Why Do You Cry, Sad Ghost?

by Celia Jones

A Halloween picture book for art lovers. In clever rhyme, Sad Ghost visits the rooms of his home, always with a tear in his eye. Hauntingly drawn, Why Do You Cry, Sad Ghost? displays Celia Jones' gift for whimsy and detail.

Inspired by the author-illustrator’s love for all things Halloween – and by a treasured family Halloween figurine – this artfully drawn picture book is full of details to delight children and the adults who read with them.

With a mouse hiding on every page and visual references to popular culture, these finely crafted images and poignant text deliver a Halloween treat to readers.

42 pages, Paperback

Published September 15, 2021

Reviews

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for this Halloween!

I am so impressed with everything about this book!

It feels like we are reading a really good graphic novel. The artstyle is outstanding. Absofreakinglutely love it!

Kudos to the artist.

And yes, the whole book is so much fun to read.

There's a pang of nostalgia and solitude to it. Yet a pretty good one.

Thank you, author/artist and the publisher for the ARC.

[Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is outstanding in every way! The illustrations are top-notch and the story resonates in a sweet way. Recommended for all ages.

This unbiased review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.

[Srivalli (Semi-Hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

The best part about the book is the illustrations. There really isn’t any story here. A mouse asks a sad ghost why it’s sad, and the ghost has an answer for everything. The final reveal leads to Halloween, which the ghost loves the most.

If you want a cute mindless book that’s more like an introduction to ghosts’ lives, this would your pick. If you want a moral or a lesson for the kids, you’ll need to find something else.

Focus more on the illustrations as they are the life of the book. The detailing is quite good and eye-catchy.

I received an ARC from NetGalley, Reginetta Press, and BookBuzz.net and am voluntarily leaving a review.

#WhyDoYouCrySadGhost #NetGalley

[Mary Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

With imaginative illustrations and beguiling rhyme, we follow Sad Ghost on his quest to discover the reason for his lament. Each illustration is a story in and of itself. From a candy corn rug, to haunting silhouettes, there are small touches here that speak to Jones’s attention to detail and perceptive mind. This is an adorable book that will appeal to adults and children alike. Celia Jones has created a Halloween classic.

[Join the Penguin Resistance!]

What a truly special book! One of the best children's books I have seen, undoubtedly! I adored the gentle rhyme and the momentum of the story, as the unseen narrator queries the "sad ghost" protagonist as to why it is sad. You can just hear its resignation to sadness as it responds to each query, and then its awakened delight at the end. The illustrations are endearing and so is the text. I shared the ARC with my 9-year-old granddaughter who also enjoyed it.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

***eProof gifted by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction***

What a whimsy Halloween rhyme picture book for tiny humans. With pop culture reference in the beautiful illustrations and the quirky rhymes, this was a short, fast and yet, adorable read. Perfect to get your tiny ghouls ready for the Spooky Season.

[Kimberly Souza · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this sweet Halloween story. I liked looking for the little mouse on each page to see where he was hanging out, and the flow of the story was just right. I think it has lovely illustrations, and the story is one that will appeal to children of all ages.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is adorable, with pictures that have quirky details that a child would be delighted to find. It would also be good for teaching rhymes if you do plan to use it in an educational capacity. It's a bit too young for the students I teach, so I wouldn't be using it in my classroom. Could be cute with younger kids.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's spooky season (almost)!. Why do you Cry, Sad Ghost? Is a children's book with an unidentified narrator asking the sad ghost why it's sad. The words are written in rhyme which will likely appeal to children. The illustrations are fun and don't shy away from being more on the scary side which will appeal to the people reading this book to children. Overall it was cute.

[Jamie Bee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun Book about a Sad Ghost

In this Halloween story, someone “off screen” repeatedly asks a ghost with tears beneath its eyes why it cries as it moves through the house it haunts. The story is told in rhyme, which is always a nice touch in a picture book. The questioner always offers the ghost a reason, and the ghost always says no until the end. The illustrations are well done and evocative of Halloween. Some pages are very dark; the text should have been a lighter color on those to make them easier to read. (The text is always black… and reminiscent of an old-school typewriter.) This is a whimsical book for Halloween that could be made interactive if you had the child come up with the reasons why a particular problem wouldn’t bother a ghost. A fun book for kiddoes as Halloween approaches.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com

[Andrea Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just Creepy Enough…and Adorable!

"Why Do You Cry, Sad Ghost?" is destined to become a Halloween classic. Not only is Sad Ghost himself adorable, but his environment is richly rendered in Celia Jones’ illustrations. Just creepy enough but not too scary, this picture book is appropriate for ages 3-12 – but don’t let the Picture Book genre frighten off adults. Cultural references will put a smile on whomever is reading this book to a littler one.

Jones’ clever drawings include details that will sneak up on you with every new read-through. Sad Ghost is reminiscent of Georgie the Ghost, and just as lovable. If, like me, you live through your year awaiting Halloween, don’t miss this story.

I look forward to Celia Jones’ next book!

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not too bad at all, this interesting attempt at a rhymed picture book kind of saddles itself with being about a particular 'holiday'. Without giving the game away, the verse is a (well-constructed) dialogue between a questioner and a sad ghost, as we attempt to find out what makes it so glum. Those are questions that, if the final answer were different, could be asked every time of the year, but no – this is set upon celebrating one occasion in particular. As such it might have limited its appeal. It's certainly not terrible – three and a half stars.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am always looking to add holiday books to my elementary school library. This is a sweetly illustrated story of a sad ghost. The ghost is seemingly adult sized and some of the depictions (visiting their own grave) are unusual for a children's book. An unseen narrator keeps asking "Why do you cry, Sad Ghost?" and there are various rhyming replies. It is geared towards younger readers (K-3) and I could read it to all ages in my library. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whimsical and enchanting story with beautiful illustrations to help tell the story of the sad ghost. Kids will love this story and pictures. Good bedroom read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very sweet Halloween story of a sad ghost. The illustrations was beautiful! Great timing for the Fall season too.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my free copy in exchange for my review.

[Cris · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations are great in this Halloween book for children. I gave it 3 stars because I feel the book is written for younger children but I feel the story has a few areas that may not be appropriate for all children. Not all parents would want the Ghost having a party and the Monster drinking out of a bottle. My other concern was the discussion of death, about the bones. Most children haven’t had to deal with death, even after covid. If they have, we don’t want to remind them. Otherwise I loved the book!

Thanks NetGalley and Celia Jones for the opportunity to read this cute Halloween book!