We sat down with award-winning illustrator and author Kelsey Marshalsey to talk to her about why she wrote her new picture book, The Happy Ghost. Here is what she had to say.
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The story itself comes from a few different inspirations and thoughts and each one helped form the end product. I am very proud of the story that did come together and I hope that it is going to inspire and help the kids (and adults) who read it.
My son Ewan
When Ewan was little took an instant liking to stingrays. He was absolutely fascinated by them and when we took him to the aquarium he wanted to watch them the entire trip. We have this family tradition that when we took our kids to the zoo or the aquarium for the first time we allowed them to pick a small stuffie (stuffed toy) to take home with them to remember their first trip and these stuffies have remained some of my children's favourites. That first trip, Ewan had chosen a stingray and when we got home he began to only call it "Happy Ghost" because it's under-belly looked like a happy ghost. He continued this the next visit to the aquarium by addressing all the stingrays in their tanks as "Happy Ghosts" and it was just the most adorable thing I had ever witnessed and I knew then and there that I wanted to write some sort of story about these "Happy Ghost" creatures.
My daughter Isla
Isla has always been 100% herself at all times, no matter what anyone else might think or say and this is something I absolutely ADORE about her. She is bold and daring and I hope that she continues this throughout her entire life. It was her personality that inspired the "Happy Ghost" personality. I wanted a creature who was just having the best time being themself. Dancing, twirling, swimming around happily. It was thinking about this freedom that made me think about how often we are judged by simply being ourselves and how that judgement often can extinguish the very best of who we are.
Embracing Differences & Teaching Empathy
I really love writing stories about embracing our differences/embracing who you are. Growing up I remember that if I appeared different that it was often called out as something bad and not celebrated by peers/mentors and I really want to write stories for kids that do celebrate it instead. Remind them that even though one person may say something hurtful or judge you that it shouldn't dull your light. I think this also leads into teaching children empathy. To allow them to see how their actions may effect others and how hurtful it can be. I think the world could benefit from more empathy right now.
Confront Prejudice
Along with empathy and embracing our differences I think we should be speaking up and confronting prejudice more. While the story uses a stingray that everyone mistakes as a happy ghost, we watch as the stingray feels defeated by the fact that everyone is carrying this prejudice about them when they only simply want a friend. I want children to see the book and sort of question and say "but that isn't a ghost" or "why do they think it's a ghost" and begin to understand that prejudice is not based on reason but often an opinion that has resulted in judgement. Encouraging the children to confront when they see this sort of opinion or judgement in other situations of their lives.
I really hope that children love the story and are able to not only learn from it but also want to keep coming back to it again and again and starting to have important conversations with their caregivers about the world around them.
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You can pre-order The Happy Ghost now directly off our website or order it wherever you buy your books.
The Happy Ghost publishes April 14, 2026.