Hearing Things
by Ben Sears; illus. by the author
Intermediate    TOON    40 pp.
9/24    9781662665431    $12.99

This story combines apprehension about moving to a new town, the determination of one sibling to help another, the spine-tingling fear of a haunted house, and the cunning of a resolute cat—all in one brief, absorbing graphic novel. While Tim enjoys exploring his new town with his faithful cat, Frankie, his older sister, Martha, is having a harder time adjusting. Once immersed in producing original scary music, now Martha can’t seem to regain her groove or make any new friends. Determined to help her enter a talent show (and hopefully find some pals), Tim and Frankie embark on a quest to record the creepiest sounds imaginable to give Martha some musical inspiration. But when they find an old, seemingly abandoned house, it’s as silent as a crypt. Just as Tim is about to call it quits, Frankie makes an amazing discovery that leads to the spookiest sounds Tim can imagine. The cartooning is fast paced and easy to follow, with just enough text bubbles to establish context and communicate the hilarious and all-knowing motivations of Frankie (who steals the show). The use of bright colors on every page and in many panels’ onomatopoeia (to express the spooky sounds) makes the “scary” parts still whimsical and entertaining. Plus, readers will love being let in on the big secret of the story, known only to them and Frankie.

From the "September/October 2024 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.