Ghost Book by Remy Lai is a graphic novel currently scheduled for release on July 18 2023. July Chen sees ghosts. But her dad insists ghosts aren’t real. So she pretends they don’t exist. Which is incredibly difficult now as it's Hungry Ghost month, when the Gates of the Underworld open and dangerous ghosts run amok in the living world. When July saves a boy ghost from being devoured by a Hungry Ghost, he becomes her first ever friend. Except William is not a ghost. He’s a wandering soul wavering between life and death. As the new friends embark on an adventure to return William to his body, they unearth a ghastly truth—for William to live, July must die.

Ghost Book is a middle grade graphic novel with inspiration from Chinese mythology. I thought the artwork and color choices were well done, and did a good job of telling and expanding on the story. I liked the blend of spooky, mythology, and kid angst. The family, school, and friend level conflicts felt very on point and realistic. I also thought that that Chinese mythology was explained nicely for newcomers to the subject, while not leaving those with some understanding of it feeling bored or talked down to. I enjoyed this book on a number of levels and think it will have a wide middle grade to middle school audience.

It took a minute to get acquainted to the world of this story, but then we were off on a supernatural adventure that was at once thrilling and touching.

This is a charming book about life, death, and friendship. It's heartwarming, spooky at times, and endearing. Kids are sure to enjoy this graphic novel.

wow wow wow. This was both very funny and silly at times and deeply moving. The art style was soothing and I loved the story! It’s not hard to make me cry, but the ending left me sobbing. Thanks for this gift 💝

representation: Asian main characters

Welcome Back,

I have been picking up graphic novels lately from my Netgalley E-ARCs. I usually grab these to read on my lunch time or right after work to help give me a little break. Typically I gravitate towards graphic novels during these times because I know I will be able to complete the entire thing. I like being able to take in the whole story at once. One of the E-ARC graphic novels, I recently read from Netgalley was Ghost Book (thank you to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions).

SPOILERS AHEAD

July is a middle school student who can see ghosts. July has tried to tell her father but he tells her never to talk about it and that she is not seeing ghosts. So she keeps it to herself and tries her best to ignore them. That is until one day she meets a ghost around her age. He is trying to get back to his body but he is being chased by the hungry ghosts. Can July help him get back?

I really enjoyed this graphic novel! I loved the illustrations, they were all eye popping with amazing colors and great line work. Outside of this, the story and characters were interesting. Seeing the relationship between July and the ghosts as well as July and her father was a unique experience. This graphic novel hits shelves on August 15th, go check it out!

Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars

***Thank you so much to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Are ghosts real? July Chen sets out to answer that pervading question in an imaginative and fanciful way.
She, initially, says they aren't but then the fun begins and is quite timely with the advent of Hungry Ghost Month.
Older elementary and middle grade students will be delighted to learn of the ghosts' fates. The illustrations are vibrant and plentiful with the witty dialogue contributing to that fun. Lai has done it again!

You'd think July Chen was invisible, but she's not - at least, she's pretty sure she isn't, even if no one can quite remember her. She can also speak to ghosts; they tell her she's the girl with the "yin-yang eyes". July lives with her dad - her mother died the night July was born - and he often seems too preoccupied to notice her, too. July makes her first friend when she saves a ghost named William from a Hungry Ghost, but William is not really a ghost: he's a boy who lives between worlds because of something that happened the very same night that July was born. July's and William's stories are entwined in ways they could never have imagined, and as Hungry Ghost month begins - and the Gates of the Underworld open and dangerous ghosts swarm into the living world - July discovers that she may have to sacrifice herself in order for William to live. Inspired by Chinese mythology, Remy Lai's newest shows a rich underworld; the ghost marketplace is a bustling otherworldly place where ghosts and human vendors interact; the two ghosts who collect souls are an amusing pair whose love of dumplings sets events in motion. A touching story of friendship and sacrifice, with a sensitive look at grief and loss as only Remy Lai can skillfully weave. Another win!

July Chen can see ghosts. However, according to her dad, ghosts aren't real. So she just pretends she can't see them and goes on with her day. But when it's Hungry Ghosts Month and the Gates of the Underworld are open, that's much harder to do. When July saves a boy from being consumed by a Hungry Ghost, they become friends. Little do they know, their fates have been intertwined since their births.

Thanks to Henry Holt and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Ghost Book by Remy Lai to review! I've read a few of Remy Lai's other books, and they're always a delight. And this one is no different! A little more spooky than her other books, I loved the folklore and the culture that was infused in this book from the beginning. Fans of Spirited Away will definitely love this graphic novel, full of ghosts, dumplings, magic, and friendship.

The art was fantastic, fully creating this underworld and July's world as well. The overall tone fits perfectly for a middle grade audience. especially with July's relationship with her father. He wants so badly to keep her safe that he really distances himself from her. Their evolving relationship was so heartwarming, as well as her friendship with William. The emphasis on friendship was perfect, as are their adventures to get there.

Kids will absolutely love this graphic novel when it comes out in August!

You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll crave dumplings.
This adorable and beautifully illustrated graphic delves into Chinese mythology surrounding death, in particular, their ideas on what the after life is like and the concept of hungry ghosts. Not only super cute but also very informative!

Ghost Book is a fast paced graphic novel. This is the first book by Remy Lai that I have read and am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

This is an absolute delight! I really love how normalized the hungry ghost lore is in this story. I've always heard about them, but really liked reading about them in this. I also think this is a great book to help kids think about death/grief.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all of Lai’s previous stories so I was so excited to see that she’d ventured into spooky tales. This book is incredible. Some of the illustrations remind me of Junji Ito; a horror manga favorite. But it’s just the right amount of spooky for young readers. Highly recommend.

Perfect spooky-but-not-too-scary story from Remy Lai, in a beautiful graphic novel! Sweet, memorable characters, and excellent pacing throughout. Perfect for middle grade readers who love spooky and surprising stories. Definitely adding copies to our library’s shelves.

This is an amazing story. The illustrations are great and the text is easy to read. The characters are great and the story unfolded at a good pace. The story was original, interesting, and a bit sad. I really enjoyed all the characters. Some of the Hungry Ghosts were a bit scary-looking but overall this wasn't a horror book. Great for fans of character-driven middle grade graphic novels who enjoy a bit of folklore and spook.

In this graphic novel, we meet July Chen, who lives with her father. Her mother passed away when she was born. She has always been able to see ghosts, (she has "yin-yang" eyes, which can see both sides of life and death) although few people seem able to see her, but she has always kept this information from her father, who sells dumplings at a street market and seems very distracted. When it's hungry ghost month, her life becomes even more complicated, especially since her school hosts a hungry ghost festival. When she meets Will, she thinks he is a ghost, but he is a boy whose body is in the hospital. He's had a series of near fatal accidents for his whole life, and is accompanied by a small pet ghost, Floof. He seeks July's help, since she is the only one who can see him. If she can't keep him alive, he wants her to deliver a bowl of forgetting soup to his mother so that she isn't sad once he passes. Since her father is rarely home and no one notices what she does at school, July is able to plunge into investigating what is happening to Will. The two eventually find that they share a common bond, and because of their linked past, only one of them can live. They are in contact with two messengers of Hebai Wuchang who is trying to keep the balance of the worlds. Will's name keeps sliding off the registers, and July isn't there at all, since she was supposed to die at birth. Will July and her new, somewhat ghostly friend by able to negotiate with the spirits in order to both remain among the living?
Strengths: While I enjoyed Lai's Pie in the Sky, my students prefer books more along the lines of her Pawcasso. Given Lai's habit of using very bright, happy colors, it was interesting to see a ghost story in her signature style with a darker palette. There's some well developed ghost lore, and the background of July and Will's shared past gives them a compelling reason to work together. There's even a bit of a twist with July's father that I don't want to spoil. The ghosts are quite creepy, and have their own agendas that compete with July's. The idea of July being able to save Will's life is an appealing one. This had good pacing, and will be a popular choice for readers who want a solid, spooky ghost graphic novel.
Weaknesses: Point me directly to Madame Meng for a big bowl of the soup of forgetting. While the messages that "a broken heart is a heart that has loved and been loved" will make this popular with soft hearted teachers and librarians, I have different views on grief and would be completely fine with forgetting everyone. I'd have forgotten, so what would be the big deal? At least July admits that she isn't sad about her mother, since she never met her.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who liked Telgemeier's Ghosts, but also reminded me a lot of Torres' and Elbert's Lola's Ghost and Fernández's ¡¡Manu!! (although that might have been because of the school uniforms!)

"A broken heart is a heart that has loved and been loved."

After reading Remy's book Pawcasso and loving it, I knew I had to pick this one up. I read a lot of spooky middle grade books, and I thought this was a great addition to the genre. If you want a spooky, heart-felt, and Chinese culture-filled novel with moments reminiscent of Raina Telgemeier's Ghosts or really any book or movie that has explored cultural lore, this is the book for you!

A very sweet graphic novel. Excellent artwork and engaging characters. Well plotted and interesting throughout. Perfect for kids who like ghosts but don’t want something too scary.

This was so good! The art style was so whimsical and reminded me of Spirited Away. The story was deep, dark, and magical. I will be recommending Ghost Book to all my patrons at the library.

Wonderful graphic novel which uses the Chinese tradition of the Hungry Ghost as the plot's linchpin. July Chen has ying-yang eyes, which allows her to see ghosts, and also has the problem that no one ever remembers her name at school.. This can be helpful Hungry Ghost Month, when these dangerous ghosts stalk earth in search of wandering souls and other types of ghosts. July finds William, a wandering ghost, who stuck between life and death, and wishes his mother would forget him so she wouldn't be so sad. Dumplings, talismans, and the underworld play a role in July's determination to help William. Fast paced, a cultural feast and, and loved the illustrations of types of ghosts and how to avoid a hungry ghost.
Thank you to Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, an imprint of MacMillan, and Netgalley for the digital arc.

Remy Lai continues to be one of the best and most thoughtful creators working in children's literature today. In her graphic novel Ghost Book, Lai gives us the loveable characters of July Chen who can see ghosts all around her and William, a boy whose not quite dead. Filled with vibrant images, mythology, and heart - Ghost Book proves once again that no one can weave together fun and deep emotion like Remy Lai!