Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsSpoiler alert: Leo is the ghost!
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 9, 2019
This is a wonderful children’s book with themes about isolation, loneliness, and friendship. All three of my kids (9, 6, 4) were moved by the story and talked about it afterwards. It’s probably most age appropriate for the 6-year-old, but it’s always great when we find a book to capture all of their attention!
Leo is the ghost, and he is lonely because no one can see him. He’s also drawn in as a pencil outline (vs full color like other characters). He manages to save the family in the house he “haunts” from a burglar, but they get very scared. So he leaves.
It’s obviously been several years since he left the house, because he’s confused by the outside world and it’s missing a lot of the landmarks he expected. He’s so sad. When suddenly a little girl can SEE him.
They become friends, and her parents assume this is an imaginary friend. Leo is happy.
This simple story turned out to be a great jumping off point for a conversation with my kids about making sure everyone in their class is “seen” and strategies for when you’re lonely or left out. I really appreciate the applicability of the themes across my kids’ ages.
I highly recommend the book.
