Whitney Gardner is an author, illustrator, and cartoonist. She started drawing stick figures in second grade and somehow no one's been able to stop her. If there's ever a moment when she isn't drawing, she's likely to be found rolling twenty-sided dice. Her favorite color is yellow. She is the author of the YA novels You're Welcome, Universe and Chaotic Good, as well as the creator of Fake Blood, Long Distance, and Free Piano (Not Haunted) and the illustrator for Debbie Levy's Becoming RBG and Stephanie Cooke's The Racc Pack series.

"Humor, mystery, family, friendship drama, and of course, ghosts. This book has it all." --Aron Nels Steinke, creator of Mr. Wolf's Class

"Just like every great song, Free Piano (Not Haunted) stays with you. Spooky, heartfelt, and so much fun!"--Dave Scheidt, co-creator of the Mayor Good Boy series

"Though the title is a bald-faced lie, Free Piano (Not Haunted) is a wonderfully honest story about fame, ambition and, yes, ghouls. (Nice ghouls, though!)" --Griffin McElroy, co-creator of The Adventure

"A lively ghost story that hits all the right notes."--Kirkus Reviews

"A great addition to middle grade collections, this graphic novel balances supernatural humor with real-world emotional resonance."--School Library Journal

"A fast-talking ghost mentor, an endearing tween, and a possibly cursed musical instrument combine in this emphatically rock-'n'-roll graphic novel that riffs on themes of identity, legacy, and learning to own one's sound...Dynamic paneling engages readers and supporting characters...add warmth and charm to a ghost story that somewhat heavily ruminates on feelings of alienation, artistic ambition, parental disconnect, and the seductive pull of fame."--Publishers Weekly

A NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY BEST BOOK OF 2025
A THE WEEK JUNIOR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
A KIDS' INDIE NEXT LIST PICK
A 2025 HARVEY AWARD NOMINEE
A LITTLE MAVERICK GRAPHIC NOVEL READING LIST SELECTION

Publisher: Bound to Stay Bound Books

Pub date: 2025-07-01

Length: 245 pages