Ghost Brother

by Sylvia Sánchez Garza

Overview

Carlos and his twin brother Cris were looking forward to their school dance, but an encounter with a pair of bullies on a slick road during a terrible thunderstorm leads to a horrific auto accident and the deaths of two people—including Carlos. Cris, who was driving the car, is overcome with guilt, and their mom is devastated at the loss of her son.

The hazy details of the crash and its fallout are narrated in the alternating voices of the brothers, one a survivor and the other a ghost. No one can see or hear Carlos despite his efforts to let them know he is still there, so he is able to listen in on numerous conversations. One of the bullies that died in the crash was the son of the local sheriff, and the ghost learns the lawman intends to place the blame for the accident on his brother!

As Cris navigates his sorrow, he is intent on getting to know his father, who has been absent all their lives. To complicate matters, he meets and falls head-over-heels in love with Selena, who has secrets of her own, including knowing more about the crash than she lets on. Exploring death and grief from a young person’s perspective, this absorbing novel for teens set in South Texas brims with the cultural traditions and beliefs of the Mexican-American community.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798893750065
Publisher:	Arte Publico Press
Publication date:	10/31/2024
Pages:	182
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.70(d)
Lexile:	HL580L (what's this?)
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

SYLVIA SÁNCHEZ GARZA is the author of Cascarones: Growing up in the Río Grande Valley (Crimson Cardinal Press, 2024) and Awaken! (White Bird Publications, 2022). She holds a BA in English from Pan American University, an MA in School Administration from Lamar University and a PhD in Leadership Studies from Our Lady of the Lake University. She lives and works in Edinburg, Texas.

Editorial Reviews

Garza offers a profound depiction of grief in this supernatural tale… An understated but insightful ghost story that shows how misery affects people in unpredictable ways.—Kirkus Reviews

Sylvia Sánchez Garza creates a compelling story that is about far more than grief and recovery alone. As she probes the roots of this Mexican-American Texan town, she also reveals the wellsprings of tradition and culture which lend to survival and diverse viewpoints about how best to live… Libraries seeking a gripping YA story immersed in bigger-picture thinking about ethics, survival, and love will find Ghost Brother a major attraction.—Midwest Book Review

The story is rich in cultural detail, including Latinx language and cultural references, that lend authenticity to the first-person narrative. The dual narrative perspective allows the serious issues of bullying, discrimination, and grief to be explored in a multifaceted and sensitive manner… Exciting and thought-provoking, this novel is sure to have readers intrigued until the last page.—The Children’s Book Review

From the Publisher

2025-07-07
Garza’s YA paranormal novel follows a ghost as he struggles to connect with his grieving mom and twin brother.

A two-car collision in Malton, Texas, takes the life of high-schooler Carlos Pérez. According to the local police, Carlos’ brother, Cris, had been racing with another teen driver, who also died. Carlos, who was Cris’ passenger, returns as a ghost; he distinctly remembers a third vehicle suddenly appearing and causing the fatal accident. He does what can to communicate with his family, but he finds it very difficult. Months later, the twins’ mother remains distraught about Carlos’ death; Cris soothes his sorrow by pursuing a relationship with Selena, a new girl at school. He’s also determined to meet his father, who left the family when the boys were young and whom Cris’ mom avoids mentioning. When Cris faces potential threats from members of local law enforcement and other people in Malton,Carlos works to help his sibling, having quickly mastered some ghostly abilities; however, simply getting non-ghosts to hear him is much harder to accomplish. Garza offers a profound depiction of grief in this supernatural tale, showing how Carlos’ mother is overwhelmed by sadness, while Carlos makes connections with other as a way of coping and moving on. Mysteries effectively unravel; more than one character harbors a secret agenda, which stirs up distrust among others. The mystery surrounding the third car in the accident receives less attention than one might expect, although the story doesn’t entirely disregard it. The author’s prose is unadorned but gets assistance from an unwavering pace. Cris and Carlos alternate first-person narrative perspectives, which not only showcases the brothers’ strong bond but also their very different personalities; Carlos had been an outgoing athlete, and Cris remains reserved and bookish.

An understated but insightful ghost story that shows how misery affects people in unpredictable ways.

Kirkus Reviews