A beautiful, touching story about friendship, healing, and a little bit of magic!
I picked up Gracie’s Ghost on a whim, and by the end I was quietly cheering for that mischievous little spirit right alongside Gracie. The artwork—simple, almost sketch-like—somehow packs an emotional punch: a single shadow or a small smile can speak volumes. Gracie herself feels like someone you might have sat next to in class: earnest, a bit awkward, and brave in her own quiet way.

What struck me most was how Brown weaves themes of loss and hope without ever veering into melodrama. Gracie’s grief over her grandfather’s passing stings, but it never overwhelms; instead, it gives her reasons to lean on new (and unexpected) friendships. The ghost isn’t your typical scare-you-half-to-death specter, but a comforting companion who nudges Gracie — and us — toward forgiveness and courage.

If I have one nitpick, it’s that I wanted just a touch more backstory for the ghost himself—who was he before he became…well, a ghost? But honestly, I found myself smiling at every turn and even tearing up on the last page.

A quietly powerful graphic novel that feels like a warm hug for anyone learning to let go. Highly recommend it for middle-grade readers and anyone who remembers what it’s like to miss someone.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun graphic novel. This was so cute. Kids will love this book.

My Year 6 love graphic novels and so I'm always keen to find new ones for them to enjoy. Gracie's Ghost looked like it would be perfect.

I enjoyed it but I'm not sure who the intended audience is. I think there are elements that are too mature for my children. There were some uncomfortable elements, such as horrible parenting, but some dark humour parts that made me laugh.

An enjoyable but odd read, just one that my class aren't mature enough for yet.

Graphic novel for middle grade kids. School bullies, a spoiled brother and a mother who doesn't even try to understand her. Plus creepy clowns.

It has simple, relatable characters especially in terms of bullies and victims of bullying. I appreciated the themes used within the story and the karma moment at the end. The illustrations were simple yet perfectly executed.

4/5 ⭐️

Read by my 10 year old and in their words…

This book was really hard to put down because I kept wanting to know what was going to happen next. Gracie’s relationship with the ghost was one of the only positive relationships she had (besides her father) which made for a unique story, unlike others I’ve read before! I loved how the book was told from the ghost’s point of view and as a flashback. It was a really neat concept and it left me feeling happy in the end. There were a few funny parts too.

Things are not going so well for Gracie; her mother never treats her fairly, she's constantly bullied at school, her teachers are dismissive, and her only ally is a ghost who's a little wrapped up in its own story.

I'd like to rate this lower because it made me feel absolutely awful as I was reading it. But at the same time, I know people who have experienced just this sort of thing, and the reminder that it does get better might be just the thing they need to read right now. The art style is suitably messy, and the dialogue feels authentic. There are glimmers of hope when Dad tries to understand and Gracie gets a few good memories to hold onto. It's not enough to make up for how bereft of goodness everyone else in the story is, but it reminds us that there are good people in the world, if you can find them.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

This story takes place in a time when boys were valued much more than girls. The main character struggles with the unfairness of having to work hard for everything while her younger brother has opportunities handed to him. This dynamic also reflects how younger siblings are often spoiled, while the eldest carries most of the responsibilities.

She’s constantly told what girls should do, including being forced to collect creepy clown dolls that give her nightmares simply because “girls collect dolls.” Her struggles extend beyond home to school, where she faces even more challenges. Her only real friend is a ghost she talks with, trying to help her navigate life.

This story beautifully captures the frustration of gender roles and family expectations, making for a compelling and emotional read.

3.5 stars rounded up. This had a much darker tone than I was expecting. I personally would not call it "A heartwarming tale" when Gracie is consistently overlooked, mistreated, and abused by all of her classmates, her mother, and her teachers and she basically just had to wait it out while no one stepped in or stood up for her, This was a series of interesting glimpses into the life of a struggling girl and how she created a ghost friend as a coping mechanism. It brings up some real issues like bullying and gender inequality, but I didn't feel like there was a very satisfying arc when it came to those issues which may be relevant to real life but didn't make for the most satisfying read.

Gracie keeps having a hard time so it's good she has a ghost in her life to support her. She gets bullied, she's allergic to the dog, just one thing after another, and I could so relate. This was odd and warm and wonderful. I smiled at the unique illustrations, and I smiled at the end. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

Man, this hits hard with all the injustices of being a kid. Bullying at school, unfair treatment at home. Gracie's mom was a real hot and cold bitch and it enraged me. Her dad was so sweet but he really should have stopped the unfair treatment. Despite all of this, Gracie is a great kid and rises above the abuse (mental at home, mental and physical at school). A bit of 80s nostalgia in this too. Definitely recommend. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

Gracie's Ghost explores the emotional complexities and situations that are completely out of control. This is an amazing graphic novel that contains themes of bullying, gender inequality and dreams as well as hobbies being differentiated on the basis of gender. This is a powerful theme vividly expressed and it was definitely worth reading.

Gracie’s Ghost was a sad and powerful graphic novel about Gracie a child who is being bullied and constantly reminded of her place as a “girl”. A ghost stays with her most of the time to give her advice and support her.

Wow. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into when I started Gracie’s ghost and during the whole book, I kept feeling sad, revolted and scared for her.

This is an interesting book. I am not sure my library would purchase it but I would recommend it to patrons. Gracie's ghost takes place in an not so distant past where poor Gracie never seems to catch a break. A ghost (who follows Gracie around but is not able to be seen by others) makes wise remarks to Gracie to help her. Gracie struggles with her mother having different expectations of what she should like (clowns/dolls instead of Legos,) I know a few readers off the top of my head who I could give this to as it requires a reader who is willing to take their time to fully understand the story.