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Ghosts Are People Too
Oh, hello spooky living person. Welcome to my book which educates the living on what it's like to be a ghost and why we shouldn't be afraid of one another. In his debut publication, Peter Ricq introduces us to Ethan Alby, a ghost who lives among us "spooky living people" and who genuinely wants to be friends. Charming and tongue-in-cheek text is paired with pointillism art giving the book a film noir meets Tim Burton mood and aesthetic.
- GenresPicture BooksChildrens
44 pages, Hardcover
Published May 10, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 7, 2023
Ethan Alby is a person, just like me & you, though you cannot see him because he’s a ghost too. In this superbly illustrated story, the younger reader is encouraged to laugh & giggle as Ethan explains to them that he is just as they are, but a little different.
It seems a more common approach to encourage children & young people to understand that ghosts are not real. Any imaginary friend or spooky sighting can be attributed to many tangible things in the non-fictional, non-paranormal world. Yet, Ricq has taken the opposite approach & I cannot help but be grateful.
Being a sucker, even in my most scaredy-cat days, for a ghost story, I was drawn to the gothic illustrations of this book. Ethan & his family are creepy & odd but we are given the opportunity to know them for the people they are—supposing they were living beings like us at one point too—rather than focusing on their outer physique which leaves a bit of room for the imagination to run amuck.
There are many illustrations in this book that led me to laugh out loud. Poor Ethan standing lonesomely in the hallway turning the lights on because he’s afraid of the dark, for example. This story truly sheds light on how a change of mindset can render a situation less scary if we give ourselves the opportunity to think it over. Perhaps there are ghosts roaming around that are trying to lend us a helping hand or maybe they’re afraid of the same horror movies that we are & this is why we hear bumps in the dark during our watch.
Overall, this is the exact type of book that would draw me in as a child, just as it has now. The section at the back encouraging the young reader to write about their own ghostly experiences does offer them the chance to think about something that might have led them to feel afraid whilst holding true to the moral of the story; maybe what we were afraid of wasn’t so scary after all?
Thank you to Edelweiss+, Eye of Newt Books, & Peter Ricq for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
It seems a more common approach to encourage children & young people to understand that ghosts are not real. Any imaginary friend or spooky sighting can be attributed to many tangible things in the non-fictional, non-paranormal world. Yet, Ricq has taken the opposite approach & I cannot help but be grateful.
Being a sucker, even in my most scaredy-cat days, for a ghost story, I was drawn to the gothic illustrations of this book. Ethan & his family are creepy & odd but we are given the opportunity to know them for the people they are—supposing they were living beings like us at one point too—rather than focusing on their outer physique which leaves a bit of room for the imagination to run amuck.
There are many illustrations in this book that led me to laugh out loud. Poor Ethan standing lonesomely in the hallway turning the lights on because he’s afraid of the dark, for example. This story truly sheds light on how a change of mindset can render a situation less scary if we give ourselves the opportunity to think it over. Perhaps there are ghosts roaming around that are trying to lend us a helping hand or maybe they’re afraid of the same horror movies that we are & this is why we hear bumps in the dark during our watch.
Overall, this is the exact type of book that would draw me in as a child, just as it has now. The section at the back encouraging the young reader to write about their own ghostly experiences does offer them the chance to think about something that might have led them to feel afraid whilst holding true to the moral of the story; maybe what we were afraid of wasn’t so scary after all?
Thank you to Edelweiss+, Eye of Newt Books, & Peter Ricq for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
October 15, 2021
A curious picture book about a child ghost telling your child (I am supposing you're reading this to a child of your own) that he is still a person, which is actually a good point to make.
I say curious, because towards the end of the book there are short little ghost stories, and there is space for your child to recount their own experiences with hauntings. I think most parents would take the tack of persuading their children that ghosts aren't real.
In this book ghosts are not only real, they're nothing to be scared of. In fact, Ethan Alby, the little ghost boy is more scared of us living people.
