Ghost Girl

by Brooke Carter, Alyssa Waterbury (Illustrator)

Ten-year-old Sly is spending the weekend with their fortune-telling grandmother at the mysterious Madsen Mansion.

It’s Samhain, a time when the spirits can cross over into the living world, and the old mansion has secrets whispering in the rafters and unused rooms. When Sly and their grandmother hear a voice calling, Sly unlocks a cabinet that reveals a ghost girl who is trapped in a mirror. Then they accidentally speak the words of the spell that enchanted the girl in the first place, and Sly and their grandmother risk being imprisoned in the mirror as well. With the clock ticking till the end of Samhain, it’s up to Sly to solve the ghost’s riddles and puzzles and locate a long-lost book of spells in hopes of freeing them all.

Genres: Fantasy, Queer, Mystery, LGBT, Middle Grade, Ghosts, Canada

104 pages, Paperback

First published September 13, 2023

About the author

Brooke Carter is the author of several books, including The Stone of Sorrow, Another Miserable Love Song, Learning Seventeen, Lucky Break, The Unbroken Hearts Club, Double or Nothing, Sulfur Heart, Star-Eaters, Ghost Girl, and the forthcoming sequel Ghost Girl: The Other Side.

Reviews

[anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

rep: Irish American nonbinary mc, Irish American characters

well this was super cute! a bit of magical, scary mystery that honestly had even me, as an adult, entertained. and an overflow of familial love! could have been a little longer maybe, a little richer & more fleshed out, but i'm not exactly complaining.

an amazing part is how sly is nonbinary, but no one ever mentions it, apart from always using correct pronouns & sly giving us some comments abt how accepting their parents have been through their journey

i received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

[Kay S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love a good Gothic vibe! A lot of thought went into this book. It's gothy and witchy without being disrespectful to modern practitioners. The non-binary character is treated with respect and quirk just like any other child protagonist. The mystery is exciting but not too complex for the kiddos but still has high enough stakes to make it all scary. And the illustrations are cartoony but still exceptionally detailed.
It does a great job in setting up an early chap book series without depending on the rest of the series to make a story (which is something I find a lot of kidlit authors struggle with). I look forward to the rest of the series and finding out what else Madness Mansion has in store for Sly!

[Katie | niftyreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I should pay more attention when I request a book off Netgalley because I totally thought this was a graphic novel. It was not. It was a lower middle grade book with pictures. But as an adult, I enjoyed it. As a kid, I would have loved it. Also, why can’t adult books have pictures?

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very accessible, early chapter book about a non-binary child named Sly who is spending Samhain with their grandmother, who is, if not a witch, at least has magic.

They notices painting of a girl who is a distant ancestor, and their grandmother says that was the girl that vanished, and no one knows what happened to them.

So Sly, who wears a cape because it makes them feel good, goes about trying to figure out the mystery of the ghost girl.

A quick fun read. I like how Sly is non-binary and that isn’t the focus of the story, just who they are.

The story is plausible, as magic stories are, and Sly gets to be the hero of the story.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out from Orca Book Publishers on the 12th of September 2023.

[Brooke’s Book Daze · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought Ghost Girl was so cute. A fun little read for fall/Halloween/Samhain. It’s not too scary which is great for elementary aged children. As someone who grew up on movies like Halloweentown and Hocus Pocus, I loved the witchy elements. Our main character Sly is nonbinary. I felt the story allowed for a soft introduction to using they/them pronouns without going into much detail on the topic. I loved the illustrations! I wished there were even more. At first, I was sad the inside illustrations weren’t in color like the cover, but this is a very common thing when it’s not a picture book. I want more stories with Sly! Definitely recommend this book if you have children or enjoy children’s books.

Ghost Girl publishing date is September 12th.

Thanks to NetGalley and Orca Book Publishers for this ARC of Ghost Girl. Thoughts and opinions above are my own.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

My young niece is 7 and I've been looking for books that she might like. Sly is a youngster who finds a ghost (a cousin) that is trapped in the spirit world; Sly needs to race against time and solve the clues to save her cousin and grandmother. (Ghost Girl is targeted for age 6-8.)

I was really captivated by the story and the illustrations by Alyssa Waterbury were a nice addition to Ghost Girl.

This is definitely a book that I'm planning on purchasing for my niece.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review the advance read copy of Ghost Girl in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to publisher Orca Pod publishing for approving my NetGalley advance read copy request. Publication date is 12 Sep 2023, in time for Samhain, the most important day of the year ... if you have a witch and fortune teller for a grandmother.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This combines the bests of ghost story, mystery, action/adventure, and family concerns in a chapter book series that features slightly older character Sly (10 years old). The ghost/danger components are both compelling and "safe" enough to allow young readers to enjoy the suspense and heightened concern while feeling confident that the resolution will be a page turn away.
The seat-up at the end of this particular title invites readers back to continue to follow Sly in his real-world worries (divorced parents) and in his newly-aware identity that claims his "witch" heritage and family stories.
With book length just under one hundred pages, combined with larger print, plenty of white space, and short chapters that invite readers to pursue just one more, this is ideal for developing confidence and commitment to read often and fort longer periods.

