As has become our tradition, we are going to kick off our #CYBILS2023 book lists with a collection of seasonal tales nominated during the current awards cycle.
From saving Halloween to scary things in the basement, and delicious monsters to zombies, we’re sure you’ll find something to sink your teeth into during the spooky season.
There are 31 books on the list, how creepy is that? Oh! Don’t forget to bring your the flashlight!
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BOARD BOOKS & FICTION PICTURE BOOKS
The Boo Crew Needs YOU!
by Vicky Fang, Saoirse Lou (Illustrator)
Trouble's come to Monster Town, and emergencies abound! There's no time to wait around... get the Boo Crew! Get ready for a spooky interactive story experience with Luna, Bones, and Fang―a ghost, skeleton, and vampire team who need YOUR help fixing all the messes and frights of a Halloween night gone wrong!
Trouble's come to Monster Town, and emergencies abound! There's no time to wait around... get the Boo Crew! Get ready for a spooky interactive story experience with Luna, Bones, and Fang―a ghost, skeleton, and vampire team who need YOUR help fixing all the messes and frights of a Halloween night gone wrong!
Fuzzy Furry Ouch
Amanda Jane Jones and Cree Lane Jones
From a fuzzy peach, to a furry caterpillar, to—ouch!—a prickly cactus, young readers will love feeling the textures in this book as they learn about what’s okay to touch and what’s not. This fresh, funny touch-and-feel board book will encourage little ones to feel the different textures while also teaching them what not to touch in real life!
From a fuzzy peach, to a furry caterpillar, to—ouch!—a prickly cactus, young readers will love feeling the textures in this book as they learn about what’s okay to touch and what’s not. This fresh, funny touch-and-feel board book will encourage little ones to feel the different textures while also teaching them what not to touch in real life!
Melvina Whitmoore (More or Less a Horror Story)
by Faith Capalia
Melvina Whitmoore is afraid of everything, from spiders to snails, and even her own shadow. Which is why she can’t wait to move into her new house—a safe place where nothing will be able to get to her! But she’ll soon discover that surprises hide around every corner and not everything is as it first seems.
Melvina Whitmoore is afraid of everything, from spiders to snails, and even her own shadow. Which is why she can’t wait to move into her new house—a safe place where nothing will be able to get to her! But she’ll soon discover that surprises hide around every corner and not everything is as it first seems.
Piggyback Pals: Halloween Cuties
by Joyce Wan
Happy pumpkin smiles wide. Sneaky cat peeks side to side. It’s Halloween Night and some not-so-spooky friends are out to play!
Turn each page to reveal a new Halloween cutie as they join the fun! With irresistibly sweet illustration and sturdy shaped pages, this charming board book is sure to be the favorite of even the littlest trick-or-treater!
Happy pumpkin smiles wide. Sneaky cat peeks side to side. It’s Halloween Night and some not-so-spooky friends are out to play!
Turn each page to reveal a new Halloween cutie as they join the fun! With irresistibly sweet illustration and sturdy shaped pages, this charming board book is sure to be the favorite of even the littlest trick-or-treater!
Our Favorite Apples (Storytelling Math)
by Grace Lin
Manny, Olivia, and Mei go apple picking and sort their red, green, and yellow apples by color. But then they find an apple that’s all three colors. What should they do? A playful exploration of sorting, classifying, and friendship. Storytelling Math celebrates children using math in their daily adventures as they play, build, and discover the world around them
Manny, Olivia, and Mei go apple picking and sort their red, green, and yellow apples by color. But then they find an apple that’s all three colors. What should they do? A playful exploration of sorting, classifying, and friendship. Storytelling Math celebrates children using math in their daily adventures as they play, build, and discover the world around them
Sqeak-a-boo!
by Natasha Wing, Grace Habib (Illustrations)
This guessing-game board book has rhyming text, puns, and wordplay. With flaps to lift on every page, the youngest of readers will delight in discovering the answer to each peek-a-boo hint. Animal subjects include a mouse, chipmunk, chicken, skunk, owl, snake, and parrot.
