It was interesting seeing Wendell get into so much trouble in this graphic novel.
I absolutely loved the art style and color pallet.

At BookCon this year, the publisher of Sheets had a table set up with many of its books for purchase and there was section in particular that was for hyping Sheets. Brenna Thummler herself was there, too, so I got to hear a little about this graphic novel before I decided to look into reviewing it before its release next week.

The cover image draws you in at once because who hasn't seen the classic ghost costume of a bed sheet, hastily thrown over one's head to conceal their identity? It's perfect in it's simplicity, which works out quite well for the citizens of the afterlife in Thummler's work, but it also has a deeper and more necessary meaning for them, as readers soon find out.

I will admit that the story is kind of sad because of certain key events. Wendell, for one, is dead, to begin with and has to learn what that means. He's a child and that's never easy, but the afterlife comes with its own set of rules that must be followed or he risks real death, moving on to a place where he won't even be a spirit under a sheet anymore.

Marjorie's struggling to keep her family's laundromat open while her father copes with the death of her mother, succumbing to his grief and barely able to care for himself much less anyone else. That situation was a difficult one to read because while it was understandable, the pain that he must have been experiencing at the loss of a loved one, it was also incredibly frustrating that he would put such a burden on Marjorie when she, too, experienced the same loss and now has to be an adult before her time.

Reading the book is a twisting path of emotion and that's a good reflection of the emotions of the characters because there's a lot they have to come to terms with: self-identity, right and wrong. It's all a matter of perspective and Brenna Thummler navigates those paths quite well.

Sheets is about much more than the surface story of a living girl and a ghost boy. There's Marjorie's father, coping with an inexorable grief that consumes him. There's Mr. Saubertuck, the blatant "baddie" of the piece, who is clearly horrible because of his actions but retains the slightest mark of pity because of his facade due to a need to please others. The multiple layers of Brenna Thummler's story form a narrative that binds itself well to the graphic novel format. While it might stand well enough on it's own, the ability to see the emotions play across faces, the actions of certain characters as they happen, add more depth for the reader, enabling us to connect more deeply with Marjorie, with Wendell, and many more.

There's sadness in this book, whether it comes from grief in various forms, from the pressure of expectations and duty, but there is also strength and light from friendship in its many forms: neighbors and even friends from beyond the grave, wearing sheets to stay with us a little longer.

Sheets is a charming story that takes advantage of being a visual medium. So much is told through images rather than words, with great insight into the characters' points of view. The dialogue, when it is there, is smart and naturalistic (even in a land of ghosts!), and never heavy-handed. All the characters are well-drawn, literally and figuratively, and even though the story isn't paced/structured in the way you might expect from the book's description, it's a beautiful ride. Thanks to Brenna Thummler for providing us with this treat, I look forward to your next endeavor.

I found this really sweet, and good fun - as well as having a real emotional background which came through without derailing the rest too much. Liked the colour palette too.

This was ABSOLUTELY PRECIOUS and felt so unique to me. The artwork and coloring was cute but I loved the tie in between the “real” world and “ghost” world. I really appreciated the story and the depth it provided when talking about grief and a young girl who had to grow up too fast because of the death of her mother. Wendell was an adorable character as well. Ugh, I just really liked this. I know it doesn’t have great reviews on here just yet but I hope that changes. This was precious and I loved it.

I really enjoyed this book.
It is short, and there is not a ton of dialogue, but man does it pack a punch. The beautiful illustrations, paired with the muted colors set the tone for the story perfectly.

Within the first few pages you heart breaks for poor little Marjorie.
Marjorie struggles with fitting in, the responsibility of taking care of her little brother, as well as the burden of trying to keep her family business afloat.

11 year old Wendall is a ghost under a sheet, who is too scared to take a bath since his drowning. He too struggles with fitting in.

This is a story about loss and grief. About the process one goes through when they lose a loved one, as well as a seldom seen take on the process one goes through when they pass on.

Amazing and sweet and all the right things. All the hype you hear is true. And perfect for a Halloween display.

It took my most of Sheets to be invested in any sense in the story, and then once I was invested, the book was over. I liked it in the end, but it just feels like it's lacking that extra something to really push it over the edge for me. I will be purchasing the title for my library's collection and I'm hoping the kids see something in it that I didn't.

This book wasn’t long enough! I wanted the relationships to be more developed and the neighborhood to see more time. The artwork is subtle and meaningful. Overall a captivating story to read.

With thanks to NetGalley for a copy of Sheets by Brenna Thummler in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:
This book is about Marjorie Glatt who feels like a ghost. She wanders around life feeling invisible while also running her families laundromat in the wake of a loss within her family. She deals with angry customers and the normal dramas of high school with also the added pressure with family life. This is when she meets Wendell, a ghost of a boy who lost his life too young. He also feels like he doesn't fit in with the world. Wendell accidentally causes trouble within the laundromat and an unexpected friendship ensues


Review:

I really enjoyed this short graphic novel. It was simple and cute but also full of emotion. It was both heartwarming and heartbreaking highlighting the struggles that people face in the wake of loss. The colour palette of this book was so satisfying to look at. I loved the illustrations and how this book can relate to many age ranges. I ended up really enjoying the character of Wendell and how well the character of Marjorie was developed.
The illustrations and storyline were beautifully synchronised even if Marjorie's perspective was slightly disjointed at times.
I picked this book up mainly for the cover as I was really intrigued by the illustration and the soft tones of the colour palette. I had also heard other book reviewers talking about this novel.
I loved the underlying sadness surrounding this book and it could almost be told just by using the illustrations and no text.

