All the Lovely Bad Ones Graphic Novel

July 1, 2023

Gr 3-5-Brother and sister Travis and Corey do not believe in ghosts, but they do believe in mischief, so hearing that their grandmother's Vermont inn is rumored to be haunted is summer vacation gold. They plan to dress up and make noise, hoping to drum up business when word gets out that the ghosts have returned. What they did not plan on is the awakening of the actual ghosts that haunt the property. Faced with a group of "lovely bad ones"-mischievous young ghosts of boys who died under terrible circumstances-and the chaos they cause, Corey and Travis must discover who the ghosts are and how to bring them to rest. Peterson does a solid job adapting Hahn's ghost story in graphic novel format, deftly capturing the creepiest moments with a combination of narration and dialogue. Illustration and lettering introduce the frustrated yet gentle young ghosts, appearing in period clothing and wreathed in blue. The awful ghost of Ms. Ada is delightfully ghastly. VERDICT An excellent addition to graphic novel collections where there are spooky story readers.-Rosemary Kiladitis

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 15, 2023
Innocent mischief goes awry for siblings in this graphic novel adaptation of Hahn's 2008 novel. Travis, nearly 13, and his sister, Corey, who's a year younger, enjoy a good prank or 10. Having been banned from camp for all the pranks they pulled last year, they'll spend this summer at their grandmother's Vermont inn. After learning about the inn's haunted reputation, the siblings decide they've found the perfect outlet for their mischief: pretending to be the ghosts that have gone quiet since their grandmother took over. While they play at haunting the inn's guests, Travis can't help feeling ill at ease as he catches glimpses of something in his peripheral vision while wandering the inn grounds. The "hauntings" bring plenty of attention from the living. But when a staff member experiences a presence that has nothing to do with the siblings' fun, they must confront the inn's troubled history and try to lay its ghosts to rest. This examination of how children can do bad things without being bad at heart and how adults can wield their power over the young will resonate with readers. The illustrations are captivating. Light and shadow are used to great effect to depict the sun-dappled forest and a chilling grove of trees. Characters' faces are emotive, and the ghosts are spooky and sinister. Sepia tones are effectively used to portray past events. Travis and Corey are tan-skinned; most characters are light-skinned. Atmospheric illustrations give this retelling extra chills. (Graphic paranormal. 8-13)

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