This was a great story. Steeped in the realism of loss and blended with the fantasy of friendly ghosts, Marjorie's life seems to be going downhill. Add this to a low-life who wants to take away her family's income and you have a recipe for potential disaster. Wendell, the ghost of a boy who died a year prior, attempts to help as best he can, but can he truly make a difference and help the family to turn their lives around?

The artwork is great, but I thought the story is even better. Marj's character is clearly shown and she struggles with self identity, acceptance and taking the load of the family on her shoulders. All without going through a nervous breakdown, which is a feat in itself.

Colorful, likeable, imaginative and creative, this young adult graphics comic story is a definite winner. Highly recommended.

In sheets we are introduced to three main characters. Marjorie is a thirteen year old who is struggling to keep her family (father, and brother) afloat following the tragic death of her mom. Wendell is the ghost of a young boy who doesn't quite seem to fit in with the ghost realm. After he witnesses a loathesome would-be entrepreneur trying to bully Marjorie and her family into giving up their business and coming to work for him. It's been a while since I disliked a character to that extent and there really isn't anything salavagable about him. I was even immune to his cute cat related clothing.

What follows is the daily grind of a traumatized teen with far too much responsibility for her age, the attempted takeover of their business by the villain, and the curious young ghost who is just looking for a friend.

It's heartbreaking but also a hopeful and sweet tale about loss, loneliness and so much more. I fell in love with the artwork of Brenna Thummler almost right from the start. The images are wonderfully clear and for once I was glad to be reading an e-book as it allowed me to zoom in and enjoy the attention to detail. I also adore the colour schemes which I found to be really pleasing on a visual and emotional level. If I had to pick one thing I won't forget that easily, it absolutely has to be the death therapy group for ghosts. I giggled so much at that.

Ultimately this book is a five star favourite that just begs to be read over and over. A great gift idea for the tweens and teens that feel they are too old to go trick or treating. With subjects like death, bullying, trauma, compassion, forgiveness, loneliness, and love it provides so many opportunities for parent/young adult discussions.

I got an ARC copy of this book.

I am going to be honest, I wanted a copy of this book solely because of how cute the ghost was in the washer. The story is a bit more deep and sad than the cover appears. Now that I have read it, I can see the sadness in the ghost. It is too much.

There is so much sadness. The main character is a young girl that is raising herself and her brother, as well as running the family  business. Her dad is depressed and can't function as a parent. The mother died and now everything rests on Marjorie. She wants to be a normal kid and she wants to keep her mother proud. It is a really tough life. 

The ghost is a young boy. You don't know how he died until near the end. You also find out how Marjorie's mother dies around the same time. It is beautifully hinted at. Wendell is not getting along well with the other dead kids, so he sneaks off to the land of the living to feel alive again. He gets caught up trying to make friends with Marjorie and the plots against her laundromat. 

The plot is pretty goofy which is a great juxtaposition to how sad the back story is. The drawings stay cute and there is so much going on. It is a wonderful little story. It really shows deep emotions while not being over powering. Everyone is really sad and its ok. They are sad together and learn how to move forward. It is so rare to see a book that allows a sad character to be sad. It was great to see. It is a great message for anyone. Its ok to not be ok. Wendell and Marjorie bond through their sadness and their similar tragedies. It isn't the cutest ghost story I have seen, but it is a damn close second. I would like to see more adventures in the ghost world. It would be interesting to see the world that Thummler created. I want to see more of the ghost laws.