A gentle, probing picture book from award-winning author Kyo Maclear and celebrated illustrator Katty Maurey about the special relationship between a grandfather and his grandson, and the many traces, memories, and even ghosts with which we live
There’s a ghost in Grandpa’s garden. It leaves tracks by the path where there was once a cool, dark stream. It makes mischief by knocking over flowerpots. And sometimes, it leaves behind a gift perfect for a curious boy in the form of little treasures from times gone by.
The boy who is the narrator of this picture book loves spending time with his grandpa in the garden, enjoying the natural world, listening to memories of how things used to be, and making up stories about the friendly ghost. With Grandpa as his loving guide, the boy learns to look closely at the garden and marvel at its mysteries, to uncover the layers of history that make up this special place, and also to fashion new things from all that he has found.
Editions
Illustrator
Katty Maurey is an illustrator who has published many picture books. She is passionate about painting, sculpting, printmaking, and, most of all, marveling at the natural world. Among other distinctions, her work has been nominated for the Governor General Award in the children’s book category.
Praise
Reviews
“This quiet yet powerful book perfectly captures the emotional resonance of fleeting moments and the imprints they leave behind. Maclear’s stunning text is lengthy yet deliberately paced (“memory has a geography just like the world”), suggesting the meandering feeling of revisiting memories. Rendered in a light, earthy palette, Maurey’s dreamy gouache illustrations are a natural complement to the text, further evoking feelings of stillness, remembrance, and the strong yet gentle bonds of family. A subtle but potent look at the ephemeral nature of life—and a reminder to cherish memories.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“The sensitive treatment and outstanding illustrations warrant a recommended purchase; this is a loving story with beautiful artwork for a broad audience on the importance of grandparents and memory.”
—School Library Journal (starred review)
“This gentle meditation on change and memory by prior collaborators Maclear and Maurey (The Specific Ocean) opens with the title phrase, spoken by the work’s child narrator….a contemplative journey into a realm where past and present reside cheek-to-cheek.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Maclear’s spare lines beautifully evoke the contemplative, observational tone of the story, emphasizing the still moments when the boy and his grandpa pause to look, listen, and remember. Maurey’s foggy, shadowy paintings, full of dusty hues of pink, blue, green, and purpley gray, softly render a garden settling down into the colder seasons, with fallen leaves and branches littering the ground… A subtle yet poignant meditation on the animating power of memory… A gentle, artful, and quietly enchanting book with a matter-of-fact embrace of change and the passing of time.”
—Booklist (starred review)
““Like a leisurely, observant stroll through nature, Maclear’s spare, serene text takes a contemplative path… Ambient, atmospheric, and mysterious, There’s a Ghost in the Garden conjures connections to the past and celebrates the bond between generations.”
—Quill and Quire (starred review)
“A dreamy tale, focused on sensorial observations about smells, sounds, and sights rather than plot…this book leaves a lot of room for discussion and introspection.”
—Youth Services Book Reviews