THE GRUMPY GHOST UPSTAIRS

In this Japanese import, a ghost makes a friend—eventually.

At first, the little ghost is content to live alone in an attic, enjoying his own company. When he decides to venture outside, a tan-skinned, dark-haired girl who bears some resemblance to Boo from the Pixar film Monsters, Inc. spies him; she ends up seeking him out in the attic, much to his dismay. Alarmed at the intrusion, he tries, and fails, to scare her in scenes reminiscent of Mo Willems’ Leonardo the Terrible Monster (2005). When he invades the child’s bedroom, instead of being alarmed, she is delighted. Her warm welcome (“I hoped you would come and visit me”) disarms the little ghost, who finds “that he [doesn’t] feel so grumpy” anymore. Shiotani’s illustrations are the real standouts here. The little ghost’s depiction is particularly delightful—rather like an updated Casper, but with tiny legs and arms. This unusual portrayal, appendages and all, is just one element of the subtle visual humor that readers will enjoy as they pore over the setting and take in the characters’ interactions. The muted, dark palette allows the whiteness of the little ghost to pop and results in a cozy, rather than frightening, tone.

Nothing to boo here, and much to enjoy.