Early Reader Review: Sheets by Brenna Thummler

 Source: From Netgalley and Lion Forge in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

Sheets by Brenna Thummler

Publisher: Lion Forge
Publication Date:  August 28th, 2018

 

Format:  Ebook

Rating:


 




Goodreads Synopsis: 

Marjorie Glatt feels like a ghost. A practical thirteen year old in charge of the family laundry business, her daily routine features unforgiving customers, unbearable P.E. classes, and the fastidious Mr. Saubertuck who is committed to destroying everything she’s worked for.

Wendell is a ghost. A boy who lost his life much too young, his daily routine features ineffective death therapy, a sheet-dependent identity, and a dangerous need to seek purpose in the forbidden human world.

When their worlds collide, Marjorie is confronted by unexplainable disasters as Wendell transforms Glatt’s Laundry into his midnight playground, appearing as a mere sheet during the day. While Wendell attempts to create a new afterlife for himself, he unknowingly sabotages the life that Marjorie is struggling to maintain.

Sheets illustrates the determination of a young girl to fight, even when all parts of her world seem to be conspiring against her. It proves that second chances are possible whether life feels over or life is over. But above all, it is a story of the forgiveness and unlikely friendship that can only transpire inside a haunted laundromat. 

Review: 
Sheets is a young adult/middle grade graphic novel about a girl who helps run her family's laundry business.  Sadly, it was her mothers passion and she is now gone, leaving Marjorie to pick up the pieces while her dad isolates in order to mourn the passing of his wife. 

This graphic novel had a lot of deep moments - it was sad and the struggle is evident watching Marjorie try to run the family's livelihood while being a young teen.  Making this a bit lighter in content is the ghosts. In the story there is a young ghost who is having trouble admitting that he died. In this world not only do ghosts exist but they wear sheets.

Marjorie and Wendell slowly learn to help one another and the ending of the story is very sweet. I think a graphic novel is a great way to tackle these hard subjects - sometimes limited text and dialogue and images are the way to go and this story does that very well.