Common Sense Media Review
By Regan McMahon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Grandpa and grandson share a special place in gentle tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
A young boy is visiting his grandpa, working with him in the garden, and notices some things in the pathways—tracks, a broken flowerpot, an angel figurine in a bird's nest—and concludes THERE'S A GHOST IN THE GARDEN. "Grandpa says there's probably more than one ghost in the garden. He says maybe they are deer ghosts or fox ghosts. Or the ghosts of migrant birds circling back to their old haunts." The boy brings him a smooth, dark stone and sparks Grandpa's memories of a stream he used to swim in "when he was little." He remembers summers sitting in "an old bathtub salvaged from a junkyard" in the garden behind his house and describes it so well the boy can picture it. Later he gets an idea to clear a space in the same place for him and Grandpa to sit. They build it together out of "scraps of wood and some of the little presents the ghost has left behind." The story ends with them there. "Together, we sit and listen for the cool, dark stream."
Is It Any Good?
This quiet story is a gentle meditation on the power of memory, cycles of nature, and the special bond between grandfather and grandson. There's a Ghost in the Garden covers a lot of ground and leaves room for the reader's own reflections on fleeting moments, time passing, and who we share the natural world with. Author Kyo Maclear gives kids a lot to chew on, and Katty Maurey's moody, muted gouache paintings are perfect for the open-ended tone of the text.
The boy asks, "Do you think some places are extra full of ghosts, Grandpa? Maybe because something they remember is there?" And Grandpa answers, "Could be."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the power of memory in There's a Ghost in the Garden. Can you think of a time you were in a place and closed your eyes and saw, heard, and felt what it was like being there? if yes, what was it like? If not, try it!
Do you do stuff with a grandparent? If so, what's your favorite thing to do? What's special about your time together?
The boy loves learning things from his grandpa. Why is curiosity an important character strength?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Katty Maurey
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : STEM
- Character Strengths : Communication , Curiosity , Gratitude , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Enchanted Lion Books
- Publication date : October 22, 2024
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 6 - 9
- Number of pages : 56
- Available on : Hardback
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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