Ghosts

Aggie and the Ghost / Matthew Forsythe

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Aggie and the Ghost
By: Matthew Forsythe
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book
Number of Pages: 64
Published: August 19, 2025
Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
Dates Read: November 23, 2025
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Aggie is very excited to live on her own and have peace and quiet. Unfortunately, her new house comes with a ghost, who disturbs everything. Fear not, Aggie has a list of rules. But the ghost doesn’t like playing by the rules and challenges Aggie to an epic game of tic-tac-toe.

The art of this is unique and quirky. 

The overall story for kids is really how to adjust and live with someone who maybe drives you up the wall, and that maybe, when they live, you will miss them.

The Little Ghost Quilt’s Winter Surprise / Riel Nason, Byron Eggenschwiler (Illustrator)

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The Little Ghost Quilt’s Winter Surprise
By: Riel Nason, Byron Eggenschwiler (Illustrator)
Genre: Children’s
Number of Pages: 48 
Published: August 26, 2025
Publisher: Tundra Books
Dates Read: August 18, 2025
Format: ARC / eBook

Little ghost quilt loves being out in the cold, with the thickness of his patches, he doesn’t overheat – especially when it starts snowing. But his friends, who are sheets, get too cold and freeze in the winter weather and have to stay inside. Little ghost quilt doesn’t mind drifting around on his own, but sometimes he does miss his friends.

One day, little ghost quilt sees something bright and sparkling in town. Upon further investigation, he sees people are putting up twinkling lights and warm festivities are in the air – it’s almost like Halloween, but with snowmen instead of pumpkins, and presents instead of buckets of candy. He is filled with excitement, but he really wants his friends to see.

On his way home, little ghost quilt gets caught in a blizzard and after getting snagged in a tree, he is struck by inspiration.

I went into this children’s book, not having read the first book but was immediately caught by the illustration on the cover.

It’s such a cute book about something that’s typically meant for Halloween, finding out about Christmas. As someone who tends to keep Halloween decorations up year around anyway, this just makes me smile even more. What’s more is that little ghost quilt shows a lot of empathy for his friends and thinking creatively on how to share something new for them.

Overall, this is an adorable book for children about the joys of winter festivities that I think adults would also enjoy for the cute illustrations.

*Thank you Tundra Books and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

The Grumpy Ghost Upstairs / Mamiko Shiotani

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The Grumpy Ghost Upstairs
By: Mamiko Shiotani
Genre: Children’s
Number of Pages: 36 
Published: August 5, 2025
Publisher: Floria Books
Dates Read: July 10, 2025
Format: ARC / eBook

A little ghost lives in the attic of a big house. He’s alone, but that’s just how he likes it. One day, a curious young girl begins hanging out in the attic, disturbing the ghost’s peace and quiet. Since she won’t leave the ghost alone, he decides to do what ghosts do best: haunt.

What a great book to talk about the importance of change and embracing new friendships 

With artwork reminiscent of Brian Selznick, readers of all ages are bound to giggle at this grumpy ghost’s antics.

Funeral Songs for Dying Girls / Cherie Dimaline

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Funeral Songs for Dying Girls
By: Cherie Dimaline
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Number of Pages: 280
Published: April 4, 2023
Publisher: Tundra Books
Dates Read: September 11, 2023 - September 14, 2023
Format: Hardcover

Winifred has lived in the apartment above the cemetery office with her father, who works for the crematorium, all her life. She loves to spend her time wandering around the graveyard, but because she does this at all hours of the day and night, a rumor has started that Winterson Cemetery is haunted. It’s great news, because Winifred’s dad is on the verge of having his job outsourced. Now, Winifred needs to keep the ruse of a haunted cemetery up with the help of her con-artist cousin. But, when Phil, an actual ghost of a teenage girl starts showing up, it makes Winifred question everything.

I had a hard time caring about the characters in this one. I understood that Winifred was a loner and didn’t have many friends, but then she had a falling out with a guy who didn’t really seem to be her friend anyway, made it hard for me to care that it happened? And then the random sex talks would throw me off…

The nonlinear writing would get me mixed up as well. I wasn’t sure if it was something happening in the past or the present because scenes were never clearly ended, they would just blend into one another.

Overall, I still liked the story for the family element of it, but it wasn’t something I absolutely loved. It was a coming of age, slow burn (if that makes sense).

*Thank you Tundra Books and LibraryThing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review