A Ghost in My Suitcase

Ghost in my Suitcase #1

by Gabrielle Wang

The flute music stops, and my breath catches in my throat. Silence falls like a veil. Then I hear something - no, I feel it in my chest. 'Steady yourself,' Por Por whispers. 'It's here . . . '

When Celeste travels to China to visit her grandmother, she uncovers an incredible family secret. And with this secret comes danger and adventure.

If Celeste is to save her family and friends, she must learn to harness her rare and powerful gift as a ghost-hunter. . .

From the award-winning author of The Garden of Empress Cassia

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Fiction, Supernatural, School, Childrens

192 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2009

About the author

Gabrielle Wang is an award winning children’s author born in Melbourne of Chinese heritage. Her great grandfather came to Victoria during the Gold Rush, settling in the town of Wahgunyah on the Murray River. In her twenties Gabrielle lived in China and Taiwan where she studied Chinese language, traditional painting and calligraphy. After working as a graphic designer she discovered a love of painting pictures with words. Since then she has written 16 books for children and young adults. Gabrielle’s stories are a blend of Chinese and Western culture with a touch of magic. She has twice won the Aurealis Award for Best Children’s fiction, and her books have been named Notables in the CBC Awards and highly commended in the Prime Minister's Awards. She is also published internationally in US, UK, China, Korea and South America.

Reviews

[Issy Mcindoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a very intriguing and interesting story that really got you thinking about what is going to happen next. It was a great story line an I could never put the book down. I normally don't really read as fast as I read this book and I think everyone should read it because I makes you feel like you are in the story with the characters and you can really visualise the setting. It is a really good read and I defiantly recommend it to everyone, adults, teenagers or young adults.

[Selina Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chinese culture meets supernatural. When Celeste's mother dies she takes her ashes to back to China and meets her grandma Paw paw and her adopted daughter Ting ting. As Celeste gets to know her Paw paw, she begins to learn skills in the family profession of ghost hunting. But it will take all her strength and courage to help her Grandmother overcome the family nemisis who stole their home.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A terrific read. Downed in three sessions, read in prep for the book launch of it's sequel, and for the stage play which will be part of Melbourne festival 2018 - which looks like it'll be great!
Australian girl visits her grandma (Por Por) in China, and uncovers that not only is her grandma a ghosthunter, but that she has inherited the skills. Terrific action, proactive characters. Great middle school read for boys and girls.

[Sally Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was required to read this because we are thinking of using it at school for year 7 or 8. I read the play script version. It’s a very “busy” drama (lots of stage direction) which would be good for students I think. It also has English, Chinese and French language in it.

[Tyler · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ✨ meh 🫤

[Adele Broadbent · Rating 2 out of 5]

Celeste is nervous but excited about travelling to China from Australia, to see her Grandmother. Celeste is taking her Mum’s ashes to scatter them in the Isle of Clouds, where her mother grew up and her ancestors are from. When she first arrives, there is another girl staying with Por Por (Celeste’s Grandmother), and she is mean to Celeste.
Despite Ting Ting’s nastiness, Celeste is loving the sights and smells of the city her grandmother lives in. She soon discovers Ting Ting is an orphan who Por Por took in. Her grandmother is well known and respected around the city and then in the Isle of Clouds – a village where she grew up.
But there is something Por Por or her Mum didn’t tell Celeste. Por Por is a ghost hunter – banishing troublesome spirits from people’s homes. Ting Ting has been in training alongside Por Por, but when Celeste is faced with an angry spirit, she surprises herself and Por Por and steps in to help.

[Sue Bursztynski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gentle, fantastical and lovely. I'm going to see if I can get it into my class's Literature Circle.

[IssyD23 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This lighthearted fantasy novel was a blend of adventure and Chinese culture which I really enjoyed. It was easy to read as I had a gut feeling of what would come next, making me eager to turn page after page. Celeste reminds me a lot of myself; we're both half Chinese, both born and raised in Australia, have a younger brother, and like to write in a diary.

