Telgemeier presents modern magical realism in a graphic novel format. Almost-sixth-grader Catrina and her family move north from sunny Southern California to the foggy (fictional) town of Bahia de la Luna -- in part to make breathing easier for Cats little sister Maya, who has cystic fibrosis. The sisters meet their ghost-obsessed neighbor Carlos, who teaches them about the towns traditions (the townspeople are serious about Dia de los Muertos and all things supernatural) and sparks a renewed interest in the kids Mexican roots, especially their deceased abuela. When the girls meet ghosts face to face, the results are scary both physically and psychologically, with Mayas health declining and Cats anxieties escalating. At the towns otherworldly (and theologically fuzzy) Day of the Dead celebration, the sisters get a chance to focus on the moment. The plot is paced steadily, building to moments of high emotion, often seen in enlarged panels or full-page illustrations. A muted color palette reflects the foggy, misty setting. Ghosts appear bed sheetlike from afar, but at close range resemble human skeletons with smiling faces, making them more approachable and even comforting than frightening. From sisterly squabbles to tween crushes, the characters interactions feel genuine, with plenty of relatable dialogue and interests (e.g., gaming, texting, and pumpkin spice cosmetics). Notes on cystic fibrosis and Dia de los Muertos (but nothing about the cultural liberties taken) are appended. elisa gall September/October 2016 p 120(c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

RAINA TELGEMEIER'S CHARACTERS fizz with visual energy. They DASH! across the page, trailing motion lines and little clouds of smoke. When they're angry, steam whistles from their ears; when they're crushing, they expel perfect red hearts from their blushing cheeks. Telgemeier, the popular cartoonist behind best sellers like "Smile," "Sisters" and "Drama," grew up a fan of newspaper strips like "Calvin and Hobbes" and "For Better or for Worse," and her books for young readers utilize a familiar comic-strip visual vocabulary. This can make them appear, on first glance, a bit simplistic - cartoonish, in the pejorative sense. But Telgemeier's interest in knotty issues of tween and teenage social and family life has been evident since her first comics memoir, "Smile," which used the story of sixth-grade dental trauma to explore not just a childhood of painful orthodonture but the difficulty of separating yourself from so-called friends who spend most of their time tormenting you. Her second memoir, "Sisters," was a sharp-edged portrait of sibling rivalry that was also, in a sidelong manner, about the helplessness of watching your parents drift apart. In her new graphic novel, the fictional story "Ghosts," Telgemeier's crisp and expressive characters still look like cartoons. But the book's lovely darker palette of blues and grays (the colors are by Braden Lamb) hints at the sadness that inflects this story of childhood illness and dislocation. Catrina has moved with her family to the foggy, windswept Northern California town of Bahía de la Luna, in hopes that the cool air will help her little sister Maya's cystic fibrosis. Cat, about to enter sixth grade, is moody and upset about the move; Maya, despite her grim prognosis, is joyful and excited. (Among the book's heart-tugging panels is one of Maya cheerfully asking if she can shake up the can of nutritional supplement that, in the family's "nightly ritual," will be tube-fed through a port in her stomach while she sleeps.) A neighbor boy, Carlos, who guides "ghost tours" around town, tells Cat and Maya that (fictional) Bahía de la Luna is filled with spirits, who like to gather in the old mission and feed off the cool winds. With Day of the Dead approaching, this scaredy Cat has to overcome her fear of the unknown while protecting her ailing sister from an uncertain future. The Day of the Dead plotline plays nicely into one of the book's most admirable qualities: "Ghosts" sensitively explores many dynamics of Mexican-American family life. Second-generation Cat is thoroughly assimilated, but her mother speaks honestly about her difficult relationship with her own mother, who died just after Cat was born. "I was your typical, stubborn American teenager. I wanted to do things the 'modern' way," she laments. "I guess after your abuela died ... a lot of old traditions died with her." BUT IN BAHÍA DE LA LUNA, nothing is truly dead, and the book takes a magic-realist turn that, while fancifully and engagingly illustrated, doesn't always play to Telgemeier's strengths as a naturalistic storyteller. At times the ghosts of "Ghosts" threaten to take the story over, and Cat's real-life tween concerns get flattened into, well, cartoons. But Telgemeier is sensitive to her characters' feelings, and moments of pain and love between the two sisters will resonate with anyone who has ever feared for a beloved family member. At Halloween, the spunky Maya cannily parlays her anger at not being allowed to go trick-or-treating into a promise of three-quarters of her older sister's candy. I couldn't help noticing that Maya wears an angel costume along with her breathing tube; her fate is uncertain at the end of the book, which is dedicated to a cousin of Telgemeier's who died of cancer at 13. But Maya makes it clear to Cat that what she fears most isn't death exactly, but the way her death might affect those she loves: "Will you be afraid of my ghost, too?" she demands of Cat. Thoughtful young readers will remember Cat and Maya warmly as they face their own life-and-death struggles long after reading this heartfelt graphic novel, a typically empathetic and complex work from a gifted comics creator who is gaining confidence with every book. DAN KOIS is Slate's culture editor. His forthcoming books are an oral history of "Angels in America," written with Isaac Butler, and a memoir about parenting around the world.