This guessing-game board book has rhyming text, puns, and wordplay. With flaps to lift on every page, the youngest of readers will delight in discovering the answer to each peek-a-boo hint. Animal subjects include a mouse, chipmunk, chicken, skunk, owl, snake, and parrot.
EASY READERS & EARLY CHAPTER BOOKS
Once Upon a Zombie: Tales for Brave Readers
by Deborah Underwood
What is Little Red Zombie carrying in her basket on her way to Grandma's? Are those . . . brains?! What if all the fairytales you know and love where actually zombie-tales? Beware, these stories are only for the bravest of readers! Read about Little Red Zombie, Hansel and Gretel Zombie, and more in this spooky and hilarious early reader!
What is Little Red Zombie carrying in her basket on her way to Grandma's? Are those . . . brains?! What if all the fairytales you know and love where actually zombie-tales? Beware, these stories are only for the bravest of readers! Read about Little Red Zombie, Hansel and Gretel Zombie, and more in this spooky and hilarious early reader!
See the Ghost: Three Stories About Things You Cannot Se…
by David LaRochelle, Mike Wohnoutka (Illustrator)
It’s not easy to enjoy a picnic when you have unseeable interlopers to contend with! In a new trio of stories for beginning readers, the affable Max the dog and mischievous Baby Cakes the cat encounter a scare-happy ghost who has a run-in with a mirror, the wind at its blustery best, and a teeny-tiny fairy with a wayward wand who may have met her match.
It’s not easy to enjoy a picnic when you have unseeable interlopers to contend with! In a new trio of stories for beginning readers, the affable Max the dog and mischievous Baby Cakes the cat encounter a scare-happy ghost who has a run-in with a mirror, the wind at its blustery best, and a teeny-tiny fairy with a wayward wand who may have met her match.
The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale
by Jon Klassen
In a big abandoned house, on a barren hill, lives a skull. A brave girl named Otilla has escaped from terrible danger and run away, and when she finds herself lost in the dark forest, the lonely house beckons. Her host, the skull, is afraid of something too, something that comes every night. Can brave Otilla save them both?
In a big abandoned house, on a barren hill, lives a skull. A brave girl named Otilla has escaped from terrible danger and run away, and when she finds herself lost in the dark forest, the lonely house beckons. Her host, the skull, is afraid of something too, something that comes every night. Can brave Otilla save them both?
ELEMENTARY/MIDDLE-GRADE SPECULATIVE FICTION
The Carrefour Curse
by Dianne K. Salerni
Garnet (12) regrets that she doesn’t know her family. Her mother has done her best to keep it that way. When Garnet finally gets summoned to Crossroad House, the estate, it isn’t quite what she hoped for.
Her relatives are strange and quarrelsome, each room is more dilapidated than the last, and she can’t keep straight where she can and cannot go. Then Garnet learns the family secret: their dying patriarch fights to retain his life by stealing power from others.
Garnet (12) regrets that she doesn’t know her family. Her mother has done her best to keep it that way. When Garnet finally gets summoned to Crossroad House, the estate, it isn’t quite what she hoped for.
Her relatives are strange and quarrelsome, each room is more dilapidated than the last, and she can’t keep straight where she can and cannot go. Then Garnet learns the family secret: their dying patriarch fights to retain his life by stealing power from others.
Conjure Island
by Eden Royce
If you ask Delphinia Baker, she’d tell you she has all the family she needs. Even though Del has never had anyone she can call her people, she has always had her grandmother—and that’s enough. So when she's sent to live with Nana Rose (a woman she's never even heard of) Del isn't happy. She's skeptical about the family's tradition of "conjure magic" that Nana Rose talks about ... until she discovers it is real. Why didn't Granny ever tell her about this?
If you ask Delphinia Baker, she’d tell you she has all the family she needs. Even though Del has never had anyone she can call her people, she has always had her grandmother—and that’s enough. So when she's sent to live with Nana Rose (a woman she's never even heard of) Del isn't happy. She's skeptical about the family's tradition of "conjure magic" that Nana Rose talks about ... until she discovers it is real. Why didn't Granny ever tell her about this?
