Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse (Goth Girl, 1)

Product Information

Jess has moved from house to group home to house for the past nine years. Having entered the foster care system at seven, Jess doesn’t know what it’s like to have a safe place to call home. Foster Care Pro-tip number eight: Never become emotionally involved with anyone. Ever. Jess doesn’t expect this placement to be any different but Barbra, Jess’ new foster parent, is unlike any of the ones she’s had before. Basically Goth Girl is Ada Goth a young girl living with her father in Ghastly Gorm-Hall. Her mother was an acrobat and died while high wire walking. Because Ada reminds Lord Goth so much of his wife, he hides Ada away. A child must be heard and not seen. He wants her to walk about Gorm-Hall in loud boots so he can hide when he hears her. He only has one meal a week with her. Ada has gone through a number of nannies but they never last. Not because Ada isn't nice, but because of them. She will get a new one during this particular story. I'll let you meet her.

Both illuminated and illuminating this is a magnum opus from the singular talent of Chris Riddell and is certain to be the jewel in the crown of every book case it adorns. Droplets of Ink Or, if someone insists that it's still a children's book at heart, let me put it this way: it's a book for intelligent children, meant to both educate and introduce them to advanced literary works as well as entertain them. Everyone happy? The representation of foster kids. I love how Lindsay wrote about Jess's feelings about being a foster kids. It's so realistic (and then i knew that Lindsay Zrull was once a foster teen herself). Jess's point of view was kinda cynical and sour, and she's clearly have a major trust issue toward foster families (and life, basically), but judging from her past, i think it's reasonable and it makes me want to hug her :( I just wished there are more Jess's past life that described in the story, because i think it will more elaborate her complicated nature.Altogether I really enjoyed the book and I needed a little break after finishing it to stop crying happy tears. I really recommend it to everyone who likes geeky books! Illustrated and written by Riddell, Goth Girl tells of Ada Goth (based on Ada Lovelace in a sense) and her home, Ghastly-Gorm Hall. It has English literature puns and references galore, though some take a bit of working out as Riddell has taken some liberty with them. The story itself is fairly simply, though I am delighted to say that it is not written in that awful style you sometimes get with children's books where the author is talking down to their intended audience because, as everyone knows, children are stupid. It is neither patronising nor simple, it is simply a delight. In case I haven't said it enough times, The Edge Chronicles is my favourite series ever. I love it way more than Harry Potter (yes I went there). I first read it about six years ago and again last year. I won't be surprised if I do it again one day. Chris Riddell's illustrations make the story even richer for me, so to read a book that he didn't just illustrate but also wrote is plain awesome. I had a hard time settling on a rating and formulating my thoughts on this. The first half of the book was closer to a 2 star and the last half could be a 3 or 3.5? The reason being that this was not at all what i was expecting. Bounced between foster homes since the age of seven, Jessica knows better than to set down roots. Most of the kids at her new Michigan high school think she’s a witch anyway (because, you know, goth). The only one who gives her the time of day is geeky Oscar, who wants to recruit her fashion skills for his amateur cosplay group. But Jess is fine showing off her looks to her Insta fans—until a woman claiming to be her biological mother barges into her DMs.

Goth Girl, Queen of the Universe exceeded my expectations in every way possible! I love this book so much! The mental health representation was especially done so well. I liked the contrast of how Jess's mother handles her mental health versus how Barbara manages hers. Also the chats between Oscar and Jess about anxiety and stress were realistic and done with such empathy. The first Goth Girl book, Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse, came out in 2013, winning the Costa Children’s Book Award and getting nominated for the CILIP Kate Greenaway and the Children’s National Book Award. There are now four books in the series. I also really enjoyed how everyone tried to support each other and to show that it’s okay to not fit in. Ada Goth lives in Ghastly-Gorm Hall with her strange father, Lord Goth, numerous ghosts and an array of servants. One night the ghost of a mouse called Ishmael shows up, explaining that he'd been killed in a mouse trap and was no destined to roam Ghastly-Gorm Hall forever. What he doesn't know is that there's trouble afoot, and he and Ada are the only ones who can solve the mystery. Goofy, geeky Oscar was absolutely adorable and stole my heart early on. His enthusiasm and passion were infectious and I wanted to watch him as he created the foam weapons of my dreams.the most covetable book of the year. It is simply the most outstandingly beautiful piece of book design and production...This book is a triumph from an author and illustrator at the height of his powers... ReadingZone The wonderful illustrations by the former children’s laureate (2015-2017), Chris Riddell, make these mystery stories perfect for readers 7+ who love adventures with a dark or fantastical twist. Her new foster mom is so cute. She’s trying so hard to give Jess a healthy, happy space and encourage her sewing and creativity. I love it. Ada Goth lives in Ghastly-Gorm Hall with her father whom she barely sees or talks to, Lord Goth, along with lots of servants and several ghosts. Each day she trudges around Ghastly-Gorm Hall in ginormous boots because her father believes that children should be "heard and not seen". One night, Ada wakes up to the sound of a ghost mouse squeaking and they both set out to explore the mysterious goings on... Jess’s inner thinking is super fun and I love seeing the portrayal of fashion and make up as a way of enjoying someone’s creativity and self expression. I love her extra-ness when it comes to her “goth identity”. Oscar is an adorable blushing boy and they have such well written convos and I love all the sweet moments they share as they get to know each other. I love that they can share a hobby and goof off and pay attention to the other’s interests but above all else, they trust each other to open up about the serious things too and discuss it in a mature way, reassuring each other.

