Ghoulia (Book 1) by Barbara Cantini
Expected Release: August 28th 2018
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Amulet Books
Source: NetGalley
Ghoulia Synopsis:
Ghoulia lives in Crumbling Manor with her Auntie Departed and spends most of her time playing with Tragedy, her beloved albino greyhound. But things aren’t as easy as they seem for this little zombie girl—all she wants is a real friend. She 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.
Review:
A BIG Thank You to NetGalley and Amulet Books for providing me a copy of “Ghoulia (Book 1)” by Barbara Cantini in exchange for my review. This was such a cute book especially if you are in the mood for Halloween!
The characters are unique and charming and add a lot of humor in their eccentric ways. I chucked when Auntie Departed stitched Shadow’s tail with an orange thread, and when Tragedy was giving Ghoulia a makeover. Speaking of Tragedy, this dog is simply adorable and reminded me a lot of Sparky from the movie “Frankenweenie”. The way that Ghoulia interacts with the neighborhood children is adorable. I loved the slow zoom out that is done when the children realize who Ghoulia really is. The story gives a positive message about acceptance and seeing the good in others, no matter how different they are. However, if something like this were to realistically happen, I don’t think the reaction would be so positive. But, as a children’s book it is sweet and endearing and teaches valuable lessons.
The illustrations are simply stunning! The colors are vibrant and the characters stand out well. Barbara Cantini has done an amazing job in designing this book. Even though the characters are supposed to be morbid and eerie, she makes them come off as charming and lively. There is a lovely mix of bright colors for the pumpkins and the autumn leaves contrasting to the spooky mansion. The author has also some quirky aspects to the pages that makes the reader stop and admire. For instance, I enjoyed how Ghoulia points to various portraits in her house and shows off her family relatives. There are also some cute activity pages in the end for the younger readers to enjoy. Moreover, there are also some simple recipes for Halloween lovers to try out. I am eager to pick out books from her “Ivy Pocket” series as it has received some good reviews.
Overall, this book is a wonderful start to the “Ghoulia” series and I cannot wait for the next one to release! There is a cover preview of the next book “Ghoulia and the Mysterious Visitor” in the end, and it looks intriguing! I have a feeling that this would be a big success in the US, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it became an animated series.
