ghostgirl
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- $5.99
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- $5.99
Publisher Description
Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
And if I should die before I awake,
I pray the popular attend my wake.
Charlotte Usher feels practically invisible at school, and then one day she really is invisible. Even worse: she's dead. And all because she choked on a gummy bear. But being dead doesn't stop Charlotte from wanting to be popular; it just makes her more creative about achieving her goal.
If you thought high school was a matter of life or death, wait till you see just how true that is. In this satirical, yet heartfelt novel, Hurley explores the invisibility we all feel at some times and the lengths we'll go to be seen.
Praise for ghostgirl:
* Polished dark-and-deadpan humor, it's a natural fit with Gen Y, too." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)
* "[Tonya] beats out witty teen-speak like a punk-band drummer, keeping the narrative fast-paced and fun yet thought-provokingly heartwarming. Goofy, ghastly, intelligent, electrifying." --Kirkus (starred review)
*"Tim Burton and Edgar Allan Poe devotees will die for this fantastic, phantasmal read." --School Library Journal (starred review)
* "Readers with a taste for black humor and satire will feast on Hurley's crisp, wise dialogue. Anticipate a well deserved cult following." --VOYA (starred review)
"Written with deadpan wit...this is a 'Wonderful Life'-like tale." -New York Post
"A sincere (and humorous) exploration of how we all feel invisible at one time or another...perfect read." -CosmoGirl
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Hurley, an independent filmmaker, debuts with this glittering comedy, a prime exemplar of what might be called demento mori, a growing subgenre of satire about teens who will not or cannot die. Charlotte Usher's plan to catapult herself from the ranks of the invisible to the heights of popularity at Hawthorne High no possibility for allusion goes unturned hits a major snag on the first day of school when she chokes to death on a gummy bear. Sent to Deadiquette school along with other teen spirits, she skips out, still determined to woo her longtime heartthrob, never mind that "he doesn't even know I'm alive." The jokes stay sharp, from the goth girl who gives her a "make-under" to throwaway lines (caught breaking some cardinal rules, Charlotte mutters to herself, "I'm dead"). Plotlines raise the stakes, putting Hurley's consistent wit to the service of classic themes about claiming identity. While the author has a built-in fan base from her ghostgirl Web sites, high-impact design will ensure attention from casual browsers as well. An elaborate die-cut with stamped acetate on the cover dares readers to laugh at a silhouette of a cartoon girl in an open casket, an effect heightened by the extra-tall trim size; inside, pink-and-black graphics liberally adorn the margins, epigraphs to chapter openings, etc. And given the polished dark-and-deadpan humor, it's a natural fit with Gen Y, too. Ages 12 up.
Customer Reviews
Love this book
I had the hard copy of this book and loved every word, I couldn't put it down for days till I finished it. Loved this very much and loved the audio book also. Very good read!😊
Ghost Girl rocks!
I totally enjoyed reading this book! I want to know more about Charlotte so I had to download the other two books. This book is very interesting and the story line is totally cute.
Xoxo, Ruzana B
Ghostgirl is ok...
The main character, Charlotte is obsessed with becoming popular to the point of utter irrationality, which is a little annoying. She wants desperately to have Damen fall in love with her and win Petula's respect... Which is stupid considering most girls don't respect the girls who steal their boyfriends...
She's hard to relate to most times, at best. A lot of it was inconsistent, rain would fall through her yet make up and pool water stuck to her... Was she insubstantial or just invisible or some weird combination? I had a lot of problems with this book but the actual story was ok, I just think the editor should have been more proactive in making sure the book made sense...