Friday, September 6, 2019

What We're Reading: Ghosts

We're reading Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier.

Ghosts is a graphic novel about two sisters. Cat(rina) is a teenager and Maya is her younger sister who has cystic fibrosis. The family moves to a new city that will help Maya breath easier. The town (or at least the first people they meet) is obsessed with ghosts and El Dia De Los Muertos is a big deal in this town. 

I loved how the holiday and it's traditions were explained, the story, and the art work. It was a beautiful portrayal of how other cultures (my culture) view death. Animal loved it for "the sad, but sweet story", and because he said it was his culture. 

There is some Spanish text or for you bilingual families this graphic novel is available in Spanish (Fantasmas).

There was, for me, a very touching moment between the sisters, when Maya asks Cat, "What happens if I die, Cat? Will you be afraid of my ghost, too?" It was such an honest moment. What could Cat say except the truth, or nothing. 

A couple of months ago Animal shared some fears about his father's health. I reassured him his dad's immune system was getting better everyday. Now that he was done with his treatment, his immune system could heal. Dad was going to start being able to go to the amusement park with us again, we could go to places with lots of strangers, he was going to start picking him up from school again and we weren't going to have to quarantine ourselves if we got sick anymore. "that's over now." I said. 

Animal answered, "but it isn't really over yet." And what could I say? The truth was, that that what I said was a half truth. I hadn't lied, but there are still going to be trips to the hospital. Lab work. CT scans. 

This was a really good book. 


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