Ghoulia and the Mysterious Visitor (Book 2)by Sheena McNeilReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 8 Ghoulia's grumpy cousin Dilbert and her friends get mysterious invites to come over. Ghoulia's aunt disappears, and they set out to find her, but the friends also start to go missing!I really appreciate that the book opens with some pages reminding us of the main characters. This is book two, and does a great job of moving forward after Ghoulia made friends in book one, while also introducing a new family member. However, it can also be read stand-alone. The art is beautifully colored as though with watercolors, with the images taking up large pieces of each page or entire pages. It's like getting to explore a kid-friendly haunted house. There are many aspects in this book especially that remind me of the Addams Family, including the culprit. Dilbert is used to more extravagant "living", so he's snooty and complains a lot. Like Ghoulia was in the first book, he's the odd one out in this book. I love how his personality is used to save the day; it's a creative solution to an odd problem, and he doesn't even realize he's doing good. The best part is that it results in him feeling proud of himself. I don't expect a personality switch moving forward, but I can see him fitting in a bit better after this. Tragedy, Ghoulia's dog, is more anthropomorphic in this book, as he plays the piano to try to woo one of Ghoulia's friends. It's very Snoopy, actually, and while I appreciate the humor and how it's worked into the plot here, I'm not sure I care for it. I'd prefer him to be a bit more like Ruby Gloom's cat. I continue to adore the fact that the art mixes in some real photos of real people (like Hitchcock) and iconic art (like "The Scream" or the Man in the Moon), and the little explanatory notes with arrows for some fun additions (like calling Edgar Allan Poe "Uncle Edgar"). Some of the art and people will probably only be recognizable to adults, so even though this is a kids' book, it's one that those of us older readers into goth and Halloweeny stuff can enjoy. These pieces may be included more for adults reading with kids, but they fit this world and enrich it. Even though the culprit was obvious to me, there was still one detail of the mystery that I did not guess, which means it's very well played. It's a fun mystery adventure. The end of the book's extras include how to write and mail an invitation, plant a garden, and make pumpkin juice. I never used extras like that as a kid, but I always enjoy seeing them. And I'm thrilled that there's a one-page tease of the third book, set in winter! I can't wait to read more about Ghoulia, and I love exploring her world through the details in the art. Written: December 10, 2019
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