Trick Or Treat with Tara J. Hannon!

Hi readers, writers, and ghosties of all sorts! We're thrilled to have author and illustrator Tara J. Hannon back on our blog today sharing her newest chapter book series, perfect for fright-filled reading.

Tara’s The Only Ghost series follows Ghostie, a friendly ghost, as he navigates a move from Scareville to Smithville. Now, Ghostie is the only ghost at Smithville Elementary and at summer camp! Will Ghostie be able to fit in and make new friends?

Want to know more about Tara and her new series PLUS want to know whether she’s passing out a Trick or a Treat? Read on if you dare... 👻

Q: Hi, Tara! Thanks for joining #SeasonsOfKidLit for our Annual Trick-or-Treat Event! We’re thrilled to have you and hear all about your books that are boo-tiful reads for the season (or any time of the year). 

Can you share more about your new The Only Ghost series? 

A: Thanks so much for having me on! The Only Ghost series is a chapter book series featuring Ghostie, who is the only ghost living in a human town. In the first book, The Only Ghost in School, Ghostie moves to Smithville and has his first day at a new, all human school. As you can imagine, things don’t go great for Ghostie. Ghostie tries to fit in by making himself seem more human, but the more he assimilates, the less comfortable he feels. When he meets Tate, a human who isn’t afraid of ghostly things, Ghostie learns that true belonging comes when we are able to be ourselves. In the second book, The Only Ghost at Summer Camp, Tate and Ghostie head to summer camp together! But scary ghost stories shared around the campfire lead to some uncomfortable and hurtful exchanges with his campmates. 

It’s a fun series about a sweet ghost going through some very human experiences.  

Q: So, we love how casually your adorable ghosts are fitting into everyday settings. What gave you the idea to pair a ghost with a back-to-school and summer camp theme? Usually ghosts are in more spooky settings. What tips do you have for readers looking to do the same (i.e. have a typically scary character in a normal setting)?

A: I came up with the idea for The Only Ghost in School by using the prompt. “Put something where it doesn’t belong.” I knew I wanted to use a ghost character, so I thought about where a ghost would feel out of place. I chose to make him the new kid at school, because the first day at a new school can be really tricky for any child, let alone a ghost. I thought Ghostie’s hardships could be relatable to readers. 

Even though my character was a ghost, I did not set out to write a scary story. The character in my head was misunderstood but always well intended. He’s a fish out of water and the humor of his two worlds colliding was too much fun not to tap into. I guess I could have made Ghostie scary, but that would have villainized Ghostie, and he really wasn’t a villain. He was just different. And I wanted the message to remain clear, being different doesn’t translate to being bad.

Q: You’ve illustrated picture books, graphic novels, and now chapter books! Do you come into these projects with a different mindset and approach or are these pretty similar? What can you share about this process with aspiring illustrators looking to break into the market?

A: I do approach each format differently. They are targeting different age groups and different types of readers. Picture books are typically being read by adults, so the listener spends a lot of time looking at the pictures while listening to the story. I like to make sure the art has a lot to say in picture books. Chapter books are typically being read by emerging independent readers. So they are using the art for context clues as they read. I like to make sure to illustrate key moments. And I like to make sure I am spacing the illustrations out well, so that there are not large intimidating blocks of text. Early graphic novels are another format that is typically being read by emerging independent readers. Graphic novels are broken up panel by panel, and offer a large amount of art to text ratio. The art to text ratio helps the reader follow along with the story, they can use the art to help them understand the text as they go from panel to panel. The panels can also be manipulated to help the reader with pacing. It’s all very fun and very different. And I’ve enjoyed every format that I’ve had the privilege of creating stories in.  

Q: What’s your favorite spread and why?

A: I created this spread for the dummy when I sent The Only Ghost in School out on submission. It took me 27 hours to create. That is a gut wrenchingly long amount of time to spend on a piece of art. But I LOVE all of the details. I had so much fun building Ghostie’s world and creating silly grocery store puns. 

Q: What’s the most challenging part about being a #kidlit creator? How about the most rewarding part?

A: The most challenging part of being a creator is keeping your spirit up. There is a lot of rejection and a lot waiting in this industry which can lead to a lot of self doubt and anxiety. It never gets easier (or at least it hasn’t yet). But I do still love creating. 

The most rewarding part, oh there are so many. The kidlit community is so filled with love. The writers, illustrators, librarians, educators, readers; there are so many people here, sharing their love of humanity through stories. Nothing beats it. 

So true! Love this and thanks so much for sharing!

BONUS: What’s both your favorite and least favorite candy? What would you be thrilled to receive in your candy bag, and what would you desperately try to trade?

My favorite candy: Twizzlers and snickers Least favorite: Three musketeers

Would you like to leave a Trick or a Treat for our readers?

I'm offering a Treat: I would like to give away A signed hardback copy of book 1&2 (Continental US only, please).

Thanks for SUCH an Boo-tacular Treat, Tara! And thanks again for joining us. We loved getting a closer look at your booooooks.

Giveaway Details: Readers, to enter Tara's giveaway, 1) leave a comment below to thank her for stopping by and 2) share her post on social media. Ghostie-themed GIFs are of course welcomed and appreciated!

Please Note: Books/giveaways will be shipped in the U.S. only.

*Special Reminder: Those who like, leave a comment on, and share all posts will be entered into a drawing and be eligible to win:

• One (1) of five (5) Rate Your Story Speed Passes perfect for quick MS feedback, provided by Editor Lynne Marie & Author Heather Macht and/or

• A Query Critique from Agent  Lynnette Novak with The Seymour Agency 

Winners will be drawn and announced on or about 10/22. 

About Tara J. Hannon:

Tara J. Hannon lives in Maryland by the Chesapeake Bay with her daughters and husband. She is the author-illustrator of the early graphic novel series, BIRTLE (AMP Kids) and the forthcoming chapter book series, THE ONLY GHOST (Penguin Workshop) coming in 2025. She is also excited to be illustrating the graphic novel series, GROUCHO THE GROUCHY GROUNDHOG, written by Lydia Lukidis, slated for 2025.

Tara enjoys honest books, heavy with heart and humor. When not writing or illustrating she can be found being so uncool it's almost cool, with her daughters and husband and jogging. She can rarely be found sleeping and she is okay with that.

For more about Tara, check out the below links:

X (Twitter): @tarajhannon

Instagram: @tarajhannonillustration

Amazon (for book reviews and purchases): Amazon.com: Tara J. Hannon: books, biography, latest update

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