leben zwischen den Laken mächtig durcheinander.

Meine Bewertung

Wieder ein Comic – und was für einer! Mit „Sheets“ habe ich endlich wieder einen richtig tollen Zeitvertreib gefunden. Als ich die Zusammenfassung zu Brenna Thummlers Comic gelesen habe, war ich noch ein wenig skeptisch. Waschsalons, Bettlaken und Geister sind sonst nicht unbedingt meine Welt. Aber wenn man sich darauf einlässt, ist „Sheets“ hinter der Pastellfassade eine wundervolle und sehr traurige, aber auch hoffnungsvolle Geschichte.

Fangen wir an bei den Illustrationen, die den Comic erst zum Leben erwecken. Wie bereits gesagt hat „Sheets“ eine Farbpalette, die mich sofort begeistert hat. Ich liebe die weichen Pastelltöne, die fast schon niedliche Aufmachung und die leichte Überspitzung in den Zeichnungen. Gerade wenn es um die Charaktere geht, hat man hier sofort bei jedem Alleinstellungsmerkmale. Auch die Ausdrücke wurden gut eingefangen. Aber selbst die Hintergründe sind mit vielen Details versehen und haben mir wahnsinnig gut gefallen. Die Illustrationen schaffen es hier, die Leichtigkeit zu bewahren, die als Ausgleich zu den schweren Themen gebraucht wird, ohne dabei zu farbenfroh und fröhlich zu werden.

Auch die Geschichte konnte mich begeistern. Marjorie ist ein sehr zurückhaltendes Mädchen, das in der Schule von ihren Klassenkameradinnen gehänselt wird. Ihr Vater ist nach dem Tod ihrer Mutter in Depressionen gefallen und sie betreibt die Wäscherei allein. Hilfe ist Fehlanzeige – und dann kommt Wendell. Das Zusammenspiel von Geist und Mädchen war für mich genau perfekt. Es ist lustig, traurig und tragisch zugleich. Und gleichzeitig ist es hoffnungstragend, denn es zeigt auch, dass man nie allein ist. Marjorie hat eine starke Entwicklung durchgemacht, Wendell ebenso.

Was mir auch sehr gefallen hat, war die Echtheit dieser Geschichte. Hier wird nichts verschleiert oder unnötig umschrieben. Gleichzeitig ist der Comic dennoch jugendgerecht und sollte auch so behandelt werden. Der Umgang mit dem Tod hat viele Facetten und spendet auch Trost und Hoffnung. Und gleichzeitig ist auch die Welt der Lebenden nicht immer perfekt, Marjories Leben eher schwer für einen Teenager. Ihre Gefühlswelt kam durch die Illustrationen sehr gut raus, aber auch die Dialoge sind trotz Sarkasmus und Humor sehr echt und gehen unter die Haut.

Alles in allem war „Sheets“ für mich ein Comic, den ich unheimlich genossen haben. Er ist facettenreich, gefühlslastig und mit tollen Bildern bestückt. Das Thema mag zunächst etwas seltsam klingen, aber selbst Geister haben eine liebenswerte Seite – manchmal mehr als die Lebenden. Und die Laken in diesem Waschsalon werden sicher kein Auge trockenlassen.

A ghost story set in a laundromat. Cheeky!

Ever since the death of her mother in a tragic swimming accident, highschooler Marjorie Glatt has been floating through life, much like a ghost: wispy, invisible, barely clinging to this plane of existence. With Mr. Glatt suffering from clinical depression, Marj is left to look after her younger brother Owen, and run the family laundromat after school, pretty much solo. As if that isn’t bad enough, the neighborhood baddie Nigel Saubertuck is gunning for the Glatt family property, so he can turn it into a five-start resort and yoga spa.

A ghost infestation – by a sweet if bumbling middle schooler named Wendell – brings things to a head. When Wendell’s antics threaten to cost Marjorie her home and livelihood, can he bring the denizens of his ghost town together to help a mortal damsel in distress?

SHEETS is … kind of weird and expected, especially since I couldn’t always guess where the plot was headed. This was refreshing; less so was the artwork’s sometimes confusing nature. If I couldn’t anticipate the plot, I had even more trouble figuring out what transpired in certain panels. Even so, I mostly enjoyed the overall style of the art; the buildings, ghosts, and towns are quite charming. The people, on the other hand, kind of icked me out. There’s just something a little off about the faces.

SHEETS is an unusual little story that’s great for fans of Houdini; people who like ghost stories of the friendly variety; and perhaps kids who are grieving the loss of a parent. Also misfits and outsiders of all stripes. (But save it for October, if you can: this is definitely a Halloween read!)

The art was wonderful. I loved that the color palette was a bit off but stayed consistent throughout the book.

The story was done so well. I liked how it dealt with death and grieving without being too obvious or graphic about it.

I think the idea of a ghost world was genius. I also liked how the author dealt with crossing over.

A very smart take on loss

Marjorie Glatt is running the family laundry business and Wendel is a ghost in search of a purpose. This is their story in finding a place where they belong.

The illustrations in this graphic novel are beautiful. The transition between the perspective of the two characters are creatively done. The human world has vibrant colors while the ghost world has dull monotone colors. The story develops in a slow steady pace where I could take the time to appreciate each panel. There are pages where there is no dialogue, but the story panels actively capture the loneliness that Marjorie feels. I was also able to gain an understanding of the person the illustration revolved around.

This was a heartwarming quick read. When the stars have aligned I’m definitely getting the finished copy.


Once I've posted my review to my blog on the 23rd of August I will add the link to my review in Netgalley.