Parents' Guide to Aggie and the Ghost

This offbeat ghost story is not scary and taps into the kind of compromises kids may make to keep a friendship going. The characters in Aggie and the Ghost are well-drawn, literally and figuratively: strong, assertive Aggie who wants to be alone, and the annoying, persistent ghost who follows her everywhere and breaks all her rules. The emotional dilemma is surprisingly relatable for anyone who's ever had a playdate full of negotiations about what to play and how to play it. And author-illustrator Matt Forsythe's watercolor, gouache, and pencil illustrations are captivating as they zero in on fanciful creatures like a Man-Faced Owl, one- and two-eyed ghosts gathered in a spooky forest to watch the main characters play a fierce game of tic-tac-toe, the many moods of Aggie, and the many forms her ghost takes, including serving as an umbrella in the rain. There's dramatic tension and a clever ending where Aggie comes up with a solution to satisfy both parties.