Author: Marc Barnett

Illustrator: Christian Robinson

Publisher and Year: Chronical Books, 2015

Number of Pages: 42

Genre: Fiction/Fantasy

When an unwanted ghost boy, Leo, is “evicted” from his ghost home, he is forced to live on the streets. It isn’t until he meets a young, believing girl that he finally feels accepted and seen.

This book could work as a mirror for those who feel that they are “invisible.” Even though Leo is actually invisible because he is a ghost, some children may feel that they are just as invisible and unloved as Leo. It isn’t until Leo sees that he can use his ghostliness for good that he starts to gain power. When he realizes that he can scare the robber into captivity, Leo feels better about the way that he is.

Perceptually, the images depend on the text. Without the text, the images would not really make sense. The texts begins with letting the reader know that people cannot see Leo, but the reader can. This makes readers feel like they are in the story with Leo, or it at least builds a connection between the  reader and the text. Structurally, the images remain on the darker side because Leo is a ghost. Leo can also touch objects such as doorknobs and blankets, but people cannot touch feel his touch. The only person who can see and feel him is Jane, but just as people cannot see him, he cannot see the crown that Jane says she is wearing. This puts emphasis on the idea that the characters in this book can only see what they believe in. Ideologically, this book could teach readers that they should accept who they are, and if they can, find someone who accepts them for who they are as well.