Review: Took (Graphic Novel): A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn

Spooky, mysterious, and a bit sad. This book may give you a fear of the woods and dolls.

Title: Took (Graphic Novel): A Ghost Story
Author: Mary Downing Hahn
Illustrator: Jen Vaughn
Expected to be Published: March 1, 2022

Daniel, his parents, and younger sister Erica are moving from Connecticut to West Virginia. They move into a shabby run-down old house next to very creep-looking woods. School is a nightmare, the kids don’t like Daniel and Erica and they taunt them with stories about a girl named Selene who went missing from their house about 50 years ago. The children are miserable, the parents too. But Erica is acting strange now. She is talking to her doll and going out into the woods that scare her. One day she goes off into the woods alone and doesn’t come back. Now it’s up to Daniel to find her and bring her back.

So to begin. I think it is super important to express that I never read the original book. So I went into this book completely new to the story. I’m familiar with Hahn’s work though and generally enjoy it. This story was enjoyable. It had some pretty creepy moments. It certainly plays well on the fear of dolls and dark woods. For those who read the original story, I can see them really enjoying it come to life in this graphic novel.

I had a few minor issues. One is that it was a bit more violent than I would expect from a children’s book. The mother smoking was also something I didn’t like seeing in a children’s book. While the art was certainly better than anything I could pull off, and I mean no disrespect to the illustrator, I’ll admit that the style just wasn’t my cup of tea.

In all, it was a fun read. I would recommend that readers be 13+. As a mother of a 10-year-old, I would not let my child read this book for at least a few more years. I would recommend to parents to read it first and then decide if you think it is appropriate for your child.

*Content Warnings* Mild emotional and physical abuse as well as some neglect. Mother smokes to ‘calm her nerves’

ARC received through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not alter my opinion of the book in any way.

3 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐

This review and many others are on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4376445265
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