Review by Booklist Review
While Little Ghost loves the neighborhood where he and his mother have been haunting a house for 100 years, he seldom goes outdoors for fear of scaring the neighbors . . . or is this bashful ghost afraid of them? A little girl named Anya moves into the house next door. When he sees her playing in the autumn leaves, reading a book, and carrying a pumpkin, he realizes that they have interests in common and invites her over on Halloween. After trying on multiple costumes, he settles on a classic: ghost. Anya admits that she's shy about making new friends, but she likes Little Ghost and introduces him to the other neighborhood kids. They love that Little Ghost is a real ghost! Now Little Ghost loves his neighborhood more than ever. Even for Halloween night, the digital illustrations have a warm, cozy look, created with rounded lines, soft colors, and gently textured surfaces. Meanwhile, the book's matter-of-fact narrative, Halloween-themed setting, and shy but amiable main character come together to create an appealing read-aloud choice for this popular holiday.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Halloween becomes a time for making new friends in Edkins Willis's picture book debut, an encouraging story about a shy ghost whose new pal helps him embrace "his spooky, sparkly self." Little Ghost has had many neighbors across hundreds of years of haunting the same house, but he has never mustered the courage to say "hello"--until the arrival of a child with shared interests. Little Ghost makes the first move by inviting the neighbor over for a Halloween party, and tender scenes of the specter preparing impart his anxious excitement. When the human invitee, portrayed with brown skin, arrives clad in a ghost costume, the pair seem to be kindred spirits, and reassurances from Little Ghost's new companion confirm as much ("Little Ghost, I want to be friends with you just as you are"). Dusky greens, purples, and oranges lend an autumnal vibe to amiable vignettes, which readily convey the story's affirming emotional arc. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4--8. (July)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2--In an old, forgotten house, between the slats of a boarded window, lonely Little Ghost watches families move in and out of the house next door, year after year, decade after decade. Shy and lovable, with two simple black dot eyes and expressive eyebrow marks, Little Ghost aches for a friend but doesn't dare go outside for fear of alarming the neighborhood. However, each year he does venture outdoors on one particular day when seeing a ghost wouldn't be surprising: Halloween. As the holiday nears, Little Ghost notices a moving truck parked in front of the house next door. Anya, a young girl with brown skin and big, curly brown hair, becomes Little Ghost's new neighbor. Summoning his courage, Little Ghost attaches a scribbled party invitation to a grinning jack-o'-lantern and leaves the offering on Anya's porch. Little Ghost busily hangs decorations, bakes adorable Halloween cookies, and fashions a charming hodgepodge costume. Full of worry, Little Ghost wonders, "What if she doesn't show up at all?" In this heartwarming debut picture book, Willis's digitally rendered cartoon illustrations are soft and cozy, resembling colored pencil sketches, and incorporate comic-style thought and speech bubbles. Relatable for readers across a wide range of ages, Little Ghost's yearning for connection and display of courage reflects the universal vulnerability experienced at the beginning of friendships. VERDICT A tender tale of courage and connection for readers who prefer Halloween stories with more treats than tricks.--Emily Brush
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A timid ghost longs to go out on days other than Halloween. Little Ghost, a tiny, floating, sheetlike wisp, wonders what it would be like to have a friend. He and his mother have been haunting a tottering old house for 100 years. Though Little Ghost loves his community, he's only comfortable coming out on Halloween, when he can blend in and won't scare his neighbors. When a new family moves in next door, Little Ghost secretly observes them and realizes that he and their young daughter, Anya, have a lot in common. Eyes scrunched tight and arms splayed out wide, he declares his intention: "I will make a friend." Luckily, the day of the year when Little Ghost feels the most confident is coming up, so he leaves an invitation to a Halloween party on Anya's porch. It turns out that Anya's also shy; grateful for the invitation, she accepts Little Ghost for who he truly is. With his dot eyes and adorably dumpy little frame, Little Ghost is an expressive, endearing protagonist. A muted palette of oranges, purples, pinks, and greens makes this tale of friendship feel as cozy as a hug. Anya is brown-skinned, while the other townsfolk out trick-or-treating are diverse in skin tone. A sweetly spooky tale that reminds us that reaching out to others doesn't have to be scary. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