I like the cute use of metaphors and similes: "Sad thoughts are like canaries in a cage. If you open the door, they can fly off in all directions, banging against the windows, wanting to be free" (p8). Ting Ting's character development was perfect. At the start, reader's are position to dislike her, finding her to be standoffish, boastful and blatantly rude. But as you understand Ting Ting's troubled past (orphaned, evil family, left to fend for herself) we grow empathy for her character and can understand her craving independence. She's also never had to share Bao Min's love with anyone before.

Even though Celeste lost her mother, she was able to gain a lovely relationship with her Por Por (good things can come from bad situations). Bao Min seems like a very loving, gentle, generous, old-soul who protects others peace at the expense of her own (e.g. not telling Ting Ting the horrible things her grandfather did, to keep the respect between families. Even though this almost gave Shen Dai Pai an advantage...). Little Cloud also had a major journey of self discovery, uncovering her ghost-hunting abilities.

[idreamofallthebooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I had the chance to read this story when I was younger! The parallels to my life are uncanny – my Por Por cooks dumplings, my mum has an intricately carved camphorwood chest that contains her wedding dress and I understand some Cantonese (but can barely speak it!)!

I adored Celeste’s first person point of view – it was child-like at times, which was perfect for the context of the story – a young person who has had to deal with grief a little too soon. I loved the relationship that she had with her family, and how she was able to grieve and process her emotions in her own way. I thought the expression of this in the story to be quite powerful – Wang clearly understands that sometimes the emotions felt by children are sometimes downplayed or swept to the side. The ghost hunting itself was humorous and adventure driven – everything that an engaging middle grade needs.

Sometimes it is crazy to read a story that resonates with you so much! (But not the ghost hunting though!) ☺

[Stef Rozitis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very enjoyable and fit for the age it is written for. I was not sure if the portrayal of China was entirely fair or a bit exoticised for a tourist eye, however the author is of Chinese descent and has been there so I'd have to acknowledge she knows more than me. The protagonist and her grandmother were both truly lovely human beings that I did not mind spending time with. She has an enemy/bully but that is handled well and with empathy. There is a ghost that is actually evil because where's the fun in being a ghost-hunter otherwise? There is a fair bit about grief for a dead parent.

Overall this is an example of why I like Australian kid-lit. It's wholesome enough to be enjoyable and complex and specific enough to be worth the time taken reading it. I'll read Gabrielle Wang again in the future.

[Magoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this to Miss 8 as our night time story. Older readers could self read easily. As a joint read at this age it was fabulous though. A chance to explore some mature themes. And promoted some great discussions about Chinese culture and death and the afterlife. Loved this female driven narrative. Strong female characters in charge of their own destiny. Hear! Hear! Loved the blending of the supernatural with the exploration of Chinese culture and we are not normally supernatural fans but this was great!. A touching exploration of death and grief too without being overbearing. A great read. Beautifully written. I’m heading back to read more from this fabulous author.

[Clovelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Ghost in my Suitcase - by Gabrielle Wang

I enjoyed this book because there is a revealed family secret that isn't very common. While this book was well written, I found that the plot wasn't very strong. it was predictable and I could easily tell what would happen next. Gabrielle Wang has a great writing style, but needs to make her plots more interesting. The book is quite slow to read because, personally, the plot doesn't move on fast enough. I loved the descriptions, but we needed another plot twist to keep the readers involved. Overall, I would rate this a 2.5 stars out of five stars.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked Ghost in My Suitcase but did not think it anything special. In fact, I found the use of present tense rather than past to be a little annoying. It is the cultural references that make it worth reading, although they tend to sit under the storyline a little. I would recommend it to upper primary (elementary) students or poorer Middle School readers. I had hoped to link it to my Ancient China history unit -it mentions Ancient China from a modern context- but I suspect it is too easy a read for most of my students.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel for younger readers has been adapted as a theatre production that will premiere at the Playhouse Arts Centre Melbourne from October 18-21 as part of the 2018 Melbourne International Arts Festival.

I was prompted to read the novel when I hear Gabrielle Wang speaking on the radio earlier this week. She spoke about writing the novel and was promoting the theatre production.

