# Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed

**Author:** José Pablo Iriarte
**Grade range:** Grades 5–12
**First published:** 2025
**Page count:** 289
**Genre:** Science Fiction & Fantasy
**ISBN-13:** `9780593703731`
**ISBN-10:** `0593703731`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/benny-ram-rez-and-the-nearly-departed
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## About this book

Benny Ramírez can see dead people . . . Well, one dead person, anyway. A hilarious and heartwarming story about a boy who can suddenly see the ghost of his famous musician grandfather! After moving cross-country into his late grandfather’s Miami mansion, Benny discovers that the ghost of his famous trumpet-playing abuelo, the great Ignacio Ramírez, is still there . . . and isn’t too thrilled about it. He’s been barred from the afterlife, and no one can see him except his grandson. But Benny’s got problems of his own. He’s enrolled in a performing arts school with his siblings, despite having no obvious talent. Luckily, Abuelo believes they can help each other. Abuelo has until New Year’s Eve to do some good in the world and thinks that teaching Benny how to play the trumpet and become a sc

## Where this book is assigned

### Andre Norton Award for Middle Grade & Young Adult Fiction

- **recommended** · 5th grade — [source: Andre Norton Award (SFWA) winners + finalists, via Wikipedia — 2024 Honor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andre_Norton_Award)
- **recommended** · 6th grade — [source: Andre Norton Award (SFWA) winners + finalists, via Wikipedia — 2024 Honor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andre_Norton_Award)
- **recommended** · 7th grade — [source: Andre Norton Award (SFWA) winners + finalists, via Wikipedia — 2024 Honor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andre_Norton_Award)
- **recommended** · 8th grade — [source: Andre Norton Award (SFWA) winners + finalists, via Wikipedia — 2024 Honor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andre_Norton_Award)
- **recommended** · 9th grade — [source: Andre Norton Award (SFWA) winners + finalists, via Wikipedia — 2024 Honor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andre_Norton_Award)
- **recommended** · 10th grade — [source: Andre Norton Award (SFWA) winners + finalists, via Wikipedia — 2024 Honor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andre_Norton_Award)
- **recommended** · 11th grade — [source: Andre Norton Award (SFWA) winners + finalists, via Wikipedia — 2024 Honor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andre_Norton_Award)
- **recommended** · 12th grade — [source: Andre Norton Award (SFWA) winners + finalists, via Wikipedia — 2024 Honor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andre_Norton_Award)

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