Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed

by José Pablo Iriarte

Benny Ramírez can see dead people . . . Well, one dead person, anyway. A hilarious and heartwarming story about a boy who can suddenly see the ghost of his famous musician grandfather!

After moving cross-country into his late grandfather’s Miami mansion, Benny discovers that the ghost of his famous trumpet-playing abuelo, the great Ignacio Ramírez, is still there . . . and isn’t too thrilled about it. He’s been barred from the afterlife, and no one can see him except his grandson. But Benny’s got problems of his own. He’s enrolled in a performing arts school with his siblings, despite having no obvious talent.
Luckily, Abuelo believes they can help each other. Abuelo has until New Year’s Eve to do some good in the world and thinks that teaching Benny how to play the trumpet and become a school celebrity might be the key to earning his wings. Having no better ideas, Benny finds himself taking Abuelo's advice—to disastrous and hilarious results.
Benny and Abuelo will find that there’s more than one way to be great in this unforgettable, laugh-out-loud tale of family, music, and self-discovery.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Ghosts, Music, Fiction, Audiobook, Humor

Audible Audio

Published April 30, 2024

About the author

José Pablo Iriarte is a Cuban-American writer and teacher who lives in Central Florida. Their fiction can be found in in magazines such as Uncanny, Lightspeed, Strange Horizons, and others, and has been reprinted in numerous Year's Best anthologies. José's novelette, "The Substance of My Lives, the Accidents of Our Births," was a Nebula Award Finalist for 2018. Learn more at www.labyrinthrat.com, or follow José on Twitter @labyrinthrat.

Reviews

[Mir · Rating 5 out of 5]

As you can probably tell from the cover, this is not a scary-haunting horror novel, it's an extremely wholesome, sometimes funny, sometimes touching tale of family, love, and priorities.

An elderly music star, estranged from his family, dies. To his dismay, he is not directed to the eternal party in the sky. However, he manages to cadge a second chance to improve the status of his soul. He has to take care of some unfinished business...but unfortunately he doesn't know what the unfinished business is!

Cue his estranged family, who he ignored for years because he only wanted fame and attention. They have come to Florida to live in his house and send their kids to performing arts school. Including one son who doesn't do performing arts and isn't excited about the move, our main character Benny.

The family is very well characterized. It was nice and rather unusual to see family members who are fond but sometimes clueless or mistaken or just distracted by other concerns. Everyone clearly does love each other, including the divorced food truck abuela who enters the scene partway through. I also appreciated that the quirky side characters are never *just* quirky, they have real personalities and issues of their own.

As an adult, everything was wrapped up a bit too perfectly and happily at the end for me to buy, but I don't think I would have had an issue with it when I was 12.

Bonus: tasty food descriptions & cooking depicted without comment as a fine activity for a boy.

[Mimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this felt like watching a Disney movie and I can't think of a higher compliment than that

[Ann Herrold · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this short novel. The writing was clear and fun. Was there cheese? Yes. But it was the kind that I found endearing. It was cute and heart warming.

[Beth Cato · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as part of the Norton finalist packet.

I love a middle grade books, and this one is a treasure. Benny barely knew his famous, recently-deceased grandpa, Ignacio Ramírez, but now he's living in the man's Miami mansion. He, his parents, and his brother and sister are fresh transplants from Los Angeles. His older sister is a fantastic dancer, while his little brother goes so deeply into his acting roles that he barely breaks character for weeks. Benny feels like the untalented one in the family, a veritable imposter at the creative arts magnet school his parents now teach at. But now Benny is the only one who can see and speak with the ghost of his Abuelo. His grandfather was booted out of the afterlife, told he has unfinished business on Earth, and he's now certain that business is to make Benny a trumpet-playing star. Benny, in awe of his arrogant and domineering Abuelo, now has to navigate a new school, a new talent (kind of), and a family in turmoil.

This is such a sweet book. It's a bit cringey at times, as Benny does things that make you go, 'Oh no!' but fortunately those bits don't go on for long, as the book takes some nice, surprising turns. I really love the loving nature of his family--the depictions of the relationships feel complicated and real.

[Mary Averling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a delight!! I had the immense privilege of reading an advance copy of this whimsical debut, and believe me when I say it's SO. MUCH. FUN. A not-so-scary ghost story bursting with shenanigans, heartfelt humor, and a tender message about family and finding yourself.

Plus it made me hungry, which is the highest praise I can give. Middle grade readers of all ages *need* to add this to their '24 release radars!