*Starred Review* Cat and her family move to foggy, windy Bahía de la Luna for her little sister, Maya, who has cystic fibrosis, since the new climate will be better for her health. Though she's initially distraught, Cat eventually settles in, but her next-door neighbor Carlos, who won't shut up about the ghosts that visit their town, is a constant thorn in her side. Bouncy, gregarious Maya is thrilled at the thought of meeting ghosts they struggle to breathe, just like her, and she's eager to have some reassurances about death, since she knows hers is coming. But Cat is terrified, especially after Maya finally meets the ghosts and the exertion puts her in the hospital for weeks. Telgemeier deftly weaves serious topics through the breezy presentation and masterfully and concisely adds layers of meaning with small gestures that subtly nudge at feelings about death. Cat's and Maya's reactions to ghosts exemplify each girl's fear and acceptance, respectively, and their mother's wistful regrets over her relationship with her departed Mexican mother add yet another bittersweet perspective. The bright tones and wonderfully expressive figures of the racially diverse cast, not to mention the jaunty, friendly ghosts that waft over the windswept beach town, make this compassionate, approachable, and gentle story about death irresistible. Telgemeier has her finger on the pulse of middle-grade readers, and this might be her best yet. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: New Raina Telgemeier! Need we say more? OK, fine: this one comes with a six-figure first-print run.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2016 Booklist

Gr 4-8-Catrina and her family have just moved to Northern California. Bahía de la Luna is different from Cat's hometown-for one thing, everyone is obsessed with ghosts-but the sea air makes it easier for Cat's younger sister, Maya, who has cystic fibrosis (CF), to breathe. Carlos, a new friend and neighbor, introduces the girls to a different perspective on the spiritual world. Ghosts, he says, aren't frightening; they're the spirits of loved ones. Cat has her doubts-especially after a ghostly encounter puts Maya in the hospital-but as Day of the Dead celebrations draw closer, she starts to reconsider. Readers will relate to these realistically flawed characters. Maya is frank about her illness and optimistic despite her awareness that her prognosis is poor, while Cat struggles, feeling intensely protective of her sister, anxious about her illness, and resentful about the limitations that Maya's condition places upon the whole family. Themes such as the sibling bond, death, and culture are expertly woven throughout. As Cat comes to terms with the existence of ghosts, she also navigates her background (her father is white, while her mother is Mexican). Telgemeier employs the cheerful cartoon artwork that fans of Smile, Drama, and Sisters know and love, but her palette is more muted in places, fitting the book's somewhat serious and somber themes. VERDICT A can't-miss addition to middle grade graphic novel shelves; hand to fans of the author and newcomers alike.-Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.