I enjoyed the way the novel blends Chinese and western culture and also has an added touch of magic realism. I might even try to find the time to go and see the theatre production.

[Shane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably 3.5 stars. This was an entertaining story about a girl finding out about her heritage and what her Por Por is really capable of. I was hoping this would give lots of cultural information about living in China, and it does to some extent, but it is very focused around the activity of ghost hunting.

Ting Ting's role in the family and the story was mysterious, and is revealed at am important part of the story. I must confess, at one point I was anticipating an M. Night Shyamalan twist in this regard!

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this several years ago, and remember enjoying this book for its blend of authentic Chinese culture (the belief in ghosts and spirits is very normal and common) and fantasy (actually seeing and interacting with spirits is a bit fantastic!). I also loved the interaction between Celeste and her Por Por - because I had a Por Por myself. A great story, particularly for all those kids who are in-between cultures.

[Ree Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story that is gentle enough for sensitive kids to enjoy, but still compelling in its suspense. The characters are warm and well drawn, and I loved the tidbits of Chinese culture that the author brings in. Lovely poetic metaphors are woven through and the scattered illustrations are gorgeous.

[Wren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun read. I really loved the ghost hunting culture as it had so many elements I’d never heard of before. A sword of coins??? Yes please! A part of me wishes there had been more talk about the ghost hunting tools and lore but this is for kids so it’s all good.

Also I met this author and they are such lovely human being and I’ll treasure that memory for always.

[zara · Rating 4 out of 5]

i read this book because my students studied it and i genuinely enjoyed the story. the blending of cultures was beautiful and intriguing. the topic of death was handled in a mature but appropriate way for children. the only thing i wished for was more detail, the book could have easily been extended by 100 pages or so.

[Anna Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely story about connecting with your ancestry. After living near Shanghai for a while, I loved reminiscing with the beautiful description of life in the colourful, bustling city.

[Jaq · Rating 3 out of 5]

Satisfactory story. Suited for the primary setting.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the main character and her Por Por. A great story for younger readers. Magical.

[Maddie DC · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Keep in mind I did this book in school)

I loved this book. It was cute and adventurous and easy to read. However I think the writing can be bland at times and there is room for improvement.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

A enjoyable story. Really well told and such a beautiful setting, I could see it all.

[Krystal’s Next Chapter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A stunning book with such cultural vibrancy and excellent pacing

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent book for 10-12 year age range.

[Emily Decis]

Class novel.

[Annabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A ghost in my suitcase was an interesting read. The main character is Celeste, and she is travelling back to China to scatter her mother's ashes. There, she uncovers a family secret, and her Grandmother has every right to believe that Celeste has the talent to become a ghost hunter.

This book was full of exciting twists and turns and was devoured in a single reading session, highly recommend it to middle-graders.

[Pamela Huxtable · Rating 3 out of 5]

Celeste travels to China for the first time to visit her grandmother, Por Por. She has a sad duty to perform; Celeste is carrying her mother's ashes back to her childhood home to scatter them. Celeste feels lost and insecure, and tells the reader " Before Mama died I felt as if I could wrap up the day and put it in my pocket... now I feel trapped, as if I'm in a giant spiderweb."

Por Por frees Celeste by loving her and helping her discover her heritage, her Chinese culture, and her family's calling of ghost hunters.

This was a well written, but not difficult book, good for older elementary school and middle school students. While the plot deals with supernatural elements, the main themes of the book are rooted in the reality of family relationships, and even readers who may not like fantasy books may enjoy this. Very enjoyable and quick.

Nominated for the Sakura medal 2011 .

[Hannah :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I guess the best way I can convince people by saying this book is absolutely amazing is by saying I still get my youngest sister to borrow it for me from her library so I can read it. I've read it literally 23 times and I still fall in love with the compelling story and heart-warming characters. I can hands down and proudly say that this is my all time favourite childhood novel and I still read it today. Its one of those books Ill pull out in 20 years time and hand it to my child and say "this used to be my favourite book growing up and I think you'll love it too"