[Wunderdrugged · Rating 4 out of 5]

This title is nominated for the 2024-25 Hackmatack Award in the English fiction category. Our main character, Sly, has gone to spend the weekend with their maternal grandmother at 'Madsen Mansion'. Only Sly's grandmother isn't like ordinary grandmothers, and her house holds many secrets. After accidentally speaking a portion of a spell aloud, Sly has to solve a series of riddles to find the book of spells in order to complete the spell & stop them from getting trapped in a magic mirror.
I really enjoyed this book, and I thought it was a cool Halloween/spooky tale. It felt a little young for Hackmatack (ages 9-12), but definitely not so much that they wouldn't enjoy the story. I loved that Sly was nonbinary and yet it wasn't a big part of the plot - great to see some of these topics becoming normalized. I would recommend this for grades 3-4.

[E. The Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dramatic and enjoyable chapter book for new readers, with fun illustrations throughout. Ghost Girl is about ten-year-old Sly, a nonbinary but very mature child who is staying at their grandmother's spooky mansion for the weekend. Their grandmother is odd and has a knack for the uncanny, assuring Sly that they're descended from a long line of witches, which makes it easy to catch on right away when Sly accidentally traps their grandmother in a mirror with the eponymous ghost girl, Maeve. Sly must solve riddles related to their family heritage and their grandmother's mysterious mansion, which makes for an exciting and puzzling adventure suitable for young readers around 7-12 years old.

Ghost Girl, written by Canadian Brooke Carter and illustrated by Alyssa Waterbury, was published September 13, 2023.

[Kirsten Caldwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a phenomenal scary mystery for children! Sly goes to stay with her grandmother who is a fortune teller and a witch. She learns that all of the women in her family line were witches and so she probably is one too. When she hears a voice coming from the wardrobe in the room she is staying in, she goes to investigate and discovers a distant cousin stuck in a mirror. If she doesn't solve a bunch of riddles to find the missing spellbook and complete the spell, she will get stuck in the mirror forever too.
Honestly, this is not my favorite genre, but I was hooked! It was so well written that it didn't feel like an early chapter book, but it was simple enough that emerging readers could follow along. I think that every collection should add this one to their shelves.

[Alanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable early chapter book. There were several spooky elements, but it wasn't really scary so I think most readers will enjoy it. The story flows well and is well paced, and the riddles are ones that might be challenging for the target age range, but shouldn't be too difficult. I also found the illustrations to be really well done and a nice addition to the book. I enjoyed the relationships depicted of the main character Sly and their parents and Grandmother. A good book for the autumn season.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for allowing me to review this ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a digital ARC of this early chapter book from NetGalley. It was a cute story in about the middle range of early chapter books. The title and cover will get some attention from kids, I think. The plot is filled with mysteries for our main character to solve as she tries to save herself, her Grandma and a ghost from fading into a mirror forever. The riddles she solves are ones that kids might be able to solve and will understand. Little readers might find it slightly creepy, but not too scary.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet story perfect for kids. It's unique and I really enjoyed this, even as an adult. I would recommend this! Special Thank You to Brooke Carter, Alyssa Waterbury, Orca Book Publishing, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whatever quibbles I may have are far outweighed by what this book crucially provides: a perfect transitioning book in terms of length/difficulty, while also featuring a casually non-binary character in an engaging, lightly spooky adventure. The book's climax was a particular hit for readers.

[SamSamSam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This rocked! Easily the most engaging transitional chapter book I've read, I was on the edge of my seat. The connection between the riddle about the future and Sly looking at the map to find the grave was weak, but otherwise I thoroughly enjoyed this.

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss.

[Themountainbookie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fun book about a Grandmother and her grandmother on a quest in a haunted house.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the setup of the haunted house and the inclusion of the nonbinary main character, but didn't think the mystery was fully fleshed out.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been many moons since I've read a chapter book, but this was super fun! The illustrations were a stand out and the creepy atmosphere was great.

[G · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars ⭐️

Fun and fast paced mystery!

[Lillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Silver Birch Express Nominee 2025

[Ross Felton · Rating 4 out of 5]

a fun quick read for spooky kids!

[Cal | slug wife reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the narrative of this book! Seeing queer characters simply existing without it being a sticking point, especially in a book for younger audiences, warmed my queer inner child. I would gladly recommend this book or purchase it for a younger person in my life that wants a fun read!

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really fun book for young readers who like mystery and solving puzzles.

[Erribella · Rating 5 out of 5]

really cool story not all grandmas are the same . glad. she helped grandma and the gjost