Ghost Wings [Hardcover]

Barbara M. Joosse (Author), Giselle Potter (Illustrator)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up

Set in Mexico amidst the monarch butterflies' annual migration and during the Days of the Dead, Ghost Wings, written by Barbara M. Joosse, author of the best-selling Mama, Do You Love Me?, and illustrated with the luminescent artwork of Giselle Potter, is the touching story of a little girl whose very best friend is her grandmother. But one spring, Grandmother becomes thin as smoke. When she dies, Papa says, "When you love someone they never really leave." But to the little girl, Grandmother seems impossibly far away. Who will sing to her? Who will chase the monsters from under her bed? Then, during the Days of the Dead, something extraordinary happens that brings Papa's words vividly to life. Ideal for one-on-one sharing as well as a group discussion, Ghost Wings' poignant message of the endurance of love and the power of memory is sure to linger long after the book is closed. A discussion guide is included.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Shortly before her death, a little Mexican's girl's grandmother (who is also her best friend) takes her to the Magic Circle of oyamel fir trees to say goodbye to the monarch butterflies as they prepare for their migration north. Even after a butterfly that has landed on the girl's arm flies away, her arm still tickles. "That's because they carry the souls of the old ones, and the old ones never really leave," Grandmother says. After Grandmother dies, all the sad little girl can think about is that her arm doesn't feel the tickle anymore, and her grandmother's scent of cornmeal and roses is fading as well. It's not until the season for the Days of the Dead, the time to remember the old ones, that the girl discovers the truth of her beloved grandmother's words.

Giselle Potter, illustrator of Kate and the Beanstalk and other intriguing picture books, applies her unique, naive artistic style in muted earth tones to Barbara M. Joosse's narrative: the oval-faced grandmother and granddaughter work tortilla dough together, hold hands under the butterfly-covered trees, and keep the imaginary nighttime monsters at bay. Joosse's poetic tale celebrates the magic of remembrance in a way that will speak to every child who has loved--and lost--someone special. Details about the legendary 2,000-mile migration of monarch butterflies and about the Mexican Days of the Dead add an exotic twist to this delicate, touching story. Joosse is the author of many wonderful books for children, including the award-winning Mama, Do You Love Me?. (Ages 5 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

From Publishers Weekly

Potter's sublimely quirky illustrations adorn this moving tale of death and remembrance set in Mexico and linked to the rhythms of the monarch butterfly. "Grandmother was my best friend," confides the narrator, who treasures their visits to the "Magic Circle" where, every winter, the migrating butterflies "filled the trees with gold." One spring, however, Grandmother becomes "thin as smoke" and soon dies. The disappearance of the monarchs becomes a metaphor for the girl's grief. Later, during the Days of the Dead, the annual celebration honoring those who have died, the girl and her family visit her grandmother's grave. There, a butterfly alights on the girl's arm, melting her sadness: "In my head, I heard Grandmother's songs . I remember how she smelled, like cornmeal and roses." Joosse's (Mama, Do You Love Me?) poetic descriptions ("when they flew away their wings rustled like skirts") and intriguing details of Mexican culture, from tortillas made on a metate to calaveras (traditional skull-shaped chocolate and sugar candies skulls) eaten during the Days of the Dead, inform her sensitively drawn story. (Unfortunately, a key word is spelled wrong the family creates an "alter" to honor Grandmother.) Potter's singular watercolors, rendered in subtle earth tones and accented with pungent shades of red and orange, capture the arid landscape, and her signature characters, with their slightly elongated Modigliani-esque faces, are as graceful as the flight of a butterfly. Ages 3-8.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (March 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811821641
• ISBN-13: 978-0811821643
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 9.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #406,081 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Barbara Joosse is the author of the ever-popular Mama, Do You Love Me?, along with many other books for young readers. She lives in Cedarburg, Wisconsin.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Remembering Grandmother, May 20, 2004

By 

Darcy Romondo (Leavenworth, KS United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ghost Wings (Hardcover)

I stumbled upon Ghost Wings at the public library a week after the death of my mother-in-law. I was trying to find a book that would help my four-year-old deal with the loss. Ghost Wings is an amazing book. Its illustrations are gorgeous, but it is the story that captures the essence of a child's confusion and pain. It also deals with the acceptance stage of the grieving process. Although we aren't there yet, this magical story has made it possible for my daughter to understand that her grandma will never truly be gone, that "the old ones" are never far away. Every time we see a butterfly, monarch or otherwise, we are reminded of the spirits of those we have lost.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful story and illustrations, November 25, 2001

By 

Tina - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ghost Wings (Hardcover)

This book takes the reader into the beautiful world of Mexican culture through a sweet story and amazing illustrations. I read Ghost Wings to a first grade art class and they really enjoyed learning about Los Dias de los Muertos and how the little girl in the story participated in the festivities. The full page illustrations perfectly bring the poetic story to life. At the end of the book there are some interesting projects and ideas that can be done with children. There is also a helpful explaination section, full of details about the Day of the Dead holiday and Mexican culture. I think every children's library should have a copy of this book.