Don’t Want to Be Your Monster
by Deke Moulton
Adam and Victor are brothers who have the usual fights over the remote, which movie to watch and whether or not it’s morally acceptable to eat people. Well, not so much eat . . . just drink a little blood. They’re vampires, hiding in plain sight with their eclectic yet loving family.
Adam and Victor are brothers who have the usual fights over the remote, which movie to watch and whether or not it’s morally acceptable to eat people. Well, not so much eat . . . just drink a little blood. They’re vampires, hiding in plain sight with their eclectic yet loving family.
Finch House
by Cierra Burch
Micah (11) has no interest in moving out of her grandfather’s house. She loves living with Poppop and their shared hobby of driving around rich neighborhoods to find treasures in others’ trash. To avoid packing, Micah goes for a bike ride and ends up at Finch House, the decrepit Victorian that Poppop says is Off Limits. Except when she gets there, it’s all fixed up and there’s a boy named Theo in the front yard. Surely that means Finch House isn’t Off Limits anymore? But when Poppop finds her there, Micah is only met with his disappointment.
Micah (11) has no interest in moving out of her grandfather’s house. She loves living with Poppop and their shared hobby of driving around rich neighborhoods to find treasures in others’ trash. To avoid packing, Micah goes for a bike ride and ends up at Finch House, the decrepit Victorian that Poppop says is Off Limits. Except when she gets there, it’s all fixed up and there’s a boy named Theo in the front yard. Surely that means Finch House isn’t Off Limits anymore? But when Poppop finds her there, Micah is only met with his disappointment.
The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto
by Adrianna Cuevas
Rafa would rather live in the world of The Forgotten Age, his favorite fantasy role-playing game, than face his father’s increasing restrictions and his mother’s fading presence. But when Rafa and his friends decide to take the game out into the real world and steal their school cafeteria's slushie machine, his dad concocts a punishment Rafa never could’ve imagined―a month working on a ranch in New Mexico, far away from his friends, their game, and his mom’s quesitos in Miami.
Rafa would rather live in the world of The Forgotten Age, his favorite fantasy role-playing game, than face his father’s increasing restrictions and his mother’s fading presence. But when Rafa and his friends decide to take the game out into the real world and steal their school cafeteria's slushie machine, his dad concocts a punishment Rafa never could’ve imagined―a month working on a ranch in New Mexico, far away from his friends, their game, and his mom’s quesitos in Miami.
Haru, Zombie Dog Hero
by Ellen Oh
Luke (11) and his dog, Haru, are totally inseparable. When their nasty landlord falsely accuses Haru of biting her, Haru is kidnapped! As Luke and his friends go on a serious mission to find and bring Haru home again, they discover mysterious experiments happening at the old laboratory at Painted Lake, owned by an evil multibillionaire named Mr. Thomas Sinclair. And Luke and his friends soon fear that Sinclair’s scientists could be doing illegal testing that may endanger Haru and their whole town.
Luke (11) and his dog, Haru, are totally inseparable. When their nasty landlord falsely accuses Haru of biting her, Haru is kidnapped! As Luke and his friends go on a serious mission to find and bring Haru home again, they discover mysterious experiments happening at the old laboratory at Painted Lake, owned by an evil multibillionaire named Mr. Thomas Sinclair. And Luke and his friends soon fear that Sinclair’s scientists could be doing illegal testing that may endanger Haru and their whole town.
The Lost Library
by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass
When a mysterious little free library (guarded by a large orange cat) appears overnight in the small town of Martinville, Evan (11) plucks two weathered books from its shelves, never suspecting that his life is about to change.
Evan and his best friend Rafe quickly discover a link between one of the old books and a long-ago event that none of the grown-ups want to talk about. The two boys start asking questions whose answers will transform not only their own futures, but the town itself.
This story is told in turn by a ghost librarian named Al, an aging (but beautiful) cat named Mortimer, and Evan himself.
