The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt

K-Gr 2–Nason has written a quirky tale of one small ghost who is disappointed that he looks like a patchwork quilt instead of the more conventional plain white sheet. His fabric is so heavy he cannot soar through the air or move as quickly as his fellow ghosts, parents, and friends, and because of this, he finds himself in some sticky situations. While the spirits are afraid of people, the little patchwork ghost, nicknamed Scrappy, loves Halloween and wants to watch trick-or-treaters up close. His plan is to hide in plain sight on a porch chair, but, because he is so slow in reaching his destination, he finds himself being used to warm up a chilled little ballerina. Scrappy learns a valuable lesson: Being different from other ghosts is not a bad thing, and being useful gives his self-confidence a boost. The appealing illustrations are the story’s highlights, composed of pencil drawings and digital techniques in black and differing shades of gray with touches of muted orange, pink, and blue. The ending feels a bit abrupt, and not necessarily the outcome readers will be rooting for.