It's not easy to do ghostly things when you're made of heavy patchwork fabric layers instead of a light-as-air sheet. Such is the plight of the little ghost in this gentle tale, whose family and friends, Nason writes, "flew high and fast and twirled and whirled in the sky." But things take an unexpected turn one Halloween night when the little quilt ghost, "too heavy to hover," finds himself literally caught up in an act of kindness that earns him happiness and cheers. Eggenschwiler's compositions, a blend of pencil drawings and digital techniques that emphasize eye-catching color accents--the blues of the quilt, orange jack-o'-lanterns, and a pink ballerina costume--depict a pleasant, slightly eerie world where the ghosts' cobwebbed haunted house and a contemporary neighborhood fit comfortably together. Ages 3--7. (Sept.)

A ghost learns to appreciate his differences. The little ghost protagonist of this title is unusual. He's a quilt, not a lightweight sheet like his parents and friends. He dislikes being different despite his mom's reassurance that his ancestors also had unconventional appearances. Halloween makes the little ghost happy, though. He decides to watch trick-or-treaters by draping over a porch chair--but lands on a porch rail instead. A mom accompanying her daughter picks him up, wraps him around her chilly daughter, and brings him home with them! The family likes his looks and comforting warmth, and the little ghost immediately feels better about himself. As soon as he's able to, he flies out through the chimney and muses happily that this adventure happened only due to his being a quilt. This odd but gently told story conveys the importance of self-respect and acceptance of one's uniqueness. The delivery of this positive message has something of a heavy-handed feel and is rushed besides. It also isn't entirely logical: The protagonist could have been a different type of covering; a blanket, for instance, might have enjoyed an identical experience. The soft, pleasing illustrations' palette of tans, grays, white, black, some touches of color, and, occasionally, white text against black backgrounds suggest isolation, such as the ghost feels about himself. Most humans, including the trick-or-treating mom and daughter, have beige skin. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-16.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 66.2% of actual size.) Halloween is used merely as a backdrop; better holiday titles for young readers are available. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

K-Gr 2--Nason has written a quirky tale of one small ghost who is disappointed that he looks like a patchwork quilt instead of the more conventional plain white sheet. His fabric is so heavy he cannot soar through the air or move as quickly as his fellow ghosts, parents, and friends, and because of this, he finds himself in some sticky situations. While the spirits are afraid of people, the little patchwork ghost, nicknamed Scrappy, loves Halloween and wants to watch trick-or-treaters up close. His plan is to hide in plain sight on a porch chair, but, because he is so slow in reaching his destination, he finds himself being used to warm up a chilled little ballerina. Scrappy learns a valuable lesson: Being different from other ghosts is not a bad thing, and being useful gives his self-confidence a boost. The appealing illustrations are the story's highlights, composed of pencil drawings and digital techniques in black and differing shades of gray with touches of muted orange, pink, and blue. The ending feels a bit abrupt, and not necessarily the outcome readers will be rooting for. VERDICT An odd story about self-acceptance deflates a bit but is still buoyed along by charming art, a ridiculously cute leading spook, and an unusual take on Halloween.--Maryann H. Owen, Oak Creek P.L., WI