Common Sense Media Review
By Julian Jones
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Teens take on high school, phantoms in dark, exciting tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In SCHOOL BUS GRAVEYARD: VOLUME 1, 16-year-old Ashlyn Banner endures one of the hallmark horrors of high school life as an introvert: socializing and making friends. When she is assigned a group history project with a field trip to Savannah, she reluctantly agrees at the persistence of her classmates and her parents. The trip seems OK until the students take a tour of the historic Sorrel Weed House. Their tour unknowingly attracts the attention of terrifying phantoms from a different dimension. High school can be a struggle for most students, but for Ashlyn and her classmates, the struggle to survive and escape the strange cycle of phantom encounters is another dimension.
Is It Any Good?
Fun, suspenseful, and exciting, this young adult horror graphic novel stands out. School Bus Graveyard: Volume 1, written and illustrated by Red, will appeal to fans of horror, adventure, and webtoon comics alike. Red's manga-inspired artwork perfectly captures the pressures and horrors of the characters' high school lives and the phantom dimension, both of which can chill to the bone. The balance of storytelling, scares, and comedy keeps the tension from overwhelming. The brisk pace of the first two chapters slows in the third to make room for character development and themes like making friends, bullying, standing up for yourself and others, and confronting fears. Red's handling of these subjects allows for some enticing character growth going forward.
Ashlyn Banner is an appealing, unique character who is coded as autistic (although this isn't explicitly stated in the text). Readers who can relate to Ashlyn's introversion, social avoidance, and sound sensitivity will find a fiercely authentic hero in Ashlyn. She's an easy protagonist to root for: Though she has always preferred to be alone, when the phantoms start hunting, she connects with classmates, leans into her strengths, and steps into a leadership role. This first volume sets up the relatable characters and thrilling world, and its cliffhanger ending will entice readers to come back for more adventures of Ashlyn and her band of phantom-fighting classmates.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how communication happens in School Bus Graveyard: Volume 1. Ashlyn initially doesn't like to interact or socialize with her classmates. Aiden talks all the time, and Ben doesn't talk at all. But they're all able to communicate when it matters. How do they learn to "talk" to one another? When have you had to communicate with people you weren't sure about, but it ended up OK?
Ashlyn and her classmates work as a team and rely on each other to outwit and escape the phantoms that hunt them. How do they share their unique strengths and help each other when someone needs it?
The classmates show compassion toward Ben when Aiden tells them how Ben's voice box was injured and why he doesn't talk. Talk about a time you shared something difficult and received a compassionate response. What helped the most to feel heard and comforted?
Ashlyn and her classmates demonstrate perseverance in their struggles to escape the cycle of violence of the phantoms that constantly hunt them. Was there a moment in your life when you found a way to persevere during a hard time? What helped you keep going?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Red
- Genre : Graphic Novel
- Topics : Adventures , Fantasy ( Ghosts , Monsters ) , Friendship , School ( High School )
- Character Strengths : Communication , Compassion , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Ink Pop
- Publication date : June 30, 2026
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 18
- Number of pages : 272
- Available on : Paperback, Hardback, Apple Books, App
- Last updated : July 14, 2026
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