Delicates
by Oni Press
320 pages; soft cover; full color
Marjorie Glatt's life hasn't been the same ever since she discovered a group of ghosts hiding in her family's laundromat. Wendell, who died young and now must wander the earth as a ghost with nothing more than a sheet for a body, soon became one of Marjorie's only friends. But when Marjorie finally gets accepted by the popular kids at school, she begins to worry that if anyone learns about her secret ghost friends, she'll be labeled as a freak who sees dead people. With Marjorie's insistence on keeping Wendell's ghost identity a secret from her new friends, Wendell begins to feel even more invisible than he already is.
Eliza Duncan feels invisible, too. She's an avid photographer, and her zealous interest in finding and photographing ghosts gets her labeled as different by all the other kids in school. Constantly on the outside, Eliza begins to feel like a ghost herself.
Marjorie must soon come to terms with the price she pays to be accepted by the popular kids. Is it worth losing her friend Wendell? Is she partially to blame for the bullying Eliza endures?
Following the events of Sheets, Brenna Thummler's second original graphic novel, Delicates, tells a powerful story about what it means to fit in, and those who are left on the outside. It shows what it's like to feel invisible, and the importance of feeling seen. Above all, it is a story of asking for help when all seems dark, and bringing light to those who need it most.