Graphic Novel Review: Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier
The Details
Media Type: Kindle Book
Title: Ghosts
Author(s): Raina Telgemeier
Publisher: Graphix
Pages/Length: Kindle, 256
Release Date: April 26, 2022
Source: Library Borrow
Add it on: Goodreads | Amazon | Bookshop
Catrina and her family are moving to the coast of Northern California because her little sister, Maya, is sick. Cat isn’t happy about leaving her friends for Bahía de la Luna, but Maya has cystic fibrosis and will benefit from the cool, salty air that blows in from the sea. As the girls explore their new home, a neighbor lets them in on a secret: There are ghosts in Bahía de la Luna. Maya is determined to meet one, but Cat wants nothing to do with them. As the time of year when ghosts reunite with their loved ones approaches, Cat must figure out how to put aside her fears for her sister’s sake – and her own.
The Review
My. Heart. My friends, I always seem to pick just the right book to start off the year and Ghosts was no exception. This graphic novel made my heart flutter, and the part of me that loves stories about familial bonds stir to life again. I truly think that this story was perfection as a graphic novel. Catrina and her little family shine in Telgemeier’s illustrations, and oh man did they steal my heart immediately. When I tell you that I flew through this story, I am not exaggerating.
Cat is your standard older sister. One who loves her little sister infinitely, and also occasionally wants to be as far away from her as possible. What I loved even more though, was that Telgemeier brings in the idea that Maya’s declining health doesn’t just affect Maya herself. For better, or for worse, it affects her entire family. Doctor’s appointments must be gone to, breathing treatments done, and outings adjusted to include her in a way that won’t harm her health. For Cat it’s a little rough, because she can’t seem to establish her own identity without feeling guilty.
On Maya’s side, we see a character who is so introspective at such a young age. Maya knows that she is ill. She knows that her family accommodates her. She (begrudgingly) knows that there are things she won’t be able to participate in. But her light is so BRIGHT. Maya has big plans and her dreams are so infectious. I adored this girl so much.
Oh and the illustrations. Pardon the large sigh right here, but my goodness this book is so excellently done. Each panel is moody, or bright, as the mood calls for. You can see the way that Bahía de la Luna breathes and is, in fact, a character of its own. As someone who has also taken a step away from her culture and misses a lot of things about it, Maya and Cat’s mom had my heart. Every single piece of this story just spoke to me in all the right ways.
Okay, I’ll stop rambling. Point being? Read this. It’s wonderful.
