Ghosts

A playful, delightfully illustrated book that sets the record straight about ghosts. Ghosts are not sheets with holes dragging around a ball and chain. Indeed, they're just as colorful and diverse as humans. Here you'll meet the ghost of the chimney, the TV, the kitchen, and the library, to mention just a few.Marc Boutavant is a graphic artist, illustrator, and comic strip author. He was born in in Borgogne in 1970 and lives in Paris, France. He has illustrated many books and is especially well known for his book Around the World with Mouk.

From School Library Journal

K-Gr 3—In this quirky import, Goldie and Boutavant put to rest the old stereotype of sheet-wearing, ball-dragging, "Boo"-shrieking ghosts and present an array of imaginative household haunters, each with its own unique traits and looks. For example, a gluttonous kitchen ghost gobbles up food from the fridge; the ghost of the attic "likes to spend his time remembering the good old days." Most of the specters are more peculiar than scary, though some are spookier than others: the ghost of the night hides under the bed, then comes out when it's dark to tickle feet, while the television ghost watches TV but grabs the unwary watcher during scary moments. Cleverly laid out spreads feature text in varied fonts that has been integrated into the illustrations and dazzle with minutiae of unexpected details and strange creatures. However, the very elements that create visual interest can be overwhelming and drag down this already lengthy story. A treat for the more sophisticated readers who enjoy unique art and unusual stories but not for everyone.—Yelena Alekseyeva-Popova, formerly at Chappaqua Library, NY

From Booklist

*Starred Review* If you think all ghosts wear sheets and say “boo!” this book is here to set you straight. How? By introducing the many different ghosts in your neighborhood. There’s a ghost in the chimney (“This is definitely a ghost to AVOID! If you don’t, he’ll billow into your living room like a tornado of black smoke”). There’s a television ghost (“Turn off the TV. Just one more minute and it will be too late. The TV ghost will have arrived!”). There are ghosts who love a steamy window, and ghosts who adore the smell of a dewy garden in the early morning. There are ghosts who don’t want you to explore your parents’ bedroom, and ghosts who spill milk in the kitchen. In short, there’s a ghost for pretty much everything, but Boutavant’s bright, colorful, and playful illustrations of the friendly animal-shaped ghosts in their favorite haunts keep these spooks from ever being scary. In fact, it seems like there’s a playful apparition behind every creak and shifting window shade—nothing to be scared of after all. Goldie’s charmingly off-kilter descriptions of everyday ghosts paired together with the cheery childlike illustrations make for a delightful oddball treat. Grades K-3. --Sarah Hunter

About the Author

Marc Boutavant is a graphic artist, illustrator and comic strip author. He has created picture books in English, French, and Japanese. He has illustrated many books and is especially well known for his book, Around the World with Mouk.He was born in Borgogne in 1970 and lives in Paris.Sonia Goldie is an author of both fiction and nonfiction books for children.

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