Cast No Shadow

September 1, 2017
A boy without a shadow falls for a 20th-century ghost girl in this supernatural graphic novel. White, diminutive Greg has been angry and sullen ever since his mom, mayor of their small town, died three years ago. The current mayor's son is a dark-skinned jock, a "professional buffoon and arrogant jerk extraordinaire," and Greg is convinced that his dad's new girlfriend (visually coded as Asian-American) is trying to take the place of his mom. But it's the summer before 10th grade, and his white, curvy best friend, Layla, is ready for them to get up to some shenanigans at the local rumored-to-be-haunted house. No one has ever seen a ghost there--until shadowless Greg arrives and comes face to face with ghostly Eleanor, a white teenager who's been dead for decades. They become instantly smitten. But someone--or something--is starting to wreak havoc on the town, and everyone believes it's Greg. It's up to Greg, Layla, and Eleanor to put a stop to it. While all questions are ultimately answered, many aspects of the worldbuilding go underexplored, leaving both the character development and the internal logic of the world feeling rushed. Espinosa's grayscale art (tone is by Eckman-Lawn) has a storyboard softness that is reassuring and appealing. Both the intrusive narrator and adolescent characters are prone to disability insults ("Lame"; "Are you...blind?"), and the haunting gleefully and consciously piles up stale horror tropes, including an "Indian burial ground" (complete with totem pole; Greg points out in frustration that "Indians didn't even have totem poles in the northeast!"). Engaging but not without flaw. (Graphic supernatural fiction. 10-17)

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September 18, 2017
Greg Shepard has gotten used to not having a shadow—things aren’t exactly ordinary in his tourist trap of a town, which has recently become home to the World’s Largest Hairball. But he’s not ready to deal with his widowed father’s new girlfriend, Ruth, moving in, no matter how kind she is. While avoiding home, Greg and his best friend, Layla, visit a dilapidated mansion on the outskirts of town where he meets, Eleanor, a ghost only he can see. Their budding romance is interrupted by the unexpected appearance arrival of Greg’s shadow, which wreaks havoc on the town, targeting those whom Greg has been mad at, including Ruth and Layla’s new boyfriend. Tapalansky creates an entertaining villain in Greg’s shadow, who is less evil incarnate than a Loki figure, disrupting order, and Espinosa’s angular b&w cartooning captures the atmosphere of a story that’s eerie, playful, and poignant. But although Greg’s lingering pain over his mother’s death is keenly felt, the mysteries surrounding Nick’s shadow and Eleanor’s past are inelegantly and confusingly addressed in rapidly deployed info dumps, leaving the conclusion rushed and unsatisfying. Ages 12–up.

November 1, 2017

Gr 5-8-Greg was born without a shadow, which doesn't bother him until he and his best friend Layla explore a haunted house and he learns that he can see ghosts, including Eleanor. As he falls for her (and they exchange kisses), he discovers more about the history of his town and has to battle his own shadow-an evil, conniving part of himself-while dealing with his dad's new girlfriend, who's moving in, and Layla's new boyfriend. Though this graphic novel has occasional narrative hiccups and confusing characterizations, such as a popular kid's strange obsession with befriending Greg, many elements will appeal to fans of the format, including comic relief in the form of the town's tourist traps (e.g., giant hairballs). The art is sometimes muddled, but Espinosa provides a creative twist on supernatural themes. VERDICT While occasionally uneven, this work will entice lovers of graphic novels and the paranormal.-Lisa Nowlain, Nevada County Community Library, CA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2017
Grades 7-10 Greg was born without a shadow, and nothing in his life seems to be going right. His own best friend is dating his bully, and his father's girlfriend has just moved into their family home. But when Greg starts to escape to a haunted house in town, he notices a shy but friendly ghost namedEleanor. As the two start to form a romantic connection, Greg's shadow is finally released, becoming a manifestationfor all of his problems, and Greg must now get his life back on track to defeat his shadowy side and save Eleanor, all while gaining a stronger sense of self in the process. Espinosa's cartoon illustrations in black, white, and gray feature thick outlines, expressive characters, and plenty of atmospheric shadows that add to the slightly spooky, breezy romantic atmosphere. With conflicts easily resolved and romance developing quickly, this surely doesn't break new ground, but fans of paranormal romance will be smitten. Hand to readers who loved Faith Erin Hicks' Friends with Boys (2012).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)