The House Next Door

Japanese American 12-year-old Rory Parker becomes convinced that the house next door is haunted following a frightening encounter with an elderly apparition, who cautions Rory that children aren’t safe there. His suspicions solidify when one of the home’s human residents—a fellow middle schooler—is injured in a mysterious incident. Soon after the family’s departure from the house, Korean American Jack Yoon, also 12, and his family move in, spurring Rory into action; he resolves protect his new friend with help from his grandfather, who suspects a yokai is the cause of the haunting. Then, during a sleepover, Rory and Jack encounter Timothy, a young ghost who reveals the true nature of the old spirit’s warning and the entity inhabiting the abode. Up against supernatural monsters who prey on children, Rory must take a stand. Leveraging both evergreen adolescent worries and chilling depictions of things that go bump in the night, Oh (Haru, Zombie Dog Hero) cultivates an eerie, fast-moving tale of ghosts, creepy critters, and resourceful heroes with horror elements that induce just the right amount of shivers. Details drawn from the characters’ respective backgrounds, including each family’s cultural cuisines, enrich the narrative as the children bond over their similarities and revel in their differences. Ages 8–12. Agent: Marietta B. Zacker, Gallt & Zacker Literary. (Sept.)