The Ghost Who Was Afraid of Everything

by Nadia Ahmed

Overview

If you're a fraidy-ghost, enjoying Halloween is hard!

When Finn is afraid, his stomach swoops, his hands sweat, and he can't move.

Finn, a spooky little ghostie, is too afraid to leave the comfort of his attic to enjoy trick-or-treating with his family. He's afraid of everything—the color orange, trees, people, even flying! But then he realizes that if he wants his favorite Halloween candy, he'll need to overcome his fears. Through incremental exposures to the things he's afraid of, Finn finds courage to do things he enjoys with the people he loves.

Perfect for spooky season, this debut picture book from artist Nadia Ahmed is sure to inspire readers to find the courage to overcome their own fears.

A 2025 CBC Children's Favorites Winner

A 2025 CBC Teacher Favorites Winner

A 2025 Winner of the Young People's Literature Award from The Friends of American Writers

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781506495118
Publisher:	Augsburg Fortress, Publishers
Publication date:	08/27/2024
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Nadia Ahmed is an artist and author from Naperville, Illinois. She graduated from DePaul University with a BFA in graphic design. Nadia often uses only a black pen to create complex worlds that evoke an eerie nostalgia. The Ghost Who Was Afraid of Everything is her debut picture book.

Editorial Reviews

"Nadia Ahmed's The Ghost Who Was Afraid of Everything is not only a charming Halloween tale, but also an excellent year-round story about facing one's fears.... Ghoulishly great, The Ghost Who Was Afraid of Everything will inspire readers sidelined by their own jitters." —BookPage, starred review

"A poignant exploration of courage and resilience, perfect for young readers navigating their own fears and uncertainties. A valuable addition to any collection focusing on social-emotional development and self-acceptance." —School Library Journal

"A sweet, seasonally inspired, social-emotional learning book." —Kirkus Reviews

"Ahmed's artwork, which shifts from two-tone to color as Finn's courage strengthens, enhances the compassionate storytelling on display." —Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

2024-06-15
A little ghost faces his fears in time for Halloween.

Finn, a ghost with charming, expressive eyes, doesn’t understand why so many things terrify him: trees, the color orange, and flying, which his family does all the time, especially on Halloween. He hides in the attic, feeling lonely. His supportive family brings him his favorite chocolates after trick-or-treating each Halloween. Alas, this year, his siblings forget. Finn resolves to confront his fears so he can trick-or-treat with his family next year. With trepidation and persistence, using self-imposed exposure therapy, he begins with trees: He touches a tree for one minute, gradually increasing the time until he can hug, then climb the tree. Ahmed clearly describes Finn’s feelings: “When Finn is afraid, his stomach swoops, his hands sweat, and he can’t move.” Her poignant black ink drawings depict Finn’s more difficult emotions: In one image he’s hunched over, surrounded by a riot of squiggly lines. Color seeps into the illustrations the more he manages his emotions; the tree begins to morph from black to brown as he gains confidence. When he reckons with his fear of flying—and even endures a frightening collision—the visuals awaken with pinks, blues, and purples. Throughout, swatches of orange add bold, optimistic hints that Finn will thrive, embraced by his family and motivated by chocolate.

A sweet, seasonally inspired, social-emotional learning book.(Picture book. 3-8)

Kirkus Reviews