Ghostgirl
| Company type | Young adult novel series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | August 1, 2008 |
| Founder | Tonya Hurley |
| Products | Novels, Audiobooks |
| Website | ghostgirl |
ghostgirl marks the first novel by writer and filmmaker Tonya Hurley. The narrative centers on Charlotte Usher, a high school senior yearning for popularity, who tragically dies after choking on a gummy bear before fulfilling her ambitions. Released on August 1, 2008, by Little, Brown and Company, this young adult book appeared on the New York Times Bestseller list for Chapter Books on September 14, 2008. It has been made available in several languages, including Spanish and French. The series continued with the follow-ups ghostgirl: Homecoming (July 2009) and ghostgirl: Lovesick (July 2010).
Audiobook editions of ghostgirl (August 2009) and ghostgirl: Homecoming (November 2009), produced by Recorded Books, feature narration by actress Parker Posey accompanied by a musical score from Vince Clarke of Erasure.
Characters
- Charlotte Usher (also known as ghostgirl) – The main character; a high school senior who dies choking on a gummy bear and becomes a ghost.
- Damen Dylan – Charlotte’s love interest and Petula’s boyfriend.
- Petula Kensington – Damen’s girlfriend.
- Scarlet Kensington – Petula’s gothic sister; the sole individual able to see Charlotte as a ghost.
- Wendy Anderson and Wendy Thomas (The Wendys) – Petula’s inseparable cheerleader companions.
- Dead Ed class – A group of deceased teenagers who become Charlotte’s classmates:
- Prue (Prudence Shelly) – Leader of Dead Ed; critical of Charlotte’s obsession with popularity; murdered by a popular boy.
- Piccolo Pam – Friendly ghost who introduces Charlotte to Dead Ed; died choking on her piccolo.
- Mr Brain – Dead Ed teacher missing part of his skull.
- Metal Mike – Passed away while listening to metal music during his driving test.
- Call Me Kim – Died from mobile phone radiation exposure.
- DJ – Victim of a gang fight over music preferences.
- Deadhead Jerry – Hippie ghost who choked on a cigarette.
- Abigail – Drowned.
- Suzy Scratcher – Succumbed to infection following self-harm.
- CoCo – Fashion-obsessed girl who drowned after passing out with vomit in her handbag.
- Simon and Simone – Deceased twins competing in emo fashion.
- Buzz Saw Bud – Victim of a woodworking accident.
- Silent Violet – Quiet girl whose gossip caused her death.
- Rotting Rita – German ghost capable of producing insects.
ghostgirl: Homecoming
Following their graduation, Charlotte and the other spirits from "Dead Ed" start working at a phone bank, serving as consciences for troubled teenagers who call in. While the others receive 'graduation gifts'—such as reunions with lost loved ones or deceased celebrities and spacious apartments—Charlotte is left out, living in a small dorm room and receiving no calls during her shifts. Feeling isolated, she distances herself from former friends and spends time with Maddy, her dorm roommate and new colleague, unaware that Maddy is undermining her.
Meanwhile, Scarlet faces insecurity about her long-distance relationship with Damen. Petula, repeating her senior year, falls into a coma due to a staph infection contracted after a pedicure. Jealous of Damen’s visit to Petula and feeling guilty, Scarlet uses Charlotte's possession ritual to enter a coma herself in an attempt to locate Petula’s soul. Instead, Scarlet joins the new Dead Ed class and employs the dangerous "Early Decision" method to move on. Petula shares her coma waiting room with Virginia Johnson, a beauty pageant contestant who initially disdains Petula’s fashion obsession but eventually forms a bond.
Scarlet arrives at Charlotte’s dormitory, and together with Maddy they sneak out to search for Petula. After an argument, Charlotte and Maddy leave Scarlet behind. Pam and Prue later join Charlotte and meet up with Scarlet; together they obtain directions from Green Gary to locate Petula’s soul at the hospital intake office. Damen attempts to revive Scarlet and brings comatose Petula to Homecoming, aiming to reanimate her and end Scarlet’s search. Maddy follows Charlotte, urging her to possess Petula.