[Shelby904 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, it took about halfway through for it to get going for me. I really enjoyed the character of Benny. I thought it was funny that Ignacio could never remember his band members names. A lot of the sibling challenges seem relevant with Manny and his sister Christina I like how they tied it all up in the end with the New Year’s Eve party. I even got teary-eyed a few times because I wanted everyone to succeed.

[Angela Pinney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny and charming. A+

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this story! It would make a good movie.

[Emily Humes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This did give Coco vibes and had a fun premise, but I literally thought I skipped chapters toward the end because we spent so much time finding out how selfish his grandfather was, and then (it felt like) just suddenly declared him a better person.

[Arjun Manoj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very heartwarming and touching! Anybody would love this!

[Tara Kat (MagnoliaPigeonBookBlurbs) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was absolutely adorable! Benny Ramirez and the Nearly Departed is a heartfelt cozy paranormal fantasy that feels like a magical cup of your favorite tea! From ghostly hijinks to the heartwarming revelations, it was truly fantastic!

👻 Paranormal Activity
🎺 Music
🫶 Family
😹 Hoot & a Half
🥘 Delicious Food
❤️‍🩹 Healing
📚 Middle Grade
🫖 Cozy
🧭 Self Discovery

Jose Pablo Iriarte has weaved a beautiful tale of coming into your own, finding yourself, culture, familial connections, grief and healing. I loved the journey of Benny Ramirez and the Nearly Departed and can’t wait to check out more of Jose Pablo Iriarte’s work!

Thank you so much TBR and Beyond Tours and Random House Children's for the gifted copy!

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 4 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Netgalley

The Ramírez family moves from Los Angeles, where the father is a movie producer, to Miami, after Benny's abuelo, the famous Latin Grammy winning trumpet player Ignacio Ramírez, dies of a heart attack. Benny's siblings, dancer Cristina and actor Manny, are glad to be attending the South Miami Performing Arts School, where both parents will be working, but Benny is not artistically inclined, and worried about what he will do there. The family inherits the mansion where Ignacio lived, which is filled with memorabilia celebrating his career. Not only there, but the house also has... Ignacio himself, who was turned away from an intriguing party after his death and told that he had to spend more time on Earth. Ignacio encourages Benny to make questionable fashion choices, and even inhabits his body long enough to earn Benny a place in the band at school, playing trumpet, after he showed no talent on his own. Cristina and Manny are struggling a bit at the new school, but the parents seem to be doing okay even though they need to clean out the house. To help, Benny's abuela Gloria comes with her food truck. Ignacio isn't thrilled about this, since the two were divorced because Ignacio spent more time on his work than with his family. Benny discovers that he has quite a knack for cooking. He doesn't do too badly at school, even after wearing his grandfather's clothes, and makes friends with Andrea, a budding playwright, who is interested in ghosts and tries to help him figure out why his grandfather is a ghost. When the Ramírez family decides to hold a New Year's Eve party in the house, a tradition the grandfather ignored, everyone must work together to plan the celebration. Will Benny and his abuelo be able to figure out what is keeping Ignacio tethered to the house and his family?
Strengths: The family dynamics in this book, even without the grandfather, were interesting. Benny thinks his father was fired, and that's why they moved, when his father really quit because he was worried he wasn't spending enough time with his family. Manny wants Benny's attention, but Benny is so involved with trying to learn to play the trumpet that he ignores his younger sibling. Abuela Gloria isn't fond of Ignacio, but is glad to see the rest of her family. Everyone gets along, and the tension comes from other areas, which gave this a very nice feel. The Miami setting is interesting, and Ignacio's mansion is something else. I also enjoyed Benny's sequined wardrobe! This was a well constructed novel with some enticing cooking thrown in.
Weaknesses: For some reason, the idea of dead grandparents coming back as ghosts creeps me out more than it should, maybe because I have a recurring nightmare that my grandparents are still alive and living in a small house in the country, and I have just... forgotten about them for the last fifty years. Never mind that they would both be over 130 years old. This is completely a me problem.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoy visiting with grandparents who are visiting from beyond the grave in books like Jones' Sauerkraut, Meriano's A Sprinkle of Spirits, or Badua's Freddie vs. The Family Curse.

[Bobscopatz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had this on pre-order and my library had it available as well. I agree with others who have said it’s heartwarming and definitely age-appropriate. The focus on the arts feels novel and refreshing. The book deals with issues of trying to find those things that make someone unique and valuable when surrounded with peers who maybe have bloomed earlier or have obvious talent(s).

It also deals with issues of being isolated and “different” and maybe everyone has insecurities and, let’s face it, we’re all bad at self-assessment, especially as young kids, tweens, and teens comparing ourselves to others.