When a mysterious little free library (guarded by a large orange cat) appears overnight in the small town of Martinville, Evan (11) plucks two weathered books from its shelves, never suspecting that his life is about to change.
Evan and his best friend Rafe quickly discover a link between one of the old books and a long-ago event that none of the grown-ups want to talk about. The two boys start asking questions whose answers will transform not only their own futures, but the town itself.
This story is told in turn by a ghost librarian named Al, an aging (but beautiful) cat named Mortimer, and Evan himself.
Mirror of Wolves
by N.P. Thompson
Plagued by nightmares after his encounter with the evil Emperor Blackthorn and tormented by the revelations about his mother’s death, Ty has become obsessed with his magical training. When he learns of a mystical object with the power to show him whether he really is the one destined to end the dark sorcerer’s reign, he is determined to track it down—no matter the cost.
But when his quest takes a shocking turn, will Ty still find the answers he needs, or will his relentless hunt for the truth jeopardize everything?
Plagued by nightmares after his encounter with the evil Emperor Blackthorn and tormented by the revelations about his mother’s death, Ty has become obsessed with his magical training. When he learns of a mystical object with the power to show him whether he really is the one destined to end the dark sorcerer’s reign, he is determined to track it down—no matter the cost.
But when his quest takes a shocking turn, will Ty still find the answers he needs, or will his relentless hunt for the truth jeopardize everything?
GRAPHIC NOVELS
Elementary/Middle-Grade Graphics
Béa Wolf
Zach Weinersmith, Boulet (Illustrator), Aude Pasquier (Translator)
As the guardian of gloom lays siege to Treeheart, scores of kids suddenly find themselves transformed into pimply teenagers and sullen adults! The survivors of the onslaught cry out for a savior—a warrior whose will is unbreakable and whose appetite for mischief is unbounded. They call for Bea Wolf.
As the guardian of gloom lays siege to Treeheart, scores of kids suddenly find themselves transformed into pimply teenagers and sullen adults! The survivors of the onslaught cry out for a savior—a warrior whose will is unbreakable and whose appetite for mischief is unbounded. They call for Bea Wolf.
Ghost Book
by Remy Lai
July Chen sees ghosts. But her dad insists ghosts aren’t real. So she pretends they don’t exist. Which is incredibly difficult now as it's Hungry Ghost month, when the Gates of the Underworld open and dangerous ghosts run amok in the living world. When July saves a boy ghost from being devoured by a Hungry Ghost, he becomes her first ever friend. Except William is not a ghost. He’s a wandering soul wavering between life and death. As the new friends embark on an adventure to return William to his body, they unearth a ghastly truth—for William to live, July must die.
July Chen sees ghosts. But her dad insists ghosts aren’t real. So she pretends they don’t exist. Which is incredibly difficult now as it's Hungry Ghost month, when the Gates of the Underworld open and dangerous ghosts run amok in the living world. When July saves a boy ghost from being devoured by a Hungry Ghost, he becomes her first ever friend. Except William is not a ghost. He’s a wandering soul wavering between life and death. As the new friends embark on an adventure to return William to his body, they unearth a ghastly truth—for William to live, July must die.
Skeleanor the Decomposer: A Graphic Novel
by Emily Ettlinger
Skeleanor loves music more than life itself. There’s just one She has a bit more rattle than rhythm at the moment. No matter what type of instrument she plays—from the fiddle to the xylobone—she always seems to scare the people of Little Casketon away. But with the Little Casketon Summershine festival coming up, and the town band missing a player, maybe Skeleanor (along with the help of her best friend, Batima) could show people her skills and finally take center stage.
Skeleanor loves music more than life itself. There’s just one She has a bit more rattle than rhythm at the moment. No matter what type of instrument she plays—from the fiddle to the xylobone—she always seems to scare the people of Little Casketon away. But with the Little Casketon Summershine festival coming up, and the town band missing a player, maybe Skeleanor (along with the help of her best friend, Batima) could show people her skills and finally take center stage.
