Common Sense Media Review
By Regan McMahon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Girl meets three ghosts and Death in artful grief tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
As her family bustles about getting ready for a big party in the cemetery, preparing special foods and gathering orange and yellow marigolds for decoration, a young girl named Cala is too sad about her grandfather's death to join in the preparations. Once they walk through the gates, Cala sees all the people gathered by the graves of their loved ones. "Everywhere, people had built their altars and lit candles to welcome the guests... This was the day the dead returned, and each family had its own way to greet them." She gets lost on the path and becomes separated from her family, then meets three ghosts on horseback (all brothers) whom she asks to help find them. The first is sick and sneezing (rider and horse), and he wants some hot soup. The second is a skeleton rider on a skeleton horse, and he's hungry for "cakes and pies and empanadas," among other things. The third is a grumpy rider on a horse made of gears who loves to argue. Then a fourth brother arrives who is Death himself, riding a realistic-looking extra large white horse. Cala has things to learn from all of them and gains a deeper understanding of THE INVISIBLE PARADE of "guests" who come to the graveyard at night to party with the living.
Is It Any Good?
This fantasy tale of grief and celebration of the dead is rich in cultural references and deep in its reflections on death and compassion. The Invisible Parade is a bit long and may be too complex for some young readers, but reads like a compelling folktale, with meaty philosophical and moral issues to chew on. And John Picacio's dazzling, vivid graphite illustrations will keep kids engaged and adults amazed. The spectacular double gatefold that unfolds toward the end showing the invisible parade of ancestors mingling with with Cala's contemporaries erupts like a blast of shared joy. "It was hard to say who might be he living and who might be the dead," the unseen narrator says on the following page. "All dance together. And none were afraid." Though the topic of death is not everyone's cup of tea, the success of the animated movie Coco proves that little kids can be ready to respond to characters from the great beyond. And it's fun to see the Day of the Dead portrayed in all its glory, although it's curious that the holiday is mentioned by name only in the illustrator's note. Also, there's no mention of where the story takes place, although Día des Muertos is most associated with Mexico.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the ghosts young Cala meets in the cemetery in The Invisible Parade, whom she speaks to calmly, as if they were alive. What would you say to a ghost if you met one?
Have you heard of or celebrated Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead? If you were to make an "offrenda," or altar, featuring your loved ones who have died, whose pictures would you put on it? What special items of theirs might you add to the altar? Do you know what their favorite foods were?
Cala's family members cook special foods and decorate for the party in the cemetery with candles and flowers. Why is teamwork important at a time of celebration? How is it helpful at a time of sadness?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : John Picacio
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Holidays
- Character Strengths : Communication , Compassion , Courage , Empathy , Gratitude , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : August 26, 2025
- Number of pages : 60
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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