I am very excited to be a part of the blog tour from Rockstar Book Tours for this middle grade graphic novel, Ghoster Heights by Corey Landsell, Kelly Mellings, & Lisa Larose. Check out my review below, and don't forget to enter the giveaway!
Book Information
Title: Ghoster Heights
Authors(s)/Illustrator(s): Corey Landsell, Kelly Mellings, & Lisa Larose
Publication Date: September 27, 2022
Publication Date: September 27, 2022
Edition: Paperback, eBook; 208pgs
Publisher: Wonderbound
Source: Rockstar Book Tours
Purchase: Amazon - Kindle - B&N - iBooks - BAM! - Kobo - TBD - Bookshop.org
Publisher: Wonderbound
Source: Rockstar Book Tours
Purchase: Amazon - Kindle - B&N - iBooks - BAM! - Kobo - TBD - Bookshop.org
Disclaimer: I received a copy from the publisher as part of a blog tour in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Please note the purchase links above are affiliate links.
Tour Schedule
Week One
9/12/2022 - Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers - Review/IG Post
9/13/2022 - hauntedbybooks - Review/IG Post
9/14/2022 - hodophile_z - IG Review
9/15/2022 - Jazzy Book Reviews - Guest Post/IG Post
9/16/2022 - Two Chicks on Books - Guest Post
9/17/2022 - @jaimerockstarbooktours - IG Spotlight
Week Two
9/18/2022 - YA Books Central - Guest Post
9/19/2022 - Eli to the nth - Review/IG Post
9/20/2022 - @allyluvsbooksalatte - IG Spotlight
9/21/2022 - One More Exclamation - Review/IG Post
9/22/2022 - A Dream Within A Dream - Guest Post
9/23/2022 - BookHounds YA - Guest Post/IG Post
9/24/2022 - RiverMose-Reads - Guest Post
Week Three
9/25/2022 - The Real World According to Sam - Review/IG Post
9/26/2022 - Nerdophiles - Review
9/27/2022 - Novel Novice - IG Spotlight
9/28/2022 - @jacleomik33 - IG Review
9/29/2022 - The Bookwyrm's Den - Review
9/30/2022 - Two Points of Interest - Review
10/1/2022 - A Blue Box Full of Books - IG Review
Week Four
10/2/2022 - @enjoyingbooksagain - IG Review
10/3/2022 - @thebookishfoxwitch - IG Review
10/4/2022 - The Momma Spot - Review/IG Post
10/5/2022 - booksaremagictoo - Review/IG Post
10/6/2022 - GryffindorBookishNerd - Review/IG Post
10/7/2022 - Mom with a Reading Problem - Review/IG Post
The Summary
WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBOOHOOD!
Eight-year-old Ona has lost just about everything: her home, her possessions, her mother, and almost her life. When she and her father move into her Baba’s apartment complex after these traumatic events, they had hoped for a clean start. But a mysterious specter follows her, and Ona befriends the ghost she discovers haunting the boiler room. When her new friendship starts allowing her to see other ghosts—the ghosts who haunt the other residents of her building—she decides to use her ability to help her new neighbors face their troubles and free themselves from their specters. In doing so, however, Ona must eventually come face to face with a much darker foe—her own trauma and grief. The earnestness of Judy Bloom meets the raw emotion of I Kill Giants in this beautifully hopeful story of childhood tragedy.
An original graphic novel for middle grade readers about grief, loss, and the ghosts that haunt us all.
For fans of Sheets by Brenna Thummler, Small Spaces by Katherine Arden, and Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier.
My Review
Ghoster Heights by Corey Landsell, Kelly Mellings, and Lisa Larose was an adorable kick-off to my Fall reads! Bold, graphic art with a spooky, but heartfelt, story makes this graphic novel a fun read for younger kids, and the young-at-heart!
Eight year old Ona and her dad have to move in with her grandmother due to a tragic event. Uprooting her entire life, Ona is not having the best time. She is also targeted right away by the apartment complex's bully, which makes her transition even harder. But one day, when she is trying to capture one of her grandmother's wandering cats, Ona discovers a ghost--a friendly ghost. Haunty, as the specter is dubbed, leads Ona to discover her own strength and find a place for herself in her new home.
The concept of this book is great. How Ona is able to help her neighbors via Haunty was really original. I loved the sense of family that was created within the apartment complex, and that Ona got to see people have layers and explanations behind their actions/attitudes. The lessons taught are important for kids to learn, and I think the vehicle of ghosts and graphic novel works well to convey that.
I wouldn't consider this book middle grade, but upper elementary level. While the topics that are being dealt with are serious, they are explored at the surface level from the understanding of an eight year old, albeit one who has experienced tragedy already. The plot is not quite clear in a few places. That may have been purposeful for the mystery aspect of the book, but I found it distracting, and it would pull me out of reading as I had back track what happened. Also, this is probably dating myself, but I didn't know Tamagotchis were a thing again (Ona has a digital pet, which looked very similar to old school Tamagotchis). So that made my eyebrow go up, as it was unexpected for the assumed time period.
However, the book was entertaining, and the art was adorable. I felt it was eye-catching, and fit the tone of the book. Bright colors gives it youth, and a light-hearted tone to sometimes difficult situations. Ghoster Heights was a quick read, and one I think developing readers will gravitate. Pick up a copy to start off your Fall reading list!
Final Rating
Excerpt
About the Creators
About Corey Landsell:
Corey Lansdell is a multiple award-winning illustrator and animator. He is a skilled communicator, expert storyteller and passionate collaborator. Corey heads up a SCBWI illustrators group in Edmonton, Alberta.
About Kelly Mellings:
Kelly Mellings is an award-winning art director, illustrator, and designer. His work has
appeared in comic books, TV commercials, magazines, apps, museum exhibits, and video
games. He is the co-writer of Ghoster Heights and illustrator of the Canadian best-selling
graphic novel, The Outside Circle. He lives in Edmonton, Alberta.
About Lisa Larose:
Lisa LaRose is a pop surrealist painter, illustrator, and comics artist in Vancouver, Canada. She is best known for her paintings: Bizarre and Colourful artworks. She creates lively and exciting colour palettes and is always making something a little weird. Lisa loves middle-grade fiction (books, comics, cartoons, you name it) and so she also moonlights as a middle-grade comics artist.
Giveaway
2 winners will receive a finished copy of GHOSTER HEIGHTS, US Only.
CLICK THE GRAPHIC
