July 24, 2023
Having lived most of her 11 years with her beloved grandfather, Poppop, Michaela “Micah” Robinson resists her family’s upcoming move to a home an hour away. Frustrated with packing, she goes for a bike ride and discovers that Finch House, a long-abandoned Victorian that Poppop declared off-limits, has been renovated and bought by a new family, including a boy named Theo. When Poppop arrives, he looks strangely terrified and tersely demands that they leave, frustrating Micah with his unusual lack of candor. Later, she learns that Finch House was the last place Poppop saw his sister, who went missing when she was not much older than Micah. After Poppop vanishes the next day, Micah and Theo search to no avail, and a hot chocolate break inside Finch House soon turns terrifying. Micah hears her grandfather’s voice, then becomes trapped in the house—an ever-shifting realm with ties to the past. Deftly utilizing a haunted house framework to explore the weight of intergenerational trauma, debut author Burch’s chilling tale recalls the sinister atmospherics of Coraline, while its thought-provoking ending enhances spare, poetic storytelling. Micah and her grandfather are Black; Theo cues as white. Ages 8–12. Agent: Patrice Caldwell, New Leaf Literary & Media.
January 1, 2024
Gr 3-7-An impending move means Micah will be an hour away from her beloved grandfather, Poppop, with whom she's lived most of her 11 years. Micah will specifically miss "networking" with Poppop-what Mom calls "digging through other people's trash." Out one last time seeking possible treasure, Micah unintentionally arrives at Finch House where Poppop has always vehemently forbidden her to go. She finds the Victorian newly restored and occupied by Theo and his family. Mom reveals Finch House has history-which includes a great-aunt who went missing. Naturally, Micah's curiosity sends her seeking (dangerous) answers. Versatile Abbott-Pratt animates intrepid Micah's need to know with rousing aplomb, then effortlessly shifts to embody Micah's supporting cast with warmer tones for Mom, slightly gruffy for Poppop, and just-enough-creep for Finch House. VERDICT Abbott-Pratt spiritedly creates an eerily haunted fun home.
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