There’s a Ghost in the Garden

A gentle, probing picture book from award-winning author Kyo Maclear and celebrated illustrator Katty Maurey about the special relationship between a grandfather and his grandson, and the many traces, memories, and even ghosts with which we live

There’s a ghost in Grandpa’s garden. It leaves tracks by the path where there was once a cool, dark stream. It makes mischief by knocking over flowerpots. And sometimes, it leaves behind a gift perfect for a curious boy in the form of little treasures from times gone by.

The boy who is the narrator of this picture book loves spending time with his grandpa in the garden, enjoying the natural world, listening to memories of how things used to be, and making up stories about the friendly ghost. With Grandpa as his loving guide, the boy learns to look closely at the garden and marvel at its mysteries, to uncover the layers of history that make up this special place, and also to fashion new things from all that he has found.

Kyo Maclear is an essayist, novelist, and children’s author. She has written over 25 books for little and big people, many of which have been translated internationally. She holds a doctorate in environmental humanities and teaches writing in Tkaronto/Toronto, where she lives with a lively family of cats and musicians. Katty Maurey is an illustrator who has published many picture books. She is passionate about painting, sculpting, printmaking, and, most of all, marveling at the natural world. Among other distinctions, her work has been nominated for the Governor General Award in the children’s book category.