The setting (greater Miami) and the cultural touchstones (multi-generational Cuban in a melting pot) add interesting notes. The supernatural elements are well done. Not so much creepy or scary as part of the flow of a touching story.

Now, characters and dialog…the writing is very polished. Things flow. The interactions among people feel real and meaningful. It is a fun and engaging read. No points where the technique got in the way of the story, yay!


So, without giving away too much, this is a sweet and heartwarming tale with supernatural elements. I think kids who in the arts, and particularly those who are learning an instrument, will especially enjoy the premise and plot. I think it generalizes to all sorts of kids who feel “different” for any reason (new kid, different background, still finding their way, or feeling exceptional).

[MAGE Investment · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prepare to be amazed!

This Is a great book for your child or grandchild, or even YOU, if you enjoy uplifting, and entertaining, books that are easy to read.

Benny, a Cuban American kid, moves to Miami, and feels kinda lost. His whole family is very musical, but he doesn't seem to have the same talent. Then, his grandpa's ghost shows up to give him some tips!

With his grandpa's help, Benny discovers that with persistence and belief in himself, he can become pretty good at playing the trumpet. He also learns more about his family's history and gets closer to his folks. It's a sweet story about finding your own path and appreciating your family.

This middle-grade novel is an easy read designed to entertain, delight and inspire young readers, typically between the ages of 8 and 12. However, it also is a delightful blend of genres, including elements of Mystery, Contemporary Fiction, Magical Realism, and Multicultural Fiction.

You can see how the author’s experience as a teacher influenced the way he wrote the book to engage young readers to improve their reading comprehension, critical thinking, and cultural awareness while fostering personal growth and self-expression.

I strongly encourage you to buy this book today.

Why 4 stars? I won't be satisfied until I see a film adaptation of this novel. Then I shall give it 5 stars.

I've been a fan of Jose Pablo Iriarte's work for many years

I also recommend you seek out his short stories.

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

With a fun Comedy format, this novel for middle graders is a family adventure great to buddy read with parents and kids.

First, everything goes wrong before they can go right. Starts silly and light but then has a more emotional and deep message towards the end. 

Moving across the country and starting in a new school can't be easy for all the members of the (Cuban) Ramírez family. Especially when Ben is the only one to see the ghost of his Abuelo. This grandfather is no easy character to deal with. He doesn't listen. He is arrogant and thinks he knows it all, but forcing Benny to be the best trumpet player is not his unfinished business. Ben starts realizing he is making the same mistakes in life that his grandfather did, losing his friends and ignoring his family. Also, Ben's talent is not in music.

Very pertinent when nowadays adults must support their families with long hours of work, or older siblings lose contact with younger ones, because they are growing up and changing their interests. But it's important to know what the priorities are: health, family, happiness, helping, and understanding each other. It's very easy to grow apart, even living in the same house. 

I am glad I picked this one to read. It's like a movie or a fun play that starts chaotic and silly but wraps us in a warm family hug.

Promotes friendship and cooperation instead of stressing competition. 

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first started reading Benny Ramirez, it struck me this is something of a Coming of Age story. Benny is a young lad recently replicated with his family from Los Angeles to Miami; along with this come that start thinking Coming of Age. Benny demonstrates wit and humor, even if he doesn’t recognize it in himself. Here’s an example:
“He hurried out the door with a spring in his step, the same way I’d walk out of school on the last day before summer vacation.”
What a great description of someone leaving an employer they didn’t much care for. The fact that the former employer is the Nearly Departed in the title brings the first indication that this story is not only Benny’s coming of age. In fact, all the members (with possibly one exception, though that character simply achieved their status “off camera” earlier in the story’s history) are on a Coming of Age voyage. Including Iggy 2 the dog.
Good fiction involves conflict, and the resolution of that conflict. It need not be violent, yet it must be conflict. Benny’s humor flavors this story, getting through several stages of the conflict with both ups and downs. And the final resolutions reflect that humor in some unexpected manners.
Greatly enjoyed, and highly recommend this book.

[Kat Heckenbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great balance of lighthearted humor and a real message about family, heritage, and individuality. Benny is born to a family filled with incredibly talented people, but he feels completely, boringly ordinary. So when he's stuck going to a school of the arts with his siblings (one an actor and one a dancer), he's forced into pretending to have inherited trumpet playing ability from his famous grandfather -- who has recently passed away but failed to make it into the afterlife, and is now insisting on helping Benny in order to earn his way in. Benny is not the only one struggling with discovering how to stay true to himself, and nearly everyone in the Ramirez family learns something about their role in the family and their importance to each other.

