A great graphic novel for a solid middle grade horror! I remember reading Mary Downing Hahn books in middle school and it being the perfect amount of scary mixed with relatable characters and developing relationships that all wrap up with practically no loose ends. Great intro to the genre, and this graphic novel will definitely capture the new generation who will surely love Hahn as much as past generations have!

Thank you to NetGalley, Mary Downing Hahn, and HaperCollins Children’s Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Visually haunting and spooky, "Wait Till Helen Comes" is a creepy thriller graphic novel with characters that have experienced trauma and are dealing with loss and searching for connection with otherworldly beings. It was a good, solid story.

A big thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for gifting me an eArc in exchange for an honest review.

Did I die when I was given access to this amazing graphic novel? Yes. Did I die again over how simply amazing it was? Also yes. And it's just as perfect as I expected.

Wait Till Helen Comes in a middle grade paranormal story about two siblings, just trying to get along with their new stepsister following a marriage. But as peaceful as the siblings make it, their stepsister just try to cause all sorts of trouble for them. So much so that she wanders into the backyard graveyard, and summons a ghost by the name of Helen. The siblings don't believe her at first, but things get even stranger. And just Wait Till Helen Comes.

Being a child raised on Mary Downing Hahn, it's pleasant to see these classic stories revamped into a new medium. And a graphic novel, at that, which will certainly reach lot more people than the novel itself. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a re-read waiting for me.

I grew up on Mary Downing Hahn's books and loved them as a kid, so I had to give this adaptation a try!

The artwork was nice and the storytelling is decent, but the thing that surprised me the most about this adaptation is how aged the dialogue feels! Wait Till Helen Comes is a book that released in the 80s originally, so I assumed the adaptation would be modernized a bit (as is the case with most graphic adaptations I've read of older kids' books), but that wasn't the case here.

I struggle to imagine the average kid today being able to connect to the characters or dialogue. It also felt like the spooky elements were tamed down to be more of a paranormal fantasy story, which is disappointing when you think about how few horror graphic novels there are for kids! I'd recommend this for kids who like ghost stories but are very easily frightened, but I wouldn't recommend it for the more committed horror-loving kids in your life.

Very spooky, love the family dynamic that has issues in-between the ghost-y business. I don't like that the dad/step-dad is a jerk and never apologizes for being one, though, that's my only critique.

Excellent! Visually haunting! Perfect for bringing this classic book to life. Highly recommend. #waittillhelencomesgraphicnovel #marydowninghahn #netgalley #goodreads

A creepy story that reflects the original story so beautifully. If you have a reader who is struggling with books but loves spooky stories, give them this.

This was a fun read! It had just enough spook to it to keep you engaged. I haven’t always been one for ghost stuff, so it was a bit different for me. The graphics were gorgeous! I loved how each character seemed to have their own personalities, but Jean and Dave need to learn how to parent if you ask me. Jean has no back bone and Dave just bosses people around and talks down to others. Would definitely read more by this author.

This is a great adaptation of the original novel. It doesn't lose any content - though Heather becomes more unlikable in this version.

I can’t wait for this to come out so I can share it with my middle grade readers! It’s the perfect combination of creepy, intrigue, and storyline that will keep them reading. A great graphic novel representation of the ever popular novel by Hahn.

The quintessential childhood story brought back with beautiful imagery. This perfectly sketched graphic novel is ideal for every book shelf. Both adults and children will love this book. I cannot recommended strongly enough!

The mysterious childhood classic that I couldn’t wait to read again. This book has stayed in the mind of most adults to feel like children when they read it. Absolutely can’t wait to buy the hardback version.

Well, I finished this book and IMMEDIATELY put the author+artist's other book, "Took," on hold at my library! AND checked out all Hahn's audiobooks from my library. Just wow!

The tweens and early teens this book is aimed at will be absolutely terrified, but even as an adult, I was a bit chilled! The pacing of this book is really great. It's got that standard horror beginning, a family moving to a new house, ready for a new start, with just that little bit of spooky phenomenon to draw you in. A bit of a gap of supernatural stuff, to establish characters and setting. And then a steady feed of encounters, each increasing the stakes and the horror, until a great resolution.

The artwork is moody and fills the page well. No blank backgrounds to save time, each space feels consistent and real. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the artists made maps of each space before they got to work. For such a short story, the characters in the family are given a good amount of development, and even the few extra background characters steer WELL clear of being tropey or stereotypes.

Advanced reader copy provided by the publisher.

I remember reading this novel when I was a kid. I was a Goosebumps, ghost, horror-loving kid who thought that they weren't afraid of anything. That these monsters lurking in the dark should be afraid of me. When I saw that they turned a classic ghostly tale into a graphic novel, I was ready to travel back in time. I wanted to slap on a bracelet, put a scrunchie in my hair, grab some dunkaroos, and a squeezit and read this with all the lights out.

This story made me fascinated with cemeteries more than I already was. There was something about going on an adventure with a spirit just as Heather did that always made me excited to visit the graves in a cemetery. Now as an adult I'm glad that none of that has happened. My love of cemeteries is still going strong.

The graphic novel adaptation was a great addition to the ghostly horror tales of Hahn. It caught everything so perfectly and paired with great illustrations made it well worth the read. The new generation of horror fans will love this.

I read the original when it came out and am thrilled that they made this into a graphic novel. This allows reluctant readers to read a wonderful book. Great Middle School graphic novel!

This graphic novel is an excellent adaption of Mary Downing Hanh's classic Wait Till Helen Comes. It captures the creepy atmosphere in the book. The drawings somehow make Helen and Heather creepier then I imagined! I definitely recommend it to fans of Mary Downing Hahn and of the horror genre in general! It's spooky enough that even adult readers might get the creeps and just dark enough that it doesn't feel like a "little kid's ghost story."

A spooky graphic novel where a stepsister starts to claim she can talk to a ghost. And just wait until that ghost shows up... I had trouble getting into this one. It just jumped in without easing in the reader I thought.

While I have not read the original story this graphic played into the ghost story perfectly. The creepy little kid and her ghost friend, parents who won’t listen, and the one character that has seen it and no one believes. Not only is the story good but the artwork is done extremely well. This is definitely a perfect fit for the Halloween series and kids who love spooky stories will love it.

The classic novel about guilt, blended families, and a ghost, made into a powerful graphic novel. The illustrations were very effective at evoking a scary but realistic feel.

This graphic novel adaptation of the brilliantly spooky Wait Till Helen Comes will leave you sleeping with the lights on. The illustrations and dialog work well to build the suspense as the reader comes to fully understand the lengths H.E.H. will go in order to achieve her desire. The tension between Heather and Molly, and between Molly and her mother and stepfather is palpable.

Recommended for middle grades and up.