A Friend for Ghost

by Suzanne Kaufman

Friendship comes in the most unlikely of places when a lonely ghost meets a buoyant new companion.

“Above a noisy family,
On a crowded street,
In the big city,
In a dark lonely attic,
Lived Ghost.”

For Ghost, it can be pretty hard to make new friends. Some people are frightened, others don’t understand, most don’t seem to realize Ghost is even there.

One day when a bright red balloon wanders Ghost’s way, the connection is instantaneous. Together they do everything Ghost had ever hoped to share with a friend, but balloons rarely stick around for long. That’s when Ghost learns that when you’re looking for a friend, a friend might find you.

With A Friend for Ghost Suzanne Kaufman, New York Times Bestselling illustrator of All Are Welcome, brings her talents to bear in an utterly charming tale about friendships and the wish to find them.

Genres: Picture Books, Friendship, Halloween, Childrens, Storytime, Ghosts

32 pages, Hardcover

Published August 23, 2022

Reviews

[Laura]

“Sometimes when you are looking for a friend… A friend finds you.”

Oh, my goodness! What a fun, big-hearted read about a lonely Ghost who finally finds a friend. A balloon friend! This floating duo share and play day after day. Until balloon drifts away on a breeze. Can these BFFs be reunited?

The watercolor art is perfect. Lovely actually! I thought the style fit the story to a T. Balloon’s bright red color and smile made me smile. And Ghost’s sweet, sweet face and big glasses made my smile and heart grow even more! It all added up to huge heart and huge smiles.

This Halloweenie read’s heartfelt message of friendship can be enjoyed all year long.

A must-read for readers and balloons of all ages. :)

[Ms. B]

3.5 stars. Sweet story about a little ghost looking for a friend. It's not easy when few can see you. You will want to look at this one again and again to see the details in the illustrations. Take a peek at the endpapers too; they change from the beginning to the end of the story.

[Kirin]

I picked up this book because of the hijabi on the cover, and if you are ok with a ghost as a character (fantasy) the book is adorable, simple, and sweet. The fact that the character that feels overlooked and friendless is actually a ghost just personified as the emotions being felt is well done. The sparse text with a happy ending is ideal for little kids and could be used as a tool to teach empathy and being a friend. I love some of the details, including the #muslimintheillustrations, the dog being able to see the ghost, and the expressions on some of the characters. There is nothing Halloweenish, or scary or fantastical outside of the presentation of the ghost. A good book all year long. #islamicschoollibrarian #2022 @muslimintheillustration #muslimsintheillustration #muslimsintheillustrations @holidayhouse @nealporterbooks

[Molly Cluff (Library!)]

A very simple story with a bit of an overly-easy ending, but also adorable, so I don't really mind! A ghost has no friends until he meets a red balloon with a smiley face on it. But one day while they're playing hide-and-seek the balloon floats away. The little faces on the ghost and balloon are super endearing. Some of the pages have busier illustrations, so it would be fun to have younger children try to point out where ghost is on each page.

[Andrew]

A lonely ghost can't make a friend...That's because nobody can see him. But...when a balloon floats by, Ghost may find a friend after all...but what happens when...

An adorably sweet picture book about making friends, its very heartfelt and its easy to love Ghost because of how cute he is (Move aside Casper, not even kidding). The illustrations are so cartoonish but so full of color and emotion that you can't help but turn this quick picture book into an enjoyable read.

[MandM]

4++. Such a sweet story about finding friendship. The Ghost looking for a friend is cute and she is the one who is timid and scared. Illustration are charming. Illustrations include many cultures, races and handicap children. A delightful story for autumn/Halloween or anytime.
Thank you Holiday House for suggesting it to me.

[Margo Tanenbaum]

Adorable non-scary ghost story perfect for preschool and kindergarten.

[Sarah BT]

Adorable and sweet! Pair with A Wee Boo, Spencer's New Pet, or Leo: A Ghost Story.

[Barbara]

With ink and opaque watercolor illustrations and diverse youngsters who only serve as background and aren't really part of the plot, this picture book offers a good lesson about friendship in an unlikely form. Ghost, who wears glasses, lives in an attic above a busy family. He is hardly noticed, and when he is, it isn't for good reasons. Desperate and lonely, Ghost wanders through the neighborhood and into a playground. When a red balloon passes by, Ghost seizes the opportunity for friendship. He and his new friend spend time together until the balloon drifts away during a game of Hide-and-Seek. Although Ghost looks everywhere, his friend is gone. Fortunately, another ghost carrying a red balloon happens by, offering his friendship. It isn't clear if the balloon he is carrying is the one that Ghost originally lost although that's doubtful, given how quickly balloons deflate in the out of doors, but either way, Ghost now no longer has to spend days and nights alone, longing for a friend. The book's messages that sometimes friends arrive in unexpected ways and forms and that friends may find you even while you are looking for someone or something else are important for youngsters to keep in mind.