As Charlotte prepares for the possession ritual, Scarlet, Pam, and Prue intervene, revealing that Maddy is a malevolent spirit from hell attempting to manipulate Charlotte for her own graduation. Charlotte admits she suspected Maddy all along and arranged for Pam and Prue's involvement. Charlotte defeats Maddy and reassures Scarlet that Damen’s actions are intended for her benefit.
The group finds Petula’s soul just as Virginia passes away; Charlotte escorts Virginia to Dead Ed. Petula awakens at Homecoming; Damen departs to reconcile with Scarlet at the hospital. Charlotte returns to the phone bank where she is finally accepted and reunited with her parents.
ghostgirl: Lovesick
Charlotte has embraced her existence in the afterlife alongside her deceased boyfriend, Eric. As the class prepares to advance, they are given one last mission: assist a 15-year-old in Hawthorne before Prom night. Pam and Prue are paired with the Wendys, Coco is assigned to Petula, Charlotte to Damen, and Eric to Scarlet.
Scarlet faces difficulty abandoning her goth identity for a more grown-up image, feeling pressured by Damen who seems unwilling to accept her authentic self. When Damen arrives at the local radio station for work and submits one of Scarlet’s compositions, she becomes upset. Drawn to Eric—unaware of his death—she senses he embraces her true nature.
Petula, influenced by a coma experience, turns philanthropic by donating clothing to the homeless, which confuses the Wendys. A newcomer named Darcy challenges Petula’s position by staging a mock trial that ostracizes her. Nevertheless, Petula persists with her charitable efforts and invites a homeless boy to Prom.
After Scarlet’s song is disqualified due to Damen’s involvement, she ends her relationship with him. Charlotte also confronts Eric about his connection with Scarlet. When attempting to return to the afterlife through the Dead Ed classroom, Charlotte discovers Darcy’s ghost present following a seizure triggered by a camera flash; Darcy is possessed by another entity. Together with Pam and Prue, Charlotte devises a plan to expel the malevolent spirit during Prom. Meanwhile, Darcy asks Damen to Prom, and Scarlet spends increasing time with Eric. Upon re-recording Scarlet’s song for the contest, she uncovers that Eric is deceased and never performed live.
Scarlet wins the radio competition and opts to perform at Prom, which she transforms into a Fantasy Funeral in honor of Charlotte. During Prom, Charlotte manipulates a photo to induce Darcy’s seizure, driving out the spirit Maddy and awakening the true Darcy—who has no recollection of Hawthorne High. Maddy is now required to attend Dead Ed.
Petula arrives at Prom accompanied by her homeless boyfriend—revealed as a billionaire—and they are crowned Prom King and Queen. With Coco’s assistance completed, Petula earns guardian angel Virginia. Eric and Scarlet perform together on stage; Damen and Scarlet reconcile while Eric dances with Charlotte. Afterwards, Charlotte returns to the afterlife as the new Dead Ed instructor, introducing Eric to her parents as the rest of the class moves on.
Themes
The predominant themes explored in ghostgirl include popularity, obsession, love, and death. The author primarily categorizes the book as a romance, despite incorporating some horror elements.
Critical reception
ghostgirl garnered starred reviews from VOYA, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and School Library Journal. While reception was mostly positive, certain critiques highlighted concerns regarding language usage. The novel attained the tenth position on the New York Times Best Seller list.
Character development
The character ghostgirl originated on ghostgirl.com before evolving into the novel published in March 2008. She is inspired by the author’s experiences with teenage celebrities and perspectives on fame and popularity.
Structure
The cover art displays a silhouette of Charlotte inside a coffin beneath the phrase "Rest in Popularity," reflecting her posthumous moniker. The book's dimensions are taller and narrower compared to standard novels.
Each chapter begins with a full-page silhouette illustration of Charlotte framed by a black-and-pink rose border alongside a quotation. This is followed by an inverted-color summary presenting a moral lesson learned by Charlotte. The page edges feature alternating black and pink floral designs throughout.
ghostgirl: Homecoming maintains a similar format but replaces pink with purple in borders and page edges; its illustrations stand alone without quotations. Its cover depicts Charlotte’s stylized face reflected in a mirror.
ghostgirl: Lovesick adopts a red color scheme with a heart-shaped locket on its cover showing Charlotte blowing a kiss. Illustrations include quotations along with chapter-opening lessons.