Hearing Things

ALA Best Graphic Novels for Children Reading List

Sometimes the spookiest thing of all isn’t a haunted house!

In this spine-tingling graphic novel, Tim and his big sister Martha are new to the neighborhood. Tim likes to record sounds on adventures with his cat, Frankie. Martha likes to make scary music. Nothing has been right for her since the move: Her music stinks! What if she never has friends again! Tim goes on a quest: if he can record something bone-chilling, then Martha can finish her song. But even the block’s haunted house is silent. Just when Tim is ready to give up, Frankie helps him find a way, with the help of some new, unexpected friends."No macabre vibes here, just some supernatural fun.... A solid, spooky tale, with vintage-quality illustrations." —Kirkus Reviews

"Ghostly shenanigans take center stage in this graphic novel...which also offers an intriguing picture of a sibling relationship—low-key in its expression but deep in its connection." —Publishers Weekly

“This story combines the apprehension of moving to a new town, the determination of one sibling to help another, the spine-tingling fear of a haunted house, and the cunning of a resolute cat—all in one brief, absorbing graphic novel… The cartooning is fast paced and easy to follow, with just enough text bubbles to establish context and communicate the hilarious and all-knowing motivations of Frankie (who steals the show). The use of bright colors on every page and in many panels’ onomatopoeia (to express the spooky sounds) makes the “scary” parts still whimsical and entertaining. Plus, readers will love being let in on the big secret of the story, known only to them and Frankie.” –The Horn BookBEN SEARS has lived in Kentucky his whole life. Raised in a house full of rock and roll music, he played drums in punk bands until he realized he would rather spend all his time drawing pictures and making comics. He has three cats: Harper, Kiwi, and Junior, who likes to stand by the door waiting to go out for a walk on a leash. Like Tim, Ben loves going around his neighborhood to record the sounds of nature—the creek by his house, the wind shaking the trees, or the insects buzzing away. Ben used to love loud noises, but now that he is older, he has learned to appreciate quiet. He goes to sleep every night reading the adventures of Charlie Brown in Charles Schulz’s Peanuts.