GHOSTS ARE PEOPLE TOO

A lonely ghost seeks to dispel your fears.

Ethan Alby would like you to know that he’s not the kind of ghost you should be afraid of. Certainly this family is terrifying looking (a mix of Beetlejuice and The Ring), but Ethan is really just a sweet kid seeking a friend. Unfortunately, the living people in his home terrify him. In spite of this, he encourages readers to have no fears. Ghosts just want to be pals. While the story itself is benign, the art’s underground comics vibe suggests an older readership. This has as much to do with the Hannibal Lector and It references as it does with the “How To Find a Ghost” instructions in the backmatter that suggest ways to seek and record encounters with those not living (audio recorder, temperature reader, night vision camera, etc.). Black-and-white illustrations, while accomplished, reinforce the book’s uncertainty regarding its audience. Also included are three “Real Ghost Stories” of friendly encounters; subsequent blank pages urge readers to “Document Your Encounter With a Friendly Ghost.” Characters’ races and ethnicity are undefined. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

This low-grade horror picture book for incipient goth children will have difficulty finding the right readers.