Ghost Circus by Adrienne Kress & Jade Zhang (ARC Review)

Title: Ghost Circus
Author: Adrienne Kress
Illustrator: Jade Zhang
Type: Fiction
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Graphic Novel
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Date published: August 19, 2025

A complimentary physical copy of this book was kindly provided by Manda Group in exchange for an honest review.

Casey is a young boy wandering the world as a spirit . . . but he’s not dead, as far as he knows. Stumbling upon the Ghost Circus, a bizarre traveling show filled with phantom performers who entertain other ghosts, Casey meets Creepy Girl, a ghost who cannot move on, and Polterghost, a silent sheet ghost. The three strike up a tentative friendship, and realize that none of them truly fit in at the circus. Sensing a common cause, Casey and Creepy Girl agree to work together to find out why Casey has crossed over to the ghost realm, and what happened in Creepy Girl’s past that is holding her back. But as they investigate, they discover that the Ghost Circus itself is not all that it seems, and a bigger mystery is at hand. Will the spectral trio be able to free the souls trapped in the Circus, or will they all go down in the end?

⤖ My Review ⬻

If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know that I’ve always been one for spooky vibes! And boy did Ghost Circus have lots of those. Was it toned down for a younger audience? Yes. Was it still spooky? Definitely. I felt for the main character right off the bat and started rooting for him and the friends he makes along the way—no matter how creepy they were.

I didn’t foresee the plot going the way it did, and I definitely enjoyed how things developed. The pacing I found was natural and pleasant, and I also enjoyed the illustration style a lot! I would read something by this author and illustrator duo again.