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Synopses & Reviews
Perfect for fans of Spirited Away, Coco, and Ghosts comes a contemporary fantasy graphic novel about a girl who can see ghosts and befriends a boy who is stuck between the worlds of the living and the dead — an instant classic from the award-winning creator of Pie in the Sky
Twelve years ago, the boy and the girl lived. But one was supposed to die.
July Chen sees ghosts. But her dad insists ghosts aren't real. So she pretends they don't exist. Which is incredibly difficult now as it's Hungry Ghost month, when the Gates of the Underworld open and dangerous ghosts run amok in the living world. When July saves a boy ghost from being devoured by a Hungry Ghost, he becomes her first ever friend. Except William is not a ghost. He's a wandering soul wavering between life and death. As the new friends embark on an adventure to return William to his body, they unearth a ghastly truth — for William to live, July must die.
Inspired by Chinese mythology, this dark yet resoundingly hopeful tale about friendship, sacrifice, and the unseen world of ghosts is a dazzling heir to beloved Studio Ghibli classics.
"Absolutely gorgeous and a completely unique adventure. Remy Lai is a master storyteller " –Christina Soontornvat, two-time Newbery Honor Winner
Review
"Lai is a master of middle-grade sensibilities . . . An unforgettable adventure full of surprises, laughs, ghosts, and dumplings." Booklist, starred review
Review
"Lai navigates profound questions of fate and friendship via Chinese mythology in this playful graphic novel ghost story [with a] richly imagined underworld." Publishers Weekly, starred review
Review
A deliciously spooky, funny adventure. I adored this story of friendship, loss, love, and dumplings! July Chen is a kid I would gladly follow to the Underworld and back." Jessica Townsend, bestselling author of The Nevermoor series
Review
"Spooky, spellbinding and full of heart!" Kayla Miller, bestselling author of Click
About the Author
Remy Lai absolutely does NOT recommend truancy, but when she was in high school, she sometimes skipped school with her friends to watch horror movies in theaters that were eerily empty (because um . . . everyone else was at school). She lives in Australia with her two dogs, who sometimes freak her out by barking at nothing in the corners of rooms. She is also the author of the critically-acclaimed Pie in the Sky, Fly on the Wall, Pawcasso, and the Surviving the Wild series.