The story flows very naturally, with a strong voice and unique characters. There's a lot of Cuban flavor to the story -- and by flavor I don't just mean cultural references woven in: be prepared to be hungry from the wonderful descriptions of Cuban cuisine!

I definitely recommend this book for young (and not so young) readers.

[Jamie Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ignacio Ramirez, a famous trumpet player, passes away leaving his manion to his estranged son who lives in LA. All of the LA Ramirez's have talent - Papi is a TV producer, Mami is a linguist, Christina is a star dancer, and Manny is budding actor. Only Benny isn't really talented which makes it hard for him to fit in at the performing arts school his parents work and and the kids all attend. To make things worse, only he can see his abuelo's ghost, Ignacio. He didn't go to heaven and the big afterparty everyone who knew was part of because of unfinished business and he decides that means he has to make Benny a superstar trumpet player, just like him, by New Year's. Ignacio likes to push the personal boundaries on Benny until he puts his foot down, and they both discover - maybe - the unfinished business isn't about music at all. The story layers in family and friendships, dreams and failures, Cuban culture, and even a little bit of supernatural, with the ghost and all. There is wit and humor interlaced with the seriousness that all the siblings and Abuelo are facing which adds more nuance to the narrative.

[Yaroslav Barsukov · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must admit I’m the target audience for this (minus the age)—my favorite movie is Whiplash :) Granted, there are no evil music teachers in this novel—but we do have Ignacio Ramirez, a trumpet virtuoso who once had a massive hit called “Miami Maravilloso” and who dies of a heart attack in his own living room while working on new music. After being kicked out of the afterlife by his former (deceased) bandmates, Ignacio’s ghostly form is given time until New Year’s Eve to prove he’s not an a-hole.

The titular Benny Ramirez is Ignacio’s grandson, who’s seen his Abuelo (grandpa) a total of maybe five times; yeah, there’s a reason the afterlife folks weren’t exactly thrilled to see the late virtuoso. Benny’s family has just relocated to Miami, and a practical joke gets the boy drafted as a trumpeter in his new school’s orchestra. The are two problems with that: 1) our guy Benny has never played trumpet in his life, and 2) the only teacher available to him is a friggin’ ghost.

Similar to Whiplash, the novel is structured around a series of performances Benny has to give; this kept my blood pressure at a consistently high level throughout. The writing is great (hey! It’s Joe Iriarte, folks!), the Benny/Ignacio pairing just WORKS, and there's plenty of good-natured humor. Check out Benny’s first performance, for example: “The belches and the honks that came out were otherworldly, but not in a good way. More like a demon elephant that had been surprised and was showing its displeasure.”

There’s also a lot of warm, heartfelt moments, especially toward the end. Benny learns something important, and so does his Abuelo. The heaven’s door opens and closes again, and we’re left with a great novel by an amazing writer.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Benny Ramirez and the Nearly Departed! I love a good ghost story that is not scary but fun to read. I couldn't help picturing Jaime Camil (from Jane the Virgin) as Benny's nearly departed Abuelo. With his over-the-top clothes, how he was (is?) the most talented trumpet player of all time, and how Benny is a Ramírez and has the same blood running through his veins so he must be just as talented as his Abuelo, etc.

I enjoyed how all the characters grew throughout the story. How their true talents came through and they realized they just needed to be themselves.

A great addition and a must-have for all libraries!

@LabyrinthRat #BennyRamírezandtheNearlyDeparted
#SchoolLibrary #SchoolLibrarians #ReadABook #Books #Read #MGReads MGBooks #MGLit #KidLit #ElementaryBooks #ElemReads

[Jame_EReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

👦🏻 reviews: this is definitely one funny book! I enjoyed this one because it reminded me of the Disney movies Coco and Encanto combined together. It is about Benny seeing his grandfather’s ghost and what prompted him to speed up his musical talent in less than 24-hours. His dead grandfather who was a well-known trumpet musician gave Benny the second chance in life to bring back his abuelo’s talent. I like this one because while I was reading, I kept envisioning the two movies. Benny, the silly optimistic boy and his abuelo were both funny and crazy. I had fun reading this fast-paced, funky and page-turning book. Imagine if this was done in a graphic novel? Even better! I really recommend this one to any 8 to 12 year old readers like me who wanted a laugh out loud, silly and entertaining book!

