Fantasmas

March 1, 2017

Gr 4-8-A Spanish translation of Telgemeier's Ghosts. Catrina, or Cat for short, comes from a multicultural family-she has a white father and a Mexican mother. Cat reluctantly moves with her family to Northern California for the health of her younger sister, Maya, who has cystic fibrosis. In their new town of Bahia de la Luna, the sisters meet Carlos, a neighbor kid who tries to convince them that ghosts exist. Cat is skeptical, but Maya is a believer. When Carlos takes the girls to an old mission, Cat accepts the possibility that the spirits of one's ancestors can, in fact, communicate with the living. Everything culminates at the Day of the Dead festivities, during which Cat learns beyond a doubt that Carlos was right about the ghosts all along. Lombana has done an outstanding work in translating the original English text into Spanish. Spanish speakers will find this an accessible and faithful adaptation of the original and should appreciate the colorful art. The dark side of California's mission's history is overlooked. Pair with Duncan Tonatiuh's Funny Bones for a wider perspective of Day of the Dead. VERDICT A thoughtfully designed, well-translated version of the popular graphic novel.-Tim Wadham, Children's Literature Consultant, Puyallup, WA

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