Yay! It's time to celebrate another book birthday! Today's read looks spooky, and that would be fitting to the soon-approaching Halloween season. Looking at my schedule (and thinking back on yesterday's post), I really do have more eerie reads on my schedule right now. But today's read has me wondering if it's really spooky, since it seems to circle around friendship, too.
Let's find out if this haunted house and a little boy have a tale to enjoy or not.
GILBERT AND THE GHOST
by Heather Pierce Stigall
Illustrated by Jess Mason
Beaming Books
Picture Book
32 pages
ages 4 to 8
The ghost at 632 Savannah Street is real . . . right?
Gilbert often feels invisible, just like the ghost living at 632 Savannah Street. Despite his family's disbelief, Gilbert leaves gifts for the ghost: a friendship bracelet, a plate of cookies, even a drawing with a note. When each disappears one by one, Gilbert finds that believing and friendship are worth the effort.
For kids who might often feel unseen, Gilbert and the Ghost is a ghostly tale of overcoming obstacles and finding friendship in mysterious places. Gothic, whimsical illustrations make this picture book perfect for spooky season, while its earnest themes make it worth a read all year round.
Gilbert often feels invisible, just like the ghost living at 632 Savannah Street. Despite his family's disbelief, Gilbert leaves gifts for the ghost: a friendship bracelet, a plate of cookies, even a drawing with a note. When each disappears one by one, Gilbert finds that believing and friendship are worth the effort.
For kids who might often feel unseen, Gilbert and the Ghost is a ghostly tale of overcoming obstacles and finding friendship in mysterious places. Gothic, whimsical illustrations make this picture book perfect for spooky season, while its earnest themes make it worth a read all year round.
MY TIDBITS
Friendship takes a cautious and spooky twist in this enjoyable tale.
Gilbert isn't a kid who is always surrounded by friends. He often feels invisible, kind of like a ghost...like the one that lives next door in an eerie house. If it exists, that is. He decides it needs a friend, too, and begins to leave little presents on the doorstep. These always disappear. Gilbert thinks that proves there's a ghost, a friendly one, but his family and friends know the presents might be disappearing due to animals, the wind, and such. Still, Gilbert isn't about to give up and is determined to be this ghost's friend.
The balance of spooky and inspiring messaging makes this an intriguing read, which fits well even with more sensitive readers. The illustrations lean toward the eerie direction thanks to the darker, earthier tones, but this remains in the general atmosphere of the artwork, not the details. Everything feels dreary and uncertain, but a closer look shows usual school and family activities. Even the moments where Gilbert is more isolated from his classmates holds no signs of bullying or contempt, although it's also clear that he's a bit uncomfortable on the social side. The text brings the rest of the story to life as Gilbert claims even ghosts need friends. It's a subtle play along the border of spookiness to delight and entice.
Gilbert's desire to make friends with the ghost is inspiring. The steps he takes to form this difficult friendship are very fitting to the age group and keep both feet in reality. The family's reactions were also very realistic and not overly perfect. They offered a level of support...didn't discourage him by any means...but at the same time, reminded him that there could be other reasons for the disappearances of the items. While a little more support would have been nice, this also creates more sympathy toward Gilbert's endeavors and will have the reader/listener hoping he succeeds.
The ending offers a lovely surprise to round off everything nicely and holds a tiny bit of possibility to, maybe, even lead to a little discussion afterwards of what happened.
It's a touching read for the upcoming Halloween season but easily works for the entire year through.
And here she is...
Heather Stigall uses her experience with children and her degrees in child development, psychology-based human relations, and social work to create stories that speak to kids. Heather is the Critique Group/Meet & Greet Coordinator for the Eastern Pennsylvania chapter of SCBWI and the author of Paisley's Big Birthday (Clavis Publishing) and Gilbert and the Ghost (Beaming Books). Born and raised as a beach-loving, corn-and-tomato-snob Jersey girl, Heather now lives in southeastern Pennsylvania with her husband, pup, and five children. When she's not writing, you can find her reading, relaxing (hopefully at the beach), working out, eating chocolate, baking, or creating all sorts of treasures.
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