This Graphic Novel comes out on the 28th August 2018 if anyone would like to pick it up and have a read.


(review will be available on my blog on the 25th August 2018)

This enjoyable graphic novel conveys the message that one should keep fighting, even when things feel hopeless or when it seems like life keeps throwing obstacles your way, because it's never too late for things to turn around.

Thanks to Netgalley for this arc.

I really enjoyed reading this graphic novel. I love that it had an overall sad feel but with lots of lightheartedness that Wendell gave the story. I like that Marjorie showed growth at the end, she no longer hated doing laundry and she didn't hate ghosts either. The father was such a sad character, he didn't do much throughout the book. He was just depressed, and he *may* have been an alcoholic. Everyone in town knew that Marjorie was the only one running the business, this is really sad because the father could have been helping, especially since Marj is still in high school.

Mr. Saubertuck was a total creep, he broke into her home and business multiple times and tried to sabotage her business. The "deal" that he tried to make with Marj's family was strange because he didn't have any intention of paying them (he's broke). He did make a pretty good protagonist though.

The art style was just beautiful, I especially loved the colour palette that was used - lots of pink and blues.

This would make a great fall read, especially since the story happens around Halloween and theres a bunch of ghosts in it

Ghosts aren't really my thing. I gave this book a shot because I kept seeing it described as quirky.
I liked Thummler's approach, ghosts assigned a sheet, that they aren't really permitted to visit our realm, that they loose their human memories over time and simply take up a new life as a spirit. It's a surface exploration but interesting to read.

I read this just in one sitting because I thought it was just absolutely amazing.

It is an original story in my opinion about loss, friendship and loneliness. The normal world and the afterlife got beautifully woven together. The style is amazing, with beautiful colours and many details. I am superhappy I read this.

Sheets by Brenna Thummler is a heart warming story about the friendship between a lonely girl who works at a laundromat, and a ghost. Ever since her mother died, Marjorie has taken over her family's laundromat in a desperate attempt to support her family. Day in and day out, customers flood through the doors leaving Marjorie feeling as transparent as a ghost. School is no better. When an obnoxious yoga-loving businessman attempts to buy Glatt's laundry, Marjorie desperately tries to save the legacy her mother left her.
Meanwhile, in the realm of ghosts, a young ghost named Wendell finds himself without purpose in the afterlife. He decides to venture into the human world where he coincidentally ends up at Marjorie's laundromat. Will Wendell and Marjorie be able to save Glatt's laundry together?
I read Sheets in one sitting. It is a graphic novel that explores the friendship between a ghost and a human girl. Both Wendell and Marjorie are invisible to the world. Wendell is physically invisible, and Marjorie is invisible to the people around her except when they want something from her. This unlikely friendship was very beautiful to witness and very endearing. The artwork itself is fluid with a good balance between the text and art.
I would definitely recommend Sheets for fans of graphic novels, and as a great book to read around Halloween.

Sheets is a graphic novel, slice of life style, following hard working Marjorie, who lost her mom a year ago to an accident and feels as though she lost her dad at the same time as he drifts around their home. Her mom owned and ran a laundromat that Marj now runs all on her own between school while trying to navigate her loneliness and the annoyingly smug businessman whose out to ruin her. One day Wendell, a young ghost, winds up in Marj’s home and the two of them eventually find even ground between them and start to fill in those gaps.

Sheets is a beautiful story, and a sad story. Marj feels lost without her mom and doesn’t really seem to have anyone she can lean on. She’s doing the best she can but at the end of the day she’s a kid trying to keep her family together with no support.

I think I have only one complaint really. The shift in transitioning the story from human world to ghost world threw me off a bit in the story telling until it clicked why the coloring and style changed, it works well but feels a little abrupt and confusing at first. Otherwise super fun, moving read. Good suggestion for middle grade readers who like graphic novels.

As a lover of all things spooky, Sheets caught my eye on Net Galley. This sweet little graphic novel is full of heart and tells a great narrative about humanity & compassion. I definitely enjoyed this one and would recommend to friends for to share with their not-so-little ones ❤️

The way all these people speak to and treat a 13-year-old girl. What the hell even!
The art work was beautiful. But no go for the story.

This has beautiful art and was surprisingly (to me) quite sad. But I still didn't fall in love with this story. It took a while to find it's footing and get the plot moving, but this was very cute! I believe this is Thummler's first solo written-and-illustrated graphic novel, so I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for anything else she comes out with.

<i>Sheets</i> is a great example of "slice-of-life" graphic literature. Readers first follow Marjorie, a middle school student, as she navigates through various life issues following the death of her mother. These issues range from simply talking with her despondent father (when he's responsive) to running her family's laundromat and dealing with the borderline (though really it IS) harassment and sabotage from a neighborhood "businessman" who wants their property to build a yoga spa and resort. Dreams of grandeur much?

Alongside her story, readers meet Wendell, a young ghost boy who recently came back to the human land from Ghost Land. With an immense imagination, Wendell has a habit of telling tall tales to his fellow ghosts, which makes him feel like a bit of an outsider. Once in the human land, he finds himself at Marjorie's laundromat where he unintentionally causes various other issues with fulfilling orders.

There are things that actually tie Marjorie and Wendell together, and these are gradually revealed throughout the day-to-day instances. While more time is spent with Marjorie in the story, the events do culminate into a fairly tied-together resolution. Personally, I favor closure (in all sense of the word), and I think most readers will enjoy this little tale with not so much heart as perseverance.