The Ghost Job and the Enduring Power of Ghosts

This week marked the release of my husband Greg van Eekhout’s latest book, The Ghost Job.

The Ghost Job

The Ghost Job tells the story of Zenith and her friends, and all of them are ghosts. But will they stay ghosts for long? Or can they pull off a heist that might allow them to return to the living? It’s a book about found family and death and grief and fun, all at once.

At our recent Comic-Con panel, the audience suggested science resources be included in the back matter of middle grade science fiction books. That’s what made me decide to start posting some resources here.

Ghostly Resources

Many of us may only think about ghosts around Halloween. However, ghosts have been a part of culture since ancient times. They are a part of pop culture and folktales, a source of endless fascination. But is there science behind ghosts?

First off, by definition, ghosts are supernatural. That means, if they exist in reality, they are beyond the scope of natural science. Can science be used to debunk paranormal activity? Can science explain why humans sense seemingly ghostly presences? The answer to those questions is yes.

To celebrate the release of The Ghost Job, I have gathered some links to useful information about ghosts. Some of these have materials for all ages, and others are aimed more at adults. Hope you find them useful!

All-Ages:

Definition of ghosts from Britannica Kids

The Science of Ghosts – with definitions and citations

Possible oldest drawing of a ghost on a 3500-year-old tablet

Older kids and adults:

Why do we see ghosts?  – Popular Science

Why some people see ghosts while others never do – Psychology Today

The New, Strange Science Behind Felt Presences – Time magazine

Ghost Busted: When Science Meets the Supernatural – Discover magazine

Stay curious!

Check out the climate change resources for another middle grade book, Fenris & Mott: