When I was a child I read Wait Till Helen Comes, it was the first Mary Downing Hahn book I had read. I devoured it and then continued to read every Mary Downing Hahn book I could get my hands on. I was so exited to see this book adapted into a graphic novel so I could share it with my kids. It was such a good, haunting read. We enjoyed it a lot. It’s going to bring a whole new generation of readers into Mary Downing Hahn’s world.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for the opportunity to review this book.

Pretty cool, I liked the art style. A pretty classic story which makes sense bc this is a graphic novel adaptation of a very old ghost story.

<i>Wait Till Helen Comes</i> is the first horror novel I read back in elementary school, and to this day the book scares me so badly that I have to keep it tucked away on a shelf with the cover hidden. So why did I request this ARC? Because the original novel also formed a major part of my early reading experience, and it so perfectly captured the fear of forgotten places and unknown beings that it helped to shape my tastes for years to come. I <i>still</i> read every new novel that Mary Downing Hahn puts out.

The graphic novel does a very good job of adapting Hahn's original novel from the 1980s, and part of what works is the way the time is largely left ambiguous - there's one mention of the 21st century and Molly wears a helmet when she's riding her bike, but beyond that it could take place anywhere from 1970 on up. This nebulous time placement helps to enhance the creepiness of the story while highlighting the fact that Helen and Heather's experiences are simply human. Both of them are scared little girls who blame themselves for things that are not their faults, and when Molly finally understands that, she's able to help both of them. This isn't an experience unique to the 1880s or the 1980s; it's <i>human</i>, and that's something that the art of the graphic novel gets across very well, particularly in its use of color.

The original <i>Wait Till Helen Comes</i> means a lot to me, even forty years after I read it. I think that this new version of it will do the same for elementary-age readers today, and hopefully also encourage them to check out the original novel and some of Hahn's other books. I'd love to see <i>The Old Willis Place</i> from the same creative team.

I never read the original book this graphic novel was based upon, so perhaps I am not the right audience for this book. The illustrations were engaging, but the text felt stilted and the dialogue a bit forced. If you liked the original story, you will probably enjoy this as well. Equal parts spooky and funny, it does tell an interesting story about sibling relationships and blended families.

When a recently blended family that is far from harmonious moves to a remote area in the country from Baltimore, that may be horror enough for some. But there's an old cemetery on the grounds, and the bitter youngest sibling makes a new, nasty imaginary friend that might be a ghost. It's up to the older step-sister Molly to find out what's going on and try and save their family from whatever haunting fate has them in its grasp.

The art in this is lovely with good character design, and the story moves along at a nice clip to go along with the graphic novel adaptation. My only gripes are that I wish it were a bit spookier in its art (I was a kid who loved the scary stuff, the scarier the better) and that the amount of text on the page is quite a bit for a graphic novel- although I know this last bit is probably due to it being an adaptation. All in all, something I will certainly recommend to kids coming to the library for a little scary read!

Middle grade readers love Mary Downing Hahn, and this graphic novel adaptation of Wait Till Helen Comes is no exception. I’ve used the original text as a read aloud, and I can’t wait to recommend this version to my students as well.

The incredible illustrations add to the suspense of Hahn’s story of Molly, Michael, and Heather - three step-siblings struggling to adjust to life in a newly blended family. Heather might be the youngest, but she’s certainly the most cunning and manipulative, especially with the help of her new friend Helen.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley for an ARC.

There is something so fantastic and comforting about this classic horror setting - a creepy new house, a weird child, messy dysfunctional family dynamics and the ghostly influence staining their new lives. This particular take would be appropriate for the more young or cowardly amongst us, as it relies on tension and buld-up more than outward scared-out-of-your-mind-horror (which makes Helen's particular design choices so compelling), yet it does check off all the spooky boxes. Much as I appreciate the horror elements and the visual art style (which I VERY MUCH DO!!), I think it's the truthfullness and authenticity of the character relationships that steals your breath away most - you know this family, you understand this family, and you don't quite know how you'd ever find a worthwhile conclusion to their stories, but you'll likely be delighted with where we leave everyone off at the end of the novel. Such a fun, satisfying read.

It has been eons since I first read the book, so I was definitely intrigued by the graphic novel adaption. It was decent enough and I think middle school or younger age kids will enjoy the spooks and thrills of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read the book early.

I thoroughly enjoyed this graphic novel. Elementary school me would have loved this, as it gave off spooky, Goosebumps-esque vibes, but even a little creepier! Highly suggest this book!

I admit that I am unfamiliar with this novel by Mary Downing Hahn. But I selected the graphic novel based on the author's name and popularity amongst my middle school students. The creepiness and subtle hints of haunting help set the tone and mood early in the graphic novel. Once the story unfolds, I think most readers will be eager to see what happens next. The artwork is good and visually helps the story along. I thought Helen and other images towards the end were excellent. This is a title that will be added to the school library once it is released.

I have never really been a graphic novel fan, however, I found this one enjoyable in all aspects. I enjoyed the story and loved how the story was written. The illustrations are excellent too! Will recommend.

I love graphic novels and this one was very enjoyable in all aspects from well built character development to a steadily darker and creeper user atmosphere. A perfect Halloween read. The artwork is insanely gorgeous and touching, and the mixed family cast are well thought out and make for an intriguing concept to mull over. As Sullen young Heathers behaviors go from petulant to outride hateful and aggressive towards her step mother and step siblings, one ponders whether she is merely the sad, deeply hurting child her parents try to excuse her as or whether she has in fact been been possessed by a murderous ghost with dark intentions. Wonderful from start to finish.

Wait Till Helen Comes is an excellent graphic novel adaptation of the original work of fiction by Mary Downing Hahn. Perfectly creepy and spooky in just the right ways for middle school readers. Fantastic illustrations and great use of color! Perfect for all library serving middle grade readers who love graphic novels.

This graphic novel adaptation of a classic Mary Downing Hahn scary novel is perfect for student that love graphic novels or ghost stories. I loved how the illustrations added to the creepy factor in some of the scenes. I have several reluctant readers and can easily see this book being a major hit.
Molly and her family move to the county to live in a church. Molly’s mother recently remarried and her new husband, Dave, has a daughter, Heather. Heather does not like the new additions to her family. If that wasn’t enough Heather has made a new friend in the graveyard next to the church and her friend doesn’t like the new family members either.
While the adult me struggles with the oblivious action of the parents in this book. It may be because this is adapted from a book that was written years ago.

One of Mary Downing Hahn’s classic ghost stories has been adapted into a graphic novel. The comic style lends itself well to this story and enhances, rather than takes away, from the creepiness.

Molly has been uprooted from her life in Baltimore after her mother and her new husband Dave decide to move to the country. Molly expresses interests in reading and writing; her brother Michael enjoys scientific pursuits and is an amateur entomologist; Heather, Dave’s daughter, lost her mom in a fire and is not fond of her new family members.

The family moves into an old church that’s been renovated into a home, and comes with its own graveyard. The spooky gravestones scare Molly, but Heather is intrigued. She begins to spend more and more time in the graveyard and becomes fixated on a tombstone that bear the same initials as her own: HEH. She soon starts talking to someone….a ghost or an imaginary friend?

Some of the dialogue sounds old-fashioned in this book considering it’s adapted from a 30+ year old source. But the scares are still there without being too frightening for kids. As an adult reading this, the most frustrating scenes involved the parents who are oblivious to everything going on. The end is wrapped up a little too neatly, but I believe young readers will be satisfied.

I’d like to see more of Hahn’s work adapted into graphic novels in the future.

*I read a free ebook copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

We have several paperback copies of "Wait Till Helen Comes" in our middle school media center that are so well-loved that they have been stapled, taped, and glued back together. When I saw that this creepy classic had been adapted as a graphic novel I could not request a copy fast enough.

"Wait Till Helen Comes" sees a newly blended family moving into a renovated church in the middle of nowhere. The property includes a small cemetery where Molly, Michael, and Heather find a small grave that had been lost to time. Instead of the discovery drawing the three stepsiblings together as their parents had hoped, Heather becomes preoccupied with the grave and the spirit of a young girl named Helen that she claims to see there. The tension between the two families continues to ratchet up as Heather's behavior becomes more and more erratic and she seeks to blame her unhappiness on her new stepsiblings. Will her skeptical parents believe their youngest has been interacting with a ghost? Or will Heather be the newest addition to Helen's group of eternal playmates?

This adaptation does not disappoint. It is true to the original story with illustrations that are visually arresting and spooky enough to haunt the nightmares of a whole new generation of children. Older horror fans will delight in seeing one of their childhood favorites brought to life in a new way, and the newer generation will fall in love all over again with a true classic of the genre. A must-have for every school library collection!

Special thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Books, and Clarion Books for providing me with an advanced copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review!

I was quite impressed with this one. A story about blended families and learning to love each other despite trials, but also about pasts that haunt. A great read for tweens with just enough spookiness and a ghost that won’t haunt their dreams at night.

This is a welcome addition for my students who are voraciously reading graphic novels these days. I am pleasantly surprised to see more and more GN adaptations as children love them and it helps with reluctant readers!

Fabulous middle school horror graphic novel. The original story is spooky and creepy, but paired with the exceptional artwork it is sure to be a winner with my students.

Wait Till Helen Comes was one of my favorite books growing up, and it was just as scary as I remembered it when I reread it as an adult. I can't quite say the same for this adaptation. I loved the idea of making it a comic, but come to fruition it makes it seem a little more jokey and less spooky. The dialogue is cringe simply because it's dated, and I don't see why they wouldn't have just updated that a bit, since unlike some other books that attempted modern-day updates and failed spectacularly (*coughs in Lois Duncan*), this one in general and particularly in which text it chose to retain did not NEED to be 1986 or whatever year around there the original novel took place. The movie managed an update to contemporary times just fine. This one just reads as out of touch, which is a shame because the original novel actually holds up just fine.