Reviewed by Kerry Gittins
It’s
Hungry Ghost Month and thanks to her new ghostly (and actually her only) friend
William Xiao, July Chen discovers there’s an opening in her school to the
Gates of the Underworld and dangerous ghosts are escaping. July’s yin-yang
eyes have enabled her to see ghosts from when she was little, which is why she
is able to see William who is a wandering soul, an 'almost ghost' caught
between the living and the dead. But July can also see all the other
ghosts breaking loose from the Underworld, and these ones are
determined to find souls to eat and to wreak havoc and
mayhem in the human realm. This includes Oxhead and Horseface, the King of the
Underworld’s ghostly assistants. Every time the assistants come to collect
someone whose name is on the Death Register, William’s name also appears, but
vanishes again as soon as it is seen. William enlists July’s help to
figure out why this is happening to him, and together they embark on a perilous
journey deep into the Underworld. What they discover there is a
never-ending supply of dumplings, surprises, unexpected revelations,
and the unavoidable impact on both of their lives of what it means when
there is a Nobody missing from the Birth Register.
Inspired by Southeast Asian tradition and
beliefs surrounding the seventh lunar month commonly known as Hungry Ghost
month, this deliciously creepy graphic novel is a must for readers who love
books with a supernatural element. Sprinkled with humour, heart, and levity,
the writing is clever and crisp, and effortlessly weaves the themes of
friendship, sacrifice, and kindness into the storyline. The sometimes dark,
spooky illustrations are balanced by those that create lightness and emotional
connection to memories and family. Fans of tales like Spirited Away from Studio
Ghibli will be spellbound and enthralled by this latest graphic novel from Remy
Lai.
Teaching themes could include friendship,
family, ghosts, the supernatural, beliefs and traditions, mythology, food,
fantasy and resilience.
Highly recommended for ages 8+
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