The art is a bit Edward Gorey-ish, and hovers between being cute and a bit.. off, which is a fun place for picture book art to be (I have nice memories of picture books that are a bit scary).
(Picked up an ARC through Edelweiss)
I say curious, because towards the end of the book there are short little ghost stories, and there is space for your child to recount their own experiences with hauntings. I think most parents would take the tack of persuading their children that ghosts aren't real.
In this book ghosts are not only real, they're nothing to be scared of. In fact, Ethan Alby, the little ghost boy is more scared of us living people.
The art is a bit Edward Gorey-ish, and hovers between being cute and a bit.. off, which is a fun place for picture book art to be (I have nice memories of picture books that are a bit scary).
(Picked up an ARC through Edelweiss)
October 12, 2021
Yes, hello, I am back with spooky picture books. It's the time of year again.
This one is about how ghosts are people too, and maybe they just wanna be your friends - and also, maybe, just maybe, they might be afraid of the living in some cases.
This was very cute, written in the perspective of a young boy who just happens to be a ghost and who lives in a house that seems to be occupied by the living, which was cute as heck and I loved it.
Then it got even better with a short intro into ghost hunting, what supplies you might need to set you up, and even a space to insert own ghost stories. Additionally, there were a few tales about ghostly encounters, previously published tales. One I even knew, from listening to Two Girls One Ghost. Those are positive ghost stories that would appeal to children. No stuff I'd need to put trigger warnings to.
This book would have been my favourite as a toddler, hands down.
Speaking as someone who still has the book about vampire crocodiles who live in an old mansion.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
This one is about how ghosts are people too, and maybe they just wanna be your friends - and also, maybe, just maybe, they might be afraid of the living in some cases.
This was very cute, written in the perspective of a young boy who just happens to be a ghost and who lives in a house that seems to be occupied by the living, which was cute as heck and I loved it.
Then it got even better with a short intro into ghost hunting, what supplies you might need to set you up, and even a space to insert own ghost stories. Additionally, there were a few tales about ghostly encounters, previously published tales. One I even knew, from listening to Two Girls One Ghost. Those are positive ghost stories that would appeal to children. No stuff I'd need to put trigger warnings to.
This book would have been my favourite as a toddler, hands down.
Speaking as someone who still has the book about vampire crocodiles who live in an old mansion.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
November 15, 2021
Such an adorable, spooky little picture book about how not all ghosts are bad and are people, too.
May 8, 2022
I loved this book. It's adorable!
The illustrations are delightful and the story is cute. :) I like the creepy elements, and I enjoy the references to creepy things the living do.
The illustrations are delightful and the story is cute. :) I like the creepy elements, and I enjoy the references to creepy things the living do.
December 20, 2021
https://www.deviantquill.com/post/gho...
A spooky picture book for children with a newly emerging gothic personality, or for those little ones who are afraid of ghosts. Ethan resembles a character of the Addams family, who is friendly and misunderstood. What better way to teach a young child they shouldn't be afraid of ghosts than from the words of a ghost their age? The illustrations are monochromatic, and they remind me of a Tim Burton movie. It's nothing like "horror for children" but more like something they would read on Halloween.
Something else I really enjoyed were the ghost stories that stemmed from the experiences of real people. They are all simplified and present ghosts helping living people, one of them even saving them from a terrible death. The end of the book has 3 pages where the young readers can describe their own ghost encounters and draw the story. A few pages are reserved for gadgets that children can use to detect ghosts in the house. It's a very enjoyable little book that has the potential to help them not be afraid and it enhances their level of empathy.
Review copy provided by Consortium Book Sales & Distribution @ Edelweiss+
A spooky picture book for children with a newly emerging gothic personality, or for those little ones who are afraid of ghosts. Ethan resembles a character of the Addams family, who is friendly and misunderstood. What better way to teach a young child they shouldn't be afraid of ghosts than from the words of a ghost their age? The illustrations are monochromatic, and they remind me of a Tim Burton movie. It's nothing like "horror for children" but more like something they would read on Halloween.
