Little Simon has been very successful with their ghost-written graphic adaptations and spin-offs of popular beginning chapter
series like Super Turbo, Heroes in Training, and Dragons of Wrenly. They’ve started creating original series, including Guardians of Horsa and this new series; Spirited.
Liv, short for Olivia, is stuck in the worst possible first day at a new school scenario – in a school of ghosts! How did she get here? Well, she was perfectly happy to live in her friendly and familiar suburb, Pleasant Place, when her mom and stepfather, both authors, decide they are moving. Despite her dad’s gentle comfort and encouragement, Liv is scared and upset and she doesn’t feel any better when they arrive at Gloomsdale. Not only is it constantly in shadow, but their new house is creepy, her cat Meowcula keeps jumping at nothing, and she has to start a new school right away!
Liv tries to prepare for all the possible challenges of being new at school only to encounter a problem she’d never have been able to imagine—she sticks out like sore thumb not because she’s new but because she’s alive. Yes, the school is full of ghost children. Although she meets a few potentially friendly paranormal beings, she’s devastated when art class, the one thing she feels confident she can handle, goes disastrously wrong. Will Liv ever get a chance to make new friends and feel at home in Gloomsdale or will she be a miserable misfit forever?
These series aren’t particularly deep or character-driven, but the art is pleasant and the story light and satisfying. Although usually attributed to the agency as a whole, this title has a specific artist, Anna Volcan, credited, and her art is fun and a great fit for the story. Liv is shown as a stocky girl with voluminous purple curls – apparently her natural hair color since both her mom and little sister sport the same shade of hair. The ghosts are identified not only by their ability to float and range of clothing styles from across the ages, but also by a wash of pale blue that lightens their appearance and surrounds them in a pale glow. They are predominantly white, although some kids of color are shown and Liv’s dad has brown skin. The dark blues and browns of Gloomsdale lighten to warmer oranges as Liv begins to find her place and there are even a few blue skies by the end of the story.
This is a step up from the beginning chapters and will appeal to readers who like fluffy stories like The Cupcake Diaries, but with a little spooky flair. With charming art and a familiar, satisfying storyline, this will be a sure thing for circulation on most library shelves.
Spirited: Day of the Living Liv , Vol. 1
By Livingston Liv
Art by Anna Volcan, Jennifer Glass House Graphics, and Jennifer Wharton
Little Simon, 2024
ISBN: 9781665942287
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11)