[Robin Wasley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: I absolutely ordered a Cubano after reading this since I am extremely susceptible to suggestion...
When Benny Ramirez is forced to start over in a new place, struggling to find his special gift in the shadow of his talented family, he finds he’s the only one who can see the ghost of the famous grandfather he never really knew who has been locked out of the afterlife until he completes his unfinished business. Together, they learn that talent is one thing, but true success is finding what brings you joy and sharing it with the people you love. This story about connecting with family and staying true to yourself is really cute and full of heart! It also might make you hungry (a line about medianoche sandwiches made me laugh out loud!)

[Genoveva Dimova · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was in the mood for something light and fun, with a lot of heart, and my god, did Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed deliver! Benny's family moves to Miami after his famous trumpet player grandfather Ignacio Ramírez dies; once there, Benny realises he's the only one who can see Ignacio's ghost, and the plot thickens. I loved Benny and Ignacio's relationship and all the humour that stemmed from it (Ignacio's love of sequins had me in stitches). I also really enjoyed the complicated family dynamics, all set against the backdrop of Ignacio's Miami mansion, and Benny's character arc as he grows into himself and his own talents. The food scenes were delightful! A wonderful ghost story, both twisty and hilarious.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a LOT of recently published middle grade fiction myself and then read the ones I think my sons will like out loud to them. I say this because I thought I knew what kind of story this was going to be due to knowing the genre really well. But almost once per chapter I had the thought, "Well, I wasn't expecting THAT!" in the most delightful way possible. Benny was a great character, but Andrea the goth playwright obsessed with food monsters stole the scene every time she was in it, and I also grew to love Benny's siblings and totally believed their character arcs. Funny, fun read that I devoured in about three days (I am busy, so that's great for me). And I've already passed it along to my son, which is the highest praise for a book I can give.

[Debbie Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laugh-out-loud hilarious and unpredictable, you’ll root for Benny all the way as he navigates life in Miami with his new sidekick, Ignacio, the ghost of his famous, trumpet-playing abuelo. A fast-paced novel about discovering one’s special gifts and the power of family bonds, Iriarte’s winning combination of humor, plot twists, and witty characters will leave you thinking about this book long after you’ve finished reading it. This is a love letter to Miami as well as to middle-graders everywhere. A stand-out debut, Benny Ramirez and the Nearly Departed is pure entertainment. Sit back, have a cafecito, and enjoy every page!

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

After his famous musician grandfather dies, Benny's family moves across the country to live in his house. When Benny discovers that his abuelo's ghost is still hanging around due to some unfinished business: he must make talentless Benny a star trumpet player. Along the way, Benny realizes that maybe the man he looks up to isn't who he thought.

This was a fun book about family and finding joy in what you like, even if you aren't the best at it. I loved how supportive Benny's family was about the kids pursuing their passions.

This was a great debut novel and I'd definitely read from José Pablo Iriarte again.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

[Larissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is quick and has a beautiful message that children need to hear. Time can go by so fast and sometimes the things we want can get in the way of the things that we need. I hope that children get swept away in this story. I love that Benny challenges himself to learn something new and finds out that he finds joy in it. More importantly I love that he was able to find out that his true passion is an art and one that should be developed and explored. This is just a beautiful book.
Thank you so much to Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers, and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

[callistoscalling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you @tbrbeyondtours & @josepabloiriarte for the chance to read this book and share my Top 5 Reasons to Read!

1. Even children deal with death and it is so important for them to read about it.
2. Grief is natural and we all handle it in our own way and that is okay!
3. An absolutely beautiful and unique perspective of the afterlife.
4. Everyone has a gift…it just takes some time and effort to find yours.
5. Just an absolutely beautiful tale about family, embracing change, loss, healing, and the love of music.

[Natalia Sylvester · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is all the things I love in a middle great book—lots of heart, humor that makes me LOL, and beautifully real and complicated family dynamics. I found so much to relate to in Benny's story: seeing a Miami depicted on the page that felt more like the one I know and love (not the glitzy overly-glam version) the culture shock of being a new kid in a new school who both wants to fit in while not blending in, and the pull of loved ones we've lost and long to know. Iriarte did such a wonderful job and I can't wait to see what they write next!

[Jennifer H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book to start the year with - New Year's Eve deadline for the ghost of Benny's abuelo. Benny and his family are funny and they work through common family issues. Entertaining and cute!

I really appreciated how Benny described, later, how having his abuelo play through him: The way music felt when you had the skill to perform it right, when you weren't fighting against your own body to put your fingers in the right place or blow air properly, when you weren't cringing at awkward sounds.

Any band kid who isn't first chair will appreciate that!