Ghoulia (Ghoulia Series #1)

by Barbara Cantini

Overview

Ghoulia: Making New Friends Can Be Scary is the first book in this popular full-color chapter book series, a great fit for readers who enjoy a mix of humor, adventure, and a touch of the macabre.

Ghoulia is a typical little girl . . .who happens to be a zombie. She lives in Crumbling Manor with her Auntie Departed and albino greyhound named Tragedy.

In search of a real friend, Ghoulia tries to venture past the manor’s walls, but she can’t hide her pale green skin or the deep purple circles under her eyes. The other children will be afraid of her, and no one will want to be her friend.

But when Halloween rolls around, Ghoulia hatches a brilliant plan. All the other ordinary children will be dressed up like monsters, so Ghoulia can go out into the town and be entirely herself. In the end, all the kids realize that Ghoulia is (almost) just like them and learn that friendship can come in many forms.

“Cantini depicts her undead urchin Tim Burton-style, with stitched lips, gray skin, and purple shadows beneath huge eyeballs. The manorial setting has an Addams Family vibe and provides just the right spooky setting for this series opener.” (Kirkus)

Perfect for ages 6-8, reluctant readers, and fans of Wednesday and The Addams Family, this Halloween-themed series combines a love for the spooky with lessons about acceptance and courage. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to Ghoulia's world, this collection is a must-have for any young reader's library.

Includes bonus activities

Ghoulia series:
Ghoulia: Making New Friends Can Be Scary (#1)
Ghoulia and the Mysterious Visitor (#2)
Ghoulia and the Ghost with No Name (#3)
Ghoulia and the Doomed Manor (#4)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419732935
Publisher:	Amulet Books
Publication date:	08/28/2018
Series:	Ghoulia Series , #1
Pages:	64
Sales rank:	522,879
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	6 - 8 Years

About the Author

Barbara Cantini is the illustrator of numerous books for young readers. Ghoulia is her first author-illustrated project. She lives in the Tuscan countryside with her husband and their two daughters, three cats, and a slightly daft hamster.

Editorial Reviews

07/02/2018
Ghoulia wants to blend in with other kids, but her appearance (greenish-gray skin, Ping-Pong ball eyes) and special talents (she can yank off and reattach her body parts at will) give her away—she’s “a perfectly normal zombie girl.” Living in Crumbling Manor at the edge of town, Ghoulia and her Auntie Departed fear discovery and subsequent banishment, so Ghoulia spends her time with her beloved albino greyhound, Tragedy. Still, she longs for friendship with other children, and when she learns about trick-or-treating, she sees her chance to mingle undetected. In a happy resolution, Ghoulia’s identity comes out (she can’t resist removing her head in front of the other kids), and her new friends accept and celebrate her unique qualities. Cantini’s detailed grayscale drawings ramp up the comedy on every page with labels and asides, including a page from Ghoulia’s Halloween-prep journal. This well-paced series opener will work well as both a read-aloud and a humorous choice for newly independent readers. Ages 6–8. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

"Cantini depicts her undead urchin Tim Burton-style, with stitched lips, gray skin, and purple shadows beneath huge eyeballs . . . the manorial setting has an Addams Family vibe and provides just the right spooky setting for this series opener."—Kirkus Reviews

"Cantini’s new series is awash in shadowy mixedmedia illustrations that will snag the attention of young Tim Burton fans. Charmingly morbid, the artwork is full of details and funny, handwritten labels that will keep beginning readers focused on the page. Youngsters will connect with Ghoulia’s warm personality and the relatable challenge of making friends. This series starter is definitely a treat."

—Booklist

"Cantini’s detailed full-color drawings ramp up the comedy on every page with labels and asides, including a page from Ghoulia’s Halloween-prep journal. This well-paced series opener will work well as both a read-aloud and a humorous choice for newly independent readers."—Publishers Weekly

"Cantini’s extensive illustrations are full of humorous details, and Ghoulia is expressive and charming in a Tim Burton kind of way."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

"Cantini’s new series is awash in shadowy mixedmedia illustrations that will snag the attention of young Tim Burton fans. Charmingly morbid, the artwork is full of details and funny, handwritten labels that will keep beginning readers focused on the page. Youngsters will connect with Ghoulia’s warm personality and the relatable challenge of making friends. This series starter is definitely a treat."

