
BARNETT, Mac.
Leo: A Ghost Story. illus. by Christian Robinson. 52p. Chronicle. 2015. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781452131566. K-Gr 2–When Leo, a ghost, finds the new inhabitants of his house unwelcoming, he takes to the streets. Luckily, he encounters the fantastically fun Jane, who believes he is an imaginary friend. When Leo helps catch a thief breaking into her house, he is forced to admit that he is not an imaginary friend but a real one. Fortunately, the unflappable Jane graciously takes this all in stride. Barnett’s story is expectedly droll and told in deadpan prose. There’s just enough of it to provide a canvas for Robinson’s thoughtful illustrations. His palette is almost exclusively blue, but the contrast between the different tones is sharp, and the heavy doses of gray with hints of green soften much of the blue into a neutral tone. Robinson solves the issue of a white ghost on a white page smartly by depicting Leo as a blue outline on white paper. Leo beautifully contrasts with the geometrically composed live humans, and Robinson finds some clever opportunities for depicting Leo’s transparency. The balance of texture and white space helps mitigate the many shades of blue, retaining visual interest and keeping the overall feel upbeat.
VERDICT A whimsical tale from Barnett aptly accompanied by enthralling artwork by Robinson. What’s not to drool over?
–Erin Reilly-Sanders, Ohio State University, Columbus This review was published in School Library Journal's September 2015 issue.
Get Print. Get Digital. Get Both!
Libraries are always evolving. Stay ahead.
Log In.
Add Comment :-
Be the first reader to comment.
Comment Policy:
Comment should not be empty !!!