Goth Girl: and the Ghost of a Mouse

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Full of adventure and humour, Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse is the beautifully illustrated winner of the Costa Award - presented here in a gorgeous hardcover. From Chris Riddell, author of the Ottoline series, it is perfect for fans of Howl's Moving Castle and Netflix's Wednesday .

Ada Goth is the only child of Lord Goth. The two live together in the enormous Ghastly-Gorm Hall. Lord Goth believes that children should be heard and not seen, so Ada has to wear large clumpy boots so that he can always hear her coming. This makes it hard for her to make friends and, if she's honest, she's rather lonely.

Then one day William and Emily Cabbage come to stay at the house, and together with a ghostly mouse called Ishmael they and Ada begin to unravel a dastardly plot that Maltravers, the mysterious indoor gamekeeper, is hatching. Ada and her friends must work together to foil Maltravers before it's too late!

Though they can be enjoyed in any order, continue this deliciously dark series with Goth Girl and the Fete Worse Than Death and Goth Girl and the Wuthering Fright .

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

Lonely Ada Goth, the heroine of this beautifully designed Gothic tribute, shares the enormous Ghastly-Gorm Hall and its magnificent grounds with her father, Lord Goth, and countless servants, yet she has no one to talk to. After befriending the ghost of a mouse who needs her help, Ada begins boldly exploring her home, discovering new rooms, gardens, and friends while learning of a sinister plot being hatched by Maltravers, the creepy gamekeeper charged with organizing an annual indoor hunt inside the massive estate. Riddell's detailed illustrations demand and deserve attention, and the novel is delightful to thumb through, though the motley cast of characters can feel a bit like a Victorian menagerie, prizing oddity over depth. Laced with humorous 19th-century literary references sure to entertain older readers (a novelist named Mary Shellfish, an albatross named Coleridge) and plenty of quirky nonsense (including a vampire governess committed to cruelty-free eating), this series opener may be a bit light on plot but gamely sets the stage for more drolly dark fun to come. Ages 7-11. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal Review

Gr 3-6-Young Ada Goth lives at Ghastly-Gorm Hall with her father, a famous poet. Lord Goth appears to have it all-everything except a close relationship with Ada, who reminds him of her deceased mother. Ada doesn't fret; she loves exploring the sprawling grounds surrounding her home and is always finding something new. Late one night, she encounters the ghost of a recently deceased mouse named Ishmael. Ishmael and Ada go looking for the mousetrap that ended Ishmael's corporeal life, only to discover some very strange activities afoot in the Goth household. Ada pursues her suspicions of her father's gamekeeper. She soon realizes that lives may be at stake and is determined to stop the gamekeeper's sinister plans. This title is the winner of the 2013 Costa Book Awards category for children's books, appearing in the United States for the first time. Gorgeous, intricately penned illustrations appear on almost every page, bursting with the characters' quirky personalities. The text is light, though packed with punny literary, cultural, and historical allusions. Readers with an appreciation for absurdity will devour the humorously frivolous details that abound, but those craving plot may grow fatigued by them. The narrative is quite simple; the real joys for readers here are a highly likable protagonist and the witty, exaggerated secondary character sketches. The suspense is authentic, and the sequels will surely continue to develop some of the secondary characters. A miniature book (Ishmael's memoirs) is included in a pocket on the back inside cover. VERDICT This title and its sequels will be snapped up by fans of quirky, atmospheric fantasy.-Sara White, Seminole County Public Library, Casselberry, FL © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

*Starred Review* Britain's children's laureate offers up another clever series bursting with charm and intrigue, as well as a number of playful jabs at gothic literature, in this Costa Book Award-winning title. Skull-embossed endpapers usher readers into Ghastly-Gorm Hall, where Ada Goth can generally be found exploring in loud, clumpy boots, as her father, Lord Goth, insists that children should be heard and not seen. Late one night, she is awoken by the wistful sighs of Ishmael, a ghost mouse, who asks Ada to help rid the house of its deadly mousetraps. Concerned but unperturbed ghosts are fairly common at the Hall Ada slips out of bed, and as the two wander the mansion's corridors, a mystery begins to take shape. Riddell stocks his narrative with storytelling's best bits an old house full of surprises, secret gardens, mythical creatures, mystery, absurdity, suspense, unexpected friendships and readers can't help but be delighted. Wonderful ink-pen illustrations adorn the chapters, adding detail and drama to the scenes, including an ingenious depiction of Lord Goth's Metaphorical Bicycle Race and footnotes written by a human foot. Most of the literary allusions will zip over young readers' heads, such as appearances by Tristram Shandygentleman and author Mary Shellfish, but just think of that as bonus content. Matching quality writing with pure entertainment, this series starter is a treat.--Smith, Julia Copyright 2016 Booklist

Kirkus Book Review

Ada Goth solves a mystery.Ada lives in Ghastly-Gorm Hall with her reclusive father, Lord Goth. Since her mother passed away, her father can barely stand to spend time with Ada, so she spends her days hanging about, keeping to herself and staying out of the servants ways. One night, the ghost of a mouse named Ishmael comes to visit Ada, and together they work to discover the truth behind strange happenings at Ghastly-Gorm Hall. Ada is supported by twisted and kooky characters, and the author delights in bending this odd world close to the breaking point. Riddell peppers the story with literary references older readers will chuckle at, but the jokes never come at the expense of the enjoyment of younger readers. The mystery is a bit flat: the sinister gamekeeper is clearly up to something, and the author never suggests otherwise. In compensation for this narrative bust, the characters do more than their part to make the book one worth reading. Future installments are welcome as long as they involve governess Lucy Borgia, pals Emily and William Cabbage, and the Attic Club. The illustrations complement the twisted world nicely. The characters (the humans all seem to be white) are all drawn with fine, squiggly lines and detailed with precision. A small, removable novella, Memoirs of a Mouse, is tucked into a pocket in the back cover. A promising start to a weird new series. (Mystery. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.