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Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Vera Brosgol has penned a great graphic novel dealing with self-esteem, friendship, family, and loyalty. Anya came to the United States from Russia when she was a youngster and has gone through the ESL classes, worked very hard to blend in and lose the Russian accent. Anya has a best (only) friend Siobhan who isn't really nice and a crush on a besketball player. When Anya won't give Siobhan a cigarette, an argument erupts and Anya flees through the park and falls down a hole. In this dark cavern, she finds a skeleton and a ghost arises from the skeleton and tells Anya her name is Emily and she was murdered in 1918 and loved a soldier. Anya is rescued and goes home to find Emily, the ghost, has followed her home because their was a little bit of Emily's bone in Anya's bookbag. After some trepidation about Emily, Anya starts enjoying having a ghost for a friend; she gives her answers on tests, tutors her and helps her dress better and get to a party with the guy she loves on the basketball team. But all is not rosy for Anya; the basketball player is a PLAYER and jumps on girls at parties and through a little research Anya finds out Emily is not really who she says she is...and now Emily gets scary and begins to threaten Anya with harm to her family! What is a girl to do? This colors in this graphic novel consist of greys, whites and black, a perfect background for the darkness behind Emily the ghost. A very enjoyable read and even though Anya has issues; she is/becomes someone who cares about others and will stand up for what is right. Highly recommended,

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