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.
Raina Telgemeier has masterfully created a
moving and insightful story about the power of family and friendship, and how
it gives us the courage to do what we never thought possible.
‘Ghosts’ is
the 2016 middle grade graphic novel from Eisner Award-winning creator, Raina
Telgemeier.
I read this
novel over the Christmas break, and it was exactly the perfect kind of reading
for hot summer nights, and middle-of-the-day food-coma recovery. I love Telgemeier,
and reading her latest ‘Ghosts’ made me fall in love with her storytelling
anew, and had me reaching to re-read two other favourites from her in ‘Smile’
and ‘Drama’. The latter hasn’t been usurped as my favourite Telgemeier book yet,
but ‘Ghosts’ comes pretty darn close…
The story
follows Catrina, who along with her family moves to the fictional Northern
California town of Bahía de la Luna (‘Moon Bay’) for the sake of her little
sister Maya, who has cystic fibrosis and whose lungs will benefit from the
seaside location and year-round fog.
The book’s entire
premise provides a really interesting emotional conundrum - as we see Catrina
dealing with her conflicted feelings of wanting what’s best for Maya’s health,
alongside her disgruntlement at being uprooted from her home and friends for
Maya’s sake. And while Telgemeier’s books in the past have been wholly
contemporary in genre, and could well have spent the entire novel unpicking
that one conundrum – ‘Ghosts’ is a little change-up for the author, who has
added in a magical element to elevate the story …
Because
Bahía de la Luna is famous for being a ghostly haven – a particular township in
America where ghosts can be easily found, thanks to the perfect climate
conditions that allows them to be carried on the wind, and take nourishment
from the natural earth. Catrina and Maya are in town on their first day, on a
mini-exploration trek when they come across local boy (and ghost-tour operator)
Carlos, who fuels Maya’s interests in their new ghostly neighbours.
The
culmination of the town’s ghostly affection and the story itself, is Día de
Muertos – the ‘Day of the Dead’ Mexican holiday. It’s a multi-day holiday that
focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends
and family members who have died, and help support their spiritual journey –
but in Bahía de la Luna, it also means physically meeting with ghosts and
dearly departed loved ones, for a literal celebration.
I’ll admit
that I thought the ghostly addition to this story would be heavy-handed, for
how it sits alongside Catrina grappling with her sister’s Cystic Fibrosis, and her
coming to understand that a move to Bahía is meant to improve Maya’s quality of
life, but won’t cure her of the degenerative disease. But this is Telgemeier
after all; one of the best writers for young, middle-grade audiences and while
the lessons and connections are there to be made, it’s actually quite subtle
and lovely what she’s imparting; about acceptance and how multi-layered grief
can be.
It’s a tall
order to write a story that teeters on the brink of exploring one of the most
devastating losses a family will one day endure, while also choosing to highlight
how a life cut short can still be celebrated, instead of only mourned … but Telgemeier
does it, and with her trademark humour and cast of flawed, multi-dimensional
young characters – this is why she’s one of the best writing for middle-grade
audiences right now (not just one of the best graphic novelists writing for
them, but one of the best authors – period.)
‘Ghosts’ was
a smart and delightful read, and while the end felt just a little bit too
convenient and rushed, overall I thought there was a lot of good to be unpacked
and praised here, making it a truly heartfelt MG read – particularly for the unique
angle it takes in exploring grief and loss for young people, and through the
lens of such a beautiful cultural celebration as Día de Muertos. Outstanding.
5/5