Something else I really enjoyed were the ghost stories that stemmed from the experiences of real people. They are all simplified and present ghosts helping living people, one of them even saving them from a terrible death. The end of the book has 3 pages where the young readers can describe their own ghost encounters and draw the story. A few pages are reserved for gadgets that children can use to detect ghosts in the house. It's a very enjoyable little book that has the potential to help them not be afraid and it enhances their level of empathy.
Review copy provided by Consortium Book Sales & Distribution @ Edelweiss+
December 29, 2023
Thanks to Publisher Spotlight for a free review copy of this book.
This quirky little book is perfect to use with youngsters who are afraid of ghosts, the dark, or other spooky things, as it turns the table and shows a ghost afraid of living things in the first half of this book. The second half shows tools to use to "find a ghost" in your home, several little not-too-spooky ghost stories, and a few pages to document an encounter with a friendly ghost.
The text is calm and reassuring - perfect for this age. The goth-looking artwork done in sepia tones show the ghostly boy in his shorts, jacket, and ribbon tie. The emotions he shows are fun and work well with the text, particularly when he is afraid - his big round eyes really bulge out. The humor will carry young listeners through this one!
Perfect during Halloween or whenever a spooky story is requested (or not!).
Recommended for PreS-gr.2.
This quirky little book is perfect to use with youngsters who are afraid of ghosts, the dark, or other spooky things, as it turns the table and shows a ghost afraid of living things in the first half of this book. The second half shows tools to use to "find a ghost" in your home, several little not-too-spooky ghost stories, and a few pages to document an encounter with a friendly ghost.
The text is calm and reassuring - perfect for this age. The goth-looking artwork done in sepia tones show the ghostly boy in his shorts, jacket, and ribbon tie. The emotions he shows are fun and work well with the text, particularly when he is afraid - his big round eyes really bulge out. The humor will carry young listeners through this one!
Perfect during Halloween or whenever a spooky story is requested (or not!).
Recommended for PreS-gr.2.
December 4, 2021
A book whose visual quality is in no way matched by the script. Short texts each left-hand page add to the illustrations on the right-hand, which are fine – really well-crafted, characterful and things that have lots going for them. That can't be said about the script, and even when it gets its final form (I saw a copy so much in advance some of it wasn't even grammatical) I doubt it will be on a par with the visuals. It's about a boy ghost, one of a whole family of ghosts, pleading forgiveness for spooking us and breaking our things, and pining for a human girl. It offers so little the book then features three incidences of ghost stories, supposedly from real events, and space for us to include our own, first-hand fourth one. The illustrations would certainly herald a fine talent, but the rest needs to step up no end to equal them.
January 20, 2024
Everyone has heard of a ghost story or two. Hearing things that go bump in the night, something breaking or falling that cannot be explained, or a sound that you think no one made…
It could be that you have more friends in your house than you think!
Meet Ethan Alby, an ordinary ghost with an important message: Ghosts Are People Too!
Oddly enough, Ethan points out that while us (the living) think ghosts are pretty creepy, the living partake in some pretty scary activities as well!
Read this eye opening and funny story with your little and at the end learn all about finding your own ghost. Plus a couple of real life ghost stories at the end 👻 Happy Haunting!
It could be that you have more friends in your house than you think!
Meet Ethan Alby, an ordinary ghost with an important message: Ghosts Are People Too!
Oddly enough, Ethan points out that while us (the living) think ghosts are pretty creepy, the living partake in some pretty scary activities as well!
Read this eye opening and funny story with your little and at the end learn all about finding your own ghost. Plus a couple of real life ghost stories at the end 👻 Happy Haunting!
October 11, 2021
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for allowing me to review this book early. Rating and review are my own.
Ghosts Are People Too is a cute kids picture book about a ghost who is just as scared of living people as they are of him. This is a fun little book to read with the young kids around Halloween, especially if they are interested in ghosts or you want to help them alleviate their fears. Because the ghost in this story is friendly one!
Ghosts Are People Too is a cute kids picture book about a ghost who is just as scared of living people as they are of him. This is a fun little book to read with the young kids around Halloween, especially if they are interested in ghosts or you want to help them alleviate their fears. Because the ghost in this story is friendly one!
October 17, 2021
Ethan Alby is a young ghost, who just wants to prove to the living that they are just like us.
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We follow Ethan who wants to show the readers that he just wants to be friends, and they aren’t so different. This whole concept is absolutely adorable, and I want more of the illustrations. I think there should be more spooky books for kids, and this is a great one to have out there.
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Thank you to Edelweiss for the ARC!
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We follow Ethan who wants to show the readers that he just wants to be friends, and they aren’t so different. This whole concept is absolutely adorable, and I want more of the illustrations. I think there should be more spooky books for kids, and this is a great one to have out there.
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Thank you to Edelweiss for the ARC!
September 18, 2024
Language: G (0 swears, 0 "f"); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG
There isn't much of a storyline; mostly this book offers a different perspective on ghosts. The most interesting part was the afterward of three reportedly true stories of positive ghost interactions in real life.
The mature content rating is for scary elements. The violence rating is for the illustrations of the main character's dead family members.
There isn't much of a storyline; mostly this book offers a different perspective on ghosts. The most interesting part was the afterward of three reportedly true stories of positive ghost interactions in real life.
The mature content rating is for scary elements. The violence rating is for the illustrations of the main character's dead family members.
May 13, 2025
I like how it had real ghost stories at the end of the book. I personally didn’t like it as much as I felt like it should. I personally felt like it was encouraging kiddos to find ghosts and I don’t vibe with that and that’s why I personally made it a lower rating. The drawings were cool though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 24, 2021
There is something about the revived vintage cartoon, cutesy-creepy drawing style that's just genuinely scary? Mommy, I don't like the illustrated clown, and I'm not even afraid of clowns.
***I received a digital copy from the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.***
***I received a digital copy from the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.***
May 8, 2022
Very cute picture book with some amazing illustrations. Definitely has some a little life lesson or two hidden in there as well. I enjoyed reading it quite a bit and think its worth it just for the artwork alone.
October 28, 2021
I received an advanced reader copy of this book from Edelweiss. Cute picture book about a ghost who just wants to be understood.
December 3, 2021
adorable collections of spooky pictures.
October 27, 2022
This book shows kids that ghosts can be nice and approachable, all with adorable art work. I liked the real ghost stories at the end too.
March 25, 2023
OBSESSED with the illustrations. Story was okay.
February 10, 2024
I thought the illustrations were spectacular, but the story less so.
April 2, 2024
Eric - The ghost was very friendly. 👻
Charlotte says 3/5 - the ghost just doesn't feel right.
Mom- written from a young ghosts perspective, it's a little sad and a little creepy. 4/5
Charlotte says 3/5 - the ghost just doesn't feel right.
Mom- written from a young ghosts perspective, it's a little sad and a little creepy. 4/5
May 11, 2026
If you have a child who loves creepy, this is the book for them. Make sure to read all the way to the end…
May 1, 2026
Really cute story about a child ghost living in a house with living people. He says that he is afraid sometimes of them too and their moving picture window they call a "Teevee." He apologizes for sometimes breaking things, because like a human, he drops stuff too. He wanted to tell you about himself so the next time you hear, see, or feel a ghost in your home, you'll know that ghosts are people too and you needn't be so afraid.
The book also details how you can find and prove a ghost lives with you, as well as a space to document your encounter with a friendly ghost. :)
The book also details how you can find and prove a ghost lives with you, as well as a space to document your encounter with a friendly ghost. :)
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews