Briana Loewinsohn's RAISED BY GHOSTS In Store Launch And Book Signing

Join us at Mrs. Dalloway's Bookstore on Tuesday, Februrary 4th at 7:00 PM when Oakland author/illustrator Briana Loewinsohn comes to the store to launch her latest graphic novel for young adults Raised By Ghosts. Briana will be joined in conversation by Judd Winick and will sign copies of her book after the presentation.

This brilliant YA graphic novel is a love letter to family and all of the messy complexities they come with, from the acclaimed author of Ephemera: A Memoir.

Set in the author’s own teenage years, Raised By Ghosts begins in 1991 with semi autobiographical Briana in middle school. Classes are a bummer, but lunches are worse; either spent alone, or being teased. Traditionally a good student, Briana is not doing well in her academics, but keeps it a secret. Her parents (divorced) are a mess, and largely absent. She spends a lot of time by herself. By high school, she makes friends, and those connections are her only source of happiness as they help each other navigate adolescence. But life at home with each parent remains fraught. When her relationships at school begin to falter, she has no one to turn to, forcing Briana to grapple with her sense of self-worth, her longing for belonging, and her desire for authenticity in her relationships.

Raised By Ghosts is a powerful, affecting graphic novel for young adult readers. The story is told by shifting between Briana’s first-person class notes and diary entries. In her understated yet masterful approach to comics storytelling, Loewinsohn eschews dramatic confrontations and overt sentimentality, preferring instead to underscore the idea that sometimes acceptance and love can be communicated through quiet, everyday moments and close family bonds.

BRIANA LOEWINSOHN is an American cartoonist. She is the author of the acclaimed graphic memoir Ephemera, published by Fantagraphics in 2023. It was listed as one of the American Library Association's top graphic novels of 2023 and was awarded the 2023 Foreword Indies Editors Prize for non-fiction. Loewinsohn lives in Oakland, CA with her husband and two kids. If she doesn't text you back, she is probably gardening.

JUDD WINICK is the creator of the beloved New York Times bestselling Hilo series. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and their two kids. Judd has written bestselling comic book series, has appeared as a cast member on MTV's The Real World: San Francisco, and is the author of the acclaimed graphic novel Pedro and Me, about his Real World friend AIDS activist Pedro Zamora. Judd is currently working on the next Hilo graphic novel!

THIS EVENT is free but registration is requested. Registration ends at 5:30 pm on February 4th, 2025.

BECAUSE SEATING is limited, please register only if you plan to attend.

DUE TO SPACE limitations, we may not be able to accommodate every person at an event, so early registration is encouraged.

WALK-INS will be accommodated only if space allows.

WE ASK that attendees arrive between 6:45 and 7:00 PM for the event.

PLEASE leave your non-support companion animals at home.

OUR shared restrooms are not accessible after 6:30 PM, please plan accordingly.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Mrs Dalloway's, 2904 College Avenue, Berkeley, United States