Then one night, a ghostly mouse called Ishmael appears in Ada's bedroom and asks for her help. Soon, Ada finds herself joining forces with some young visitors, William and Emily Cabbage, as well as their friends in the Attic Club, to unravel a dastardly plot being hatched by Maltravers, the sinister indoor gamekeeper. Together, can they stop Maltravers before he unleashes his terrible plan on the day of Lord Goth's famous metaphorical bicycle race and indoor hunt?

Chris Riddell Press Reviews

Ada Goth lives with her very odd father, Lord Goth at the enormous Ghastly-Gorm Hall where children are meant to be seen and not heard. Whatever is going on at the Hall - whether it is the Ghastly-Gorm Garden Party and Bake-Off, the Hall’s music festival or a gamekeeper with dastardly plans - Ada is on hand to make sure the ghastly going-ons don’t get out of hand and to solve the spooky mysteries. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Jess is a likeable character who is trying to find a home for herself despite her past trauma and current foster situation. The friendships that she develops with Oscar, Gerrit, and Emily are all refreshing and wonderful to read about. It was awesome to see her individual creativity encouraged and applauded instead of hidden and, when she was bullied, to see her stand up for who she is as a person.

I got this book because I thought the cover was really pretty and I don’t often read books with a main goth character though they have a really interesting style. For lovers of stark, intense landscapes, Gill Lewis’s Sky Dancer (Oxford) is essential. Joe and his elder brother Ryan are mourning their gamekeeper father, who died after serving time for shooting an endangered bird of prey: a hen harrier, scourge of the young birds he reared on the grouse moor. Now the community is bitterly divided between tradition and conservation. With a nod to Mervyn Peake, the Goth family home is named Ghastly-Gorm Hall. The grounds hold not only the Secret Garden, but also the Even-More-Secret Garden, along with the Unstable Stables, the Dear Deer Park and the Lake of Extremely Coy Carp, all crafted by the renowned garden designer, Metaphorical Smith. Jess is a foster child and already had a lot other foster homes before she got to Barb. In the many years as a foster child she made up rules for herself to not get attached to anyone.First of all, I absolutely love the cover. Jess and the gang completely stole my heart. As someone who loves fandom, cosplay, and just being a geek in general, this book made my heart smile. Seeing these kids navigate the con and cosplay world was extremely entertaining. I also enjoyed seeing all the familiar fandoms along with some new ones. I love going to cons and seeing the amazing costumes and makeup so I would have loved to be there to see them perform. This is a story of found family, of learning to be vulnerable and to trust, and letting people get to know the real you. The experience of being a foster kid was realistic and the discussions about mental health were refreshingly honest. It’s suddenly hard to believe that I’ve lived this long without knowing another human being who understands what this is like. The cover image, which I loved and was what drew me to this book in the first place, had me expecting a middle grade story. Imagine my surprise when Jess’ first day of school included a stranger mid psychotic break trying to get as many swear words in a sentence as possible and a reference shortly thereafter to a “kinky sex dungeon”. Spoiler: Not a kinky sex dungeon. Jess has put up walls for protection; guarding herself from the inevitable pain of disappointment. When she finds herself with her new foster parent, Barbra, her walls begin to falter. And with help from her new geeky, cosplaying, gamer friends - Oscar, Em and Gerrit- maybe Jess can finally have a home with love and friendship. In the beginning I was a bit skeptical about the story but after the first few chapters I just fell in love with the different characters and their stories.