Booklist

"Cantini’s new series is awash in shadowy mixedmedia illustrations that will snag the attention of young Tim Burton fans. Charmingly morbid, the artwork is full of details and funny, handwritten labels that will keep beginning readers focused on the page. Youngsters will connect with Ghoulia’s warm personality and the relatable challenge of making friends. This series starter is definitely a treat."

Booklist

07/01/2018
Gr 1–3—A zombie ventures forth to make friends in this illustrated beginning chapter book. Ghoulia lives with her Auntie Departed and her (mostly dead) extended family at Crumbling Manor. It's not entirely dull; ghostly Grandad Coffin enjoys a game of chess, and Uncle Misfortune's disembodied head is a chatterbox. Still, it's not the same as having friends, so Ghoulia plans a Halloween escape to infiltrate the nearby town's trick-or-treaters. With Uncle Misfortune's head as a goodie bag, she meets a group of costumed kids who seem willing to accept her, until her eagerness to impress threatens to expose her secret. It's a familiar story line, but Cantini's extensive illustrations are full of humorous details, and Ghoulia is expressive and charming in a Tim Burton kind of way. Unfortunately, the artwork alone provides most of the interest in terms of character and setting; the text, translated from Italian, is flat and uninspired. Additionally, while it's a short narrative with a limited number of sentences per page, the vocabulary will be challenging for many beginning readers. This is a good pick for younger children reading independently, and the smaller font size and appealing cartoon illustrations also make it an option for older readers in need of easier texts that don't appear too juvenile. VERDICT A likely hit with young fans of humorous horror, and a solid addition to larger collections in need of easy illustrated chapter books.—Chelsea Couillard-Smith, Hennepin County Library, MN

School Library Journal

2018-04-25
A lonely zombie makes new friends just by being herself—on Halloween.Quelled by Auntie Departed's warnings, young Ghoulia has always confined her outdoor play to the walled grounds of Crumbling Manor…until she eavesdrops on some living children and learns about Halloween. Taking advantage of this perfect opportunity to fit in, she sneaks out with her albino greyhound (and gifted hairdresser), Tragedy, for some trick-or-treating. Hearing her name as "Julia," the costumed children welcome her. But when they compete to see who's the scariest, Ghoulia forgets herself and does her "special scary move," tossing her head in the air and catching it in one hand. The children stand wide-eyed through no fewer than three illustrations on three successive pages—and then welcome her with wild delight and agree to keep her secret from the grown-ups. From then on they become regular visitors to Crumbling Manor. In full-color pictures that take up all or most of every page, Cantini depicts her undead urchin Tim Burton-style, with stitched lips, gray skin, and purple shadows beneath huge eyeballs (everyone else appears white—or sheet white). Assisted by suggestive labels ("Creaky steps"; "A spider visiting from the attic"; "Painting of Grandad Coffin"), the manorial setting has an Addams Family vibe and provides just the right spooky setting for this series opener. Halloween-themed activities are included in the backmatter.Younger readers will wish that they could toss their heads…or at least that they knew someone who could. (Fantasy. 6-8)

Kirkus Reviews

Narrator Jordan Killam sets a light mood for a tale of one special zombie and a host of Halloween creatures. Ghoulia lives in Crumbling Manor and is observant of her auntie’s rules, which include NOT leaving the grounds and NOT playing with the neighborhood children. But when Ghoulia overhears these same children discussing “one special night,” she hatches a plan for friendship. Will it work? Killam clearly and steadily details Ghoulia’s preparations—borrowing makeup, styling her hair, and finding a suitable satchel for treats—and adds spice as she portrays assorted family members. Her asides—such as a description of a worm delicacy—are shared in a confidential manner. The background music and sound effects are well suited to a spooky evening. A.R. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2018 - AudioFile