Raised by Ghosts

Decades-old notes—jotted on age-spotted, torn scraps of lined notebook paper—stitch together a wistful search for connection and acceptance in this aching semi-autobiographical comic by Loewinsohn (Ephemera). Growing up in 1990s El Cerrito, Calif., middle school–aged Loewinsohn is “estranged from the other kids.... I’m not doing well but I don’t know why.” She pretends at normalcy, hoping “that is enough to be forgotten.” Evenings spent at home produce more of the same; navigating the tense living conditions brought about by her largely absent parents’ divorce makes her feel like “a ghost in my house.” This haunting sense of loneliness and being forgotten seems to permeate the entire graphic novel and the teen’s life as she enters high school. Uncomplicated, loose-lined comics panels alternate with the protagonist’s handwritten notes describing friendships and relationships, the bands she listens to, and the shows she attends at Berkeley Square, events that inject nostalgia into relatable experiences of being lonesome, even in uplifting moments. Soft brown shadows overlaying a desaturated palette and segmented pacing suggesting the prolonged passage of time evoke the feeling of memories—dimmed and faded over time—being recounted to a trusted confidante. Instructions on origami-style note folding conclude. Ages 12–up. (Feb.)