Dead But Not Done: A Review of "Phantom Academy" by Christine Virnig
- Kim Bartosch
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Welcome to Phantom Academy—where being dead doesn't get you out of homework. In this spooky and sharply funny middle grade debut by Christine Virnig, published by Aladdin and featured on Toppling Stacks Tours, we're thrown into a world where death is just the beginning…of middle school all over again. 😱
The story kicks off with twelve-year-old Finn, who tragically and absurdly dies after a coconut drops on his head (yes, you read that right). He soon finds himself in Phantom Academy, a boarding school for underage ghosts—because apparently, even in the afterlife, kids still have to learn algebra, literature, and, of course, Haunting 101.
👻 The Concept: Darkly Funny & Cleverly Twisted
The book’s core concept is brilliantly absurd: kids die, and instead of moving on to a peaceful afterlife, they’re shuffled off to ghost school. The humor is right on target for a middle-grade audience, blending laugh-out-loud moments with just enough existential weirdness to keep it clever. The fact that these kids still have to read, write, and take tests—even after death—is both hilarious and horrifying. As one might say: “You’ve died. Welcome to middle school. Again.”
What really sticks out is how the book leans into dark humor without ever feeling too heavy. From Finn’s ridiculous death to the various (often bizarre) ways his classmates kicked the bucket, there’s a morbid levity that makes the whole story fun. You’ll laugh, wince, and maybe question the afterlife’s curriculum standards.
🪦 Worldbuilding: Creative, but Leaves Some Gaps
The world Virnig creates is imaginative—filled with oddball teachers, spectral hallways, and ghostly classmates—but a few elements left me scratching my head. For instance, new students must wait until five ghosts arrive before they can start school. Why five? What do they do in the meantime? How long do they wait? These questions are never really answered, which pulled me out of the story just a bit. It’s the kind of logistical worldbuilding hole that middle-grade readers might overlook, but curious minds will definitely notice.
That said, once classes start, the school dynamic is a blast to read about. Ghost lessons, supernatural mishaps, and the awkwardness of new friendships—Virnig captures the chaos of middle school with a phantom twist.
🕵️♀️ The Mystery: Surprisingly Engaging
There’s more to Phantom Academy than just ghostly giggles. Beneath the quirky surface lies a mystery that’s both well-paced and satisfying. As Finn and his fellow “newly-deads” try to navigate their afterlife, they start to suspect that something strange is happening behind the scenes. The twists are genuinely fun, and the slow build of suspense keeps the pages turning.
Virnig balances humor and intrigue nicely here—just when the fart jokes threaten to take over (yes, there are a lot), a creepy clue or haunting revelation pulls you back into the main plot. It’s a solid mix of fun and fright.
💩 The Bathroom Humor: Gross... and Kinda Genius?
Now, let’s talk about the elephant in the (ghost) room: the poop jokes. Yes, there are plenty of them. And while it may seem juvenile—well, it is middle grade—there’s actually something smart happening underneath all the toilet humor. The question arises: Why do ghosts poop? They don’t eat. They’re dead. And yet... nature calls?
This kind of humor won’t work for everyone. But in a weird way, it adds to the book’s charm. It leans into the absurdity of the afterlife in a way that will definitely get kids laughing—and thinking. It’s gross, sure. But also kinda brilliant.
⭐ Final Thoughts & Rating
Phantom Academy is a fresh and funny addition to the middle-grade supernatural canon. It doesn't shy away from the ridiculous, which makes it perfect for young readers who love spooky fun with a twist of sarcasm and silliness. While some of the worldbuilding could be more fleshed out, the strong concept, unexpected mystery, and unforgettable premise carry the book forward.
If you’ve ever wondered what middle school would be like after death, Christine Virnig’s got you covered—and trust me, it’s even worse than when you were alive. 😅
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨✰ (3.5/5 emoji stars)
About the book:
Genre: Middle Grade, Paranormal
Publishing date: August 26, 2025
Publisher: Aladdin
Synopsis:
Lindsay Currie’s Scritch Scratch meets The School for Invisible Boys in this fun romp of a middle-grade novel about a newly dead boy who faces a spooky new school hiding an unearthly mystery.
After an unlucky collision between a coconut and the top of his head, twelve-year-old Finn joins the ranks of the recently deceased…and of the students at Phantom Academy. The academy is a spectral boarding school for underage ghosts finding their footing in the afterlife, and Finn is the new kid at school.
He doesn’t understand why ghosts have to take tests and do homework. Or why making friends doesn’t get any easier even when all the students have a very big thing in common. As the new class of middle schoolers get to know each other, it becomes clear something is happening behind the scenes of their new academy.
Can Finn and his classmates figure out their afterlife and crack the mystery?
About the author:
Christine Virnig is a children’s author who combines her child development expertise as a former pediatric allergist with her experience working in a children’s library to craft stories that make kids laugh, scream, and feel seen. On the fiction side, Christine’s spooky middle grade novels include A Bite Above the Rest and Phantom Academy. Christine also writes gross-but-educational middle-grade nonfiction, including Dung for Dinner and Waist-Deep in Dung. Her first picture book launches in 2027. Christine lives in Madison, Wisconsin, with her family, an exorbitant number of dust bunnies, and one incredibly lazy cat.
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