[Matthew]

A Friend for Ghost (2022) by Suzanne Kaufman was a very warm and wonderful story about loneliness and the importance of friendship, no matter what form it takes. Ghost is a ghost who lives in the attic of this house. Ghost wants a friend, but is unable to have such relationships because all the people they meet are humans who cannot see them because they are a ghost.

Then one day Ghost meets a red balloon with a smiley face on it. Finally, they found a friend, but when they play a game of hide and seek, the balloon floats away and Ghost is in search of their friend. The ending is sweet and happy. I really enjoyed the illustrations at well. It was a mixture of watercolor and marker or pencil (not sure). All in all, a simple, but happy read. My rating – 3/5

[Meredith]

A lonely ghost longs for a friend.

Ghost lives alone in an attic in the city, unnoticed by anyone. He often visits the nearby park where he watches the children play together and wishes for a friend. One day a red balloon with a smiley face on it drifts up to Ghost, and Ghost is thrilled to have a "friend."

Then one day while playing in the park, the balloon floats away. Ghost is heartbroken. He plasters the neighborhood with lost friend posters before he resigns himself to the loss. To his surprise another ghost appears with his missing balloon, and the trio become friends.

This picture book addresses the experience loneliness and friendship.

The illustrations were done in ink and opaque watercolor.

[Sara]

📖Sometimes you find a friend in the most unlikely way. Meet ghost, he lives in crowded city but feels so alone. It is almost like everyone is looking right through him! All he really wants is a friend, to play all the time and to share everything with. One day he finally meets the friend he had beed searching for. Will his new friendship last? You’ll have to read the book to find out!
📖 I love the story of this sweet ghost (his adorable glasses are everything!). A cute little tale that lets the reader know that everyone needs a friend and a good friend is worth searching for.

[Cynthia]

“A friend for Ghost” is a story about friendship. It follows a ghost who befriended a big red balloon with whom he did everything but one day accidentally lets go of it and loses its friend to the sky. In the search for its friend, it later bumps into another ghost who also happens to be holding a balloon. They become friends. To me, the moral of the story is that good friends come when they’re least expected and you don’t have to search so hard for them.

[McKenzie Squires]

This story was short but very sweet. I think the illustrations added a lot to the story as well. Something I really enjoyed was the representation shown in the book. There is not just a set "look" for the children in the book or on the cover. As well, I love that children can relate to this. When Ghosts lets go of the balloon (his friend) I think anyone can relate to this, as most if not all of us have probably accidentally let go of a balloon outside before.

[Tina Hoggatt]

A shy ghost who feels - and is - unseen finds a friend in a red balloon but when the new friend takes off...losing a friend is a hard thing. All is well in the end and the illustrations, in a loose, pen and ink and watercolor style, are breezy and swing the story along. A double page spread of the ghost searching is a thing of genius.

[Erin]

For such a short, sweet, simple book, there are a number of highs and lows that get squashed in here. Ghost looks for a friend, but has a hard time finding one. Then, success! But a game of hide and seek gone wrong means that ghost loses his friend. Will he ever find them again?

The illustrations have a sketchy, bright, warm quality that draws you right in to ghost's world.

Charming.

[Monique]

I fell in love with this picturebook. The story, which was so charming and heartfelt. The illustrations, which gave me a 60s/early 70s vibe in the years of children's illustrators. The little ghost, with their big glasses and the balloon friend he made. The one with the happy face, who one day drifts away and you wonder what little ghost will do now for a friend?

[Danni Nemes]

A good book to introduce the idea of making new friends to students. This young ghost finds his true friends when he isn't expecting to and learns how to feel comfortable even if he doesn't always fit in.

[Andréa]

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

[Rachel]

No, I did not almost just cry at a picture book. Who told you that? Okay, but seriously, this is so sweet and a bit reminiscent of "Gustavo, the Shy Ghost," and I loved it.

[Sue Marie]

An adorable story about friendship, ghost style.

[sekar banjaran aji]

Sometimes when you looking for a friend, a friend finds you! This quote really hooked me up. i love this surreal story and nice water painting style.

[Luisa Zhuravleva]

I love how this is a simple story about friendship with a simple lesson about friendship: Sometimes when you are looking for a friend, a friend finds you.

[SamSamSam]

Phew, my heart was about to be broken

[Michelle Gray]

Themes: cute not spooky, ghosts, making friends

[Syntha Green]

Really sweet, definitely using in storytime

[IvyInThePages]

Rating: 5 leaves out of 5
Characters: 5/5
Cover: 5/5
Story: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Genre: Children
Type: Book
Worth?: Yes

[Stephanie]

The final page turn surprised in the best way. Such a cute story.

[Miss Ryoko]

The illustrations in this book were SO CUTE!! This is the cutest ghost I've ever seen. Truly adorable!

[Colleen]

The story is more of a 2.5 but the art is lovely.