Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes: Hey! Want a middle grade novel that will make you cry? Ghost Boys is for you! Jerome, who is a black boy, is shot and killed by a police officer who mistakes his water gun for an actual weapon, and in the aftermath, Jerome meets another ghost, Emmett Till. It’s a difficult subject written in a beautiful way that young readers can understand, and adults can appreciate. Now is not the time to shy away from difficult conversations, and what happens in Ghost Boys is a conversation worth having. -- MK (Save on Goodreads)
Ghost Twins series by Dian Curtis Regan: I haven’t read this series since I was a kid, but I had to include it because it’s called Ghost Twins. Ghost twins! There once existed a children’s book series about two dead kids and their dead dog. It wasn’t supposed to be scary, yet there was a melancholy to it. There are lots of kids books where the parents aren’t around, sure, but in this one the twins were forever trapped as their parents moved on without them. The '90s is the only time you could have a Ghost Twins series. -- AK (Save on Goodreads)
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson: A Shirley Jackson book is like a homey pillow with a cross-stitch that says “the only real ghosts are the ones that live in our hearts.” The Haunting of Hill House thrives on psychological tension. It’s never clear if there really are ghosts or maybe someone has telekinetic powers -- but the results are certainly real. -- AK (Save on Goodreads)
Heir of Sea and Fire by Patricia A. McKillip: If you’re one of those people who HAVE to start with the first book in a series, then start with "The Riddle-Master of Hed." The second book shifts perspective: Princess Raederle, the second most beautiful woman of An, leaves home to hunt down her betrothed, who is either dead or hurting. Along the way, she learns some unsettling truths about her own heritage. But not even a band of ghosts will keep her from protecting the people she loves. It’s high fantasy with a dry sense of humor. -- AK (Save on Goodreads)
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton: It’s a ghost story, a soap opera, and a finely layered literary thriller about mysterious events in a New Zealand mining town. This is a really BIG book but it reads quick and it feels rich and comfy, like drinking milky tea while wrapped in a blanket as there's an autumn drizzle outdoors. And it won the Man Booker Prize, so you can feel like a fancy pants while reading it. -- AK (Save on Goodreads)
The Mediator by Meg Cabot: I originally read this YA series when I was in junior high, but recently did a reread and fell in love with it all over again. Suze, the main character, is a Mediator, which means that she can see ghosts and is in charge of helping them leave earth to make their final transition into the afterlife. Sometimes the ghosts leave after a conversation, or when a task is completed, but many ghosts need their butts kicked--and Suze is very good at kicking ghost butt. There’s romance with a dreamy ghost, humor, and a protagonist who loves fashion but is always willing to sullen her most favorite pair of boots. This series is easy and fun for any YA reader. -- MK (Save on Goodreads)
The Night Parade by Kathryn Tanquary: I’m going to count the spirits in this Middle Grade book as ghosts. The Night Parade is almost like reading a Studio Ghibli film. A Toyko preteen has to spend the summer with her grandmother in the country, and accidentally invokes a death curse on her family. Over the course of three nights, three strange spirits guide her through the spirit world in the woods to break it. There’s vivid writing and heart-pounding action, perfect for any fantasy lover. -- MK (Save on Goodreads)
A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami: There is a ghost in this one, I think? It’s never easy to tell with Murakami’s magical realism. But the ending is certainly spooky. The protagonist receives a postcard from a friend, only to have a shadowy organization threaten him into finding the sheep that’s on the card. -- AK (Save on Goodreads)
The World of Lore: Monstrous Creatures by Aaron Mehnke: Lore is a podcast, but its host has taken some of their most popular “true” stories of monstrous creatures and compiled them into a book. Only a few of the chapters feature ghosts, but hey, this is my list and I will do what I want with it. Supernatural believers and non-believers alike will both enjoy the spooky, fascinating tales that open windows to human history and culture. -- MK (Save on Goodreads)
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