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howlinglibraries's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Ghost Girl was a fun, atmospheric little story about a very lovable trio of kids. I can definitely see recommending this to any kid who likes horror or dark fantasy stories! While there are some creepy elements, I don't think this is a story that's going to scare the average kid, and I would pitch it as paranormal fantasy just as soon as horror.
My favorite thing about Ghost Girl wasn't the spooky atmosphere or the writing or the plot, but was the characters, and how well we got to watch their friendships blossom with one another. Zee, Elijah, and Nellie are all incredibly lovable kids and you can't help but root for them - even Nellie, who gets a rough start but I quickly warmed up to.
There are some sad and heavy elements at play here, too: Zee's mother passed away in childbirth, and Zee blames herself; Elijah's father fat-shames him and Elijah's mother is doing poorly with her mental health; and Nellie depicts the sort of classic "mean girl with a miserable home life" trope. I enjoyed how Malinenko didn't shy away from any of these topics, but still allowed a gleam of hope to shine through.
Ghost Girl wasn't a perfect read for me, but I enjoyed it overall and absolutely recommend it to young readers, as well as any adult who loves middle grade stories and needs a good reminder of the power of friendship and love.
✨ Representation: Zee is questioning and implied queer; Elijah is Black and fat
My favorite thing about Ghost Girl wasn't the spooky atmosphere or the writing or the plot, but was the characters, and how well we got to watch their friendships blossom with one another. Zee, Elijah, and Nellie are all incredibly lovable kids and you can't help but root for them - even Nellie, who gets a rough start but I quickly warmed up to.
There are some sad and heavy elements at play here, too: Zee's mother passed away in childbirth, and Zee blames herself; Elijah's father fat-shames him and Elijah's mother is doing poorly with her mental health; and Nellie depicts the sort of classic "mean girl with a miserable home life" trope. I enjoyed how Malinenko didn't shy away from any of these topics, but still allowed a gleam of hope to shine through.
Ghost Girl wasn't a perfect read for me, but I enjoyed it overall and absolutely recommend it to young readers, as well as any adult who loves middle grade stories and needs a good reminder of the power of friendship and love.
✨ Representation: Zee is questioning and implied queer; Elijah is Black and fat
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Fatphobia, and Mental illness
Minor: Emotional abuse and Child abuse
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