Things in the Basement
by Ben Hatke
It was supposed to just be a normal basement―some storage boxes, dust, you know, the usual basement stuff. But when Milo is sent by his mother to fetch a sock from the basement of the historic home they've moved into, Milo finds a door in the back that he's never seen before. Turns out that the basement of his house is enormous. In fact, there is a whole world down there. As Milo travels ever deeper into the Basement World, he meets the many Things that live in the shadows and gloom...and he learns that to face his fears he must approach even the strangest creatures with kindness.
It was supposed to just be a normal basement―some storage boxes, dust, you know, the usual basement stuff. But when Milo is sent by his mother to fetch a sock from the basement of the historic home they've moved into, Milo finds a door in the back that he's never seen before. Turns out that the basement of his house is enormous. In fact, there is a whole world down there. As Milo travels ever deeper into the Basement World, he meets the many Things that live in the shadows and gloom...and he learns that to face his fears he must approach even the strangest creatures with kindness.
Young Adult Graphics
Hungry Ghost
by Victoria Ying
Valerie Chu is quiet, studious, and above all, thin. No one, not even her best friend Jordan, knows that she has been binging and purging for years. But when tragedy strikes, Val finds herself taking a good, hard look at her priorities, her choices, and her own body. The path to happiness may lead her away from her hometown and her mother's toxic projections—but first she will have to find the strength to seek help.
Valerie Chu is quiet, studious, and above all, thin. No one, not even her best friend Jordan, knows that she has been binging and purging for years. But when tragedy strikes, Val finds herself taking a good, hard look at her priorities, her choices, and her own body. The path to happiness may lead her away from her hometown and her mother's toxic projections—but first she will have to find the strength to seek help.
The Hills of Estrella Roja
by Ashley Robin Franklin
When college freshman Kat Fields receives a mysterious email urging her to visit a relatively unknown Texas town with a history of witchcraft, strange sightings, and “devil lights”—glowing red stars that appear above the town’s hills every night—she ditches her plans for spring break and takes a solo road trip to Estrella Roja to investigate for her podcast, Paranormal Texas.
Mari Castillo has returned to Estrella Roja to attend the funeral for her abuela. After a chance meeting at a local diner, she decides to help Kat. When the two uncover the dark legacy that the town was built on, they discover that something hungry lurks beneath the strange stars and that some secrets should stay buried.
When college freshman Kat Fields receives a mysterious email urging her to visit a relatively unknown Texas town with a history of witchcraft, strange sightings, and “devil lights”—glowing red stars that appear above the town’s hills every night—she ditches her plans for spring break and takes a solo road trip to Estrella Roja to investigate for her podcast, Paranormal Texas.
Mari Castillo has returned to Estrella Roja to attend the funeral for her abuela. After a chance meeting at a local diner, she decides to help Kat. When the two uncover the dark legacy that the town was built on, they discover that something hungry lurks beneath the strange stars and that some secrets should stay buried.
NONFICTION: MIDDLE-GRADE
Where Are the Aliens?: The Search for Life Beyond Earth
by Stacy Mcnaulty, Nicole Miles (Illustrator)
Scientists haven’t discovered life beyond Earth, not even a single teeny-tiny organism. But there’s a whole lot of outer space, and humans have searched only a fraction of a fraction of it. So do you believe in the possibility of life out there? Or do you think Earth is perfectly unique in its ability to grow organisms? Packed with playful illustrations and fascinating factoids, this is the perfect book for anyone who has ever looked up and asked, "What's out there?"
Scientists haven’t discovered life beyond Earth, not even a single teeny-tiny organism. But there’s a whole lot of outer space, and humans have searched only a fraction of a fraction of it. So do you believe in the possibility of life out there? Or do you think Earth is perfectly unique in its ability to grow organisms? Packed with playful illustrations and fascinating factoids, this is the perfect book for anyone who has ever looked up and asked, "What's out there?"
