Something spooktacular is lurking in your backyard...
Kristin Allard at Norton Young Readers has acquired, in a three-book deal, Jen White’s Ghost and Bat: Guardians of the Garden. This younger graphic novel series follows the titular best friends as they solve mysteries in their garden home, celebrate community, and learn about nature and ecosystems - and that things feel a lot less scary when we can shine a light on the unknown. The first book, The Phantom Pollinator, is slated for fall 2027, with the second two books planned for 2028.
About Jen White
Inspired by her childhood memories of English gardens, museums, and haunted libraries, Jen White wrote Ghost & Bat, Guardians of the Garden in the wee hours of the night after her kids went to bed.
Like Mary Shelley who imagined Frankenstein amidst the scientific discoveries of her time, Jen dreamed up Ghost & Bat to help tell the story that we’re all part of a fragile ecosystem that thrives on friendship, nurturing, and thoughtfulness. And, that things can be a lot less scary when you shine a light into the darkness of the unknown.
Jen's Creative Process
She received her BFA with honors in Illustration from ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. She has always loved texture, mixed media, and the fast-drying vibrancy of acrylics. Today, Jen works with professional digital illustration and animation tools such as Procreate on her iPad, using textured colored pencil and gouache brushes that let her create freely—and efficiently—with two little ones running around. An upgrade to a Wacom is also in her near future. She still keeps a physical sketchbook, mostly to jot down jokes, picture-book ideas and sketches—or to be ready in case a ghost whispers something in her ear. Jen hopes to return to traditional materials one day.
Made By A Human
Jen’s children’s book illustration and writing are created by hand, from her own imagination and life experiences — authentic, human-made, and never AI.
While she embraces digital tools like an iPad and Apple Pencil, her literary work is guided solely by a human touch and experience, and is a firm believer of building authentic connection and trust. Today we need Mary Shelley more than ever.
A Wild Imagination
When Jen and her family moved into their new home in Southern California—where Ghost & Bat were first dreamed up—she discovered a little bat living on their Juliet balcony. Jen had to leave a light on to encourage the bat to find its way back into the garden. It eventually migrated to a neighbor’s Halloween yard decoration before finally settling down in a neighborhood tree. Jen loves to watch the bats zoom around on her evening walks, and enjoys listening to the faint hoots of owls and howls of coyotes off in the distance while she works late at night. On the weekends her kids enjoy gardening, from sprouting pumpkin seeds, butterflies, and all the creepy crawlies.
