Ghosts

Ghosts 
By Raina Telgemeier
Graphix, 2016. J Comics. 240p.

Catrina (Cat) and her family just moved to Bahía de la Luna in order to help keep her little sister Maya healthy. Maya has cystic fibrosis and the cool, salty air of the coastal town will help her breathing. The two girls encounter a local boy named Carlos and they quickly learn that Bahía de la Luna is a very unique town—ghosts visit the town on a regular basis. The ghosts are friendly and Maya wants to see them but they scare Cat for a number of reasons. Mostly because she is afraid of losing Maya. As Day of the Dead approaches, the biggest ghost day of the year for the town, Cat gets more and more anxious about the ghosts, a potential visit from her grandma’s spirit and Maya’s health. But that night, at the town’s large Day of the Dead party, everything changes for Cat and her family.

The ever-popular and critically acclaimed Raina Telgemeier has created another wonderful graphic novel with a solid and relatable female character. Although it tackles more serious themes than Telgemeier’s other works, Ghosts still has the characteristic humor and true to life emotion. With its expressive illustrations and expert storytelling, this is a great choice for not only established Telgemeier fans, but those new to her works or to graphic novels in general.