Poetry: Collection & Verse Novel
Trees: Haiku from Roots to Leaves
by Sally M. Walker, Angela McKay (Illustrator)
From the giant tree ferns of the forests primeval to the hardy sycamores of today’s urban forests, experience the essence of trees through poems that engage with every season and stage of the life cycle, from seed to photosynthesis. A broad exploration of a majestic subject, this collection of haiku touches on such topics as the importance of trees to other living creatures and the communication of trees with one another through a complex network of roots.
From the giant tree ferns of the forests primeval to the hardy sycamores of today’s urban forests, experience the essence of trees through poems that engage with every season and stage of the life cycle, from seed to photosynthesis. A broad exploration of a majestic subject, this collection of haiku touches on such topics as the importance of trees to other living creatures and the communication of trees with one another through a complex network of roots.
Wolfpack
by Amelia Brunskill
Perfect for fans of We Were Liars, Wolfpack is an unforgettable and unputdownable novel that will hold you breathless all the way to its shocking finale.
Perfect for fans of We Were Liars, Wolfpack is an unforgettable and unputdownable novel that will hold you breathless all the way to its shocking finale.
YA SPECULATIVE FICTION
Blood Debts (Blood Debts #1)
by Terry J. Benton-Walker
Thirty years ago, a young woman was murdered, a family was lynched, and New Orleans saw the greatest magical massacre in its history. In the days that followed, a throne was stolen from a queen.
On the anniversary of these brutal events, Clement and Cristina Trudeau—the sixteen-year-old twin heirs to the powerful, magical, dethroned family—are mourning their father and caring for their sick mother. Until, by chance, they discover their mother isn’t sick—she’s cursed. Cursed by someone on the very magic council their family used to rule. Someone who will come for them next.
Thirty years ago, a young woman was murdered, a family was lynched, and New Orleans saw the greatest magical massacre in its history. In the days that followed, a throne was stolen from a queen.
On the anniversary of these brutal events, Clement and Cristina Trudeau—the sixteen-year-old twin heirs to the powerful, magical, dethroned family—are mourning their father and caring for their sick mother. Until, by chance, they discover their mother isn’t sick—she’s cursed. Cursed by someone on the very magic council their family used to rule. Someone who will come for them next.
Delicious Monsters
by Liselle Sambury
Daisy sees dead people—something impossible to forget in bustling, ghost-packed Toronto. She usually manages to deal with her unwanted ability, but she’s completely unprepared to be dumped by her boyfriend. So when her mother inherits a secluded mansion in northern Ontario where she spent her childhood summers, Daisy jumps at the chance to escape. But the house is nothing like Daisy expects, and she begins to realize that her experience with the supernatural might be no match for her mother’s secrets, nor what lurks within these walls…
Daisy sees dead people—something impossible to forget in bustling, ghost-packed Toronto. She usually manages to deal with her unwanted ability, but she’s completely unprepared to be dumped by her boyfriend. So when her mother inherits a secluded mansion in northern Ontario where she spent her childhood summers, Daisy jumps at the chance to escape. But the house is nothing like Daisy expects, and she begins to realize that her experience with the supernatural might be no match for her mother’s secrets, nor what lurks within these walls…
In Nightfall
by Suzanne Young
In the quaint town of Nightfall, Oregon, it isn't the dark you should be afraid of—it's the girls. As punishment for throwing a party (without permission) siblings Theo and Marco are sent to Nightfall to spend the summer with their grandmother. Grandma has one rule: be home before dark. But Theo and Marco are determined to make the most of their summer, and on their first day they meet the enigmatic Minnow and her friends. Beautiful and charismatic, the girls have a magnetic pull that Theo and her brother can't resist. But Minnow and her friends are far from what they appear.
In the quaint town of Nightfall, Oregon, it isn't the dark you should be afraid of—it's the girls. As punishment for throwing a party (without permission) siblings Theo and Marco are sent to Nightfall to spend the summer with their grandmother. Grandma has one rule: be home before dark. But Theo and Marco are determined to make the most of their summer, and on their first day they meet the enigmatic Minnow and her friends. Beautiful and charismatic, the girls have a magnetic pull that Theo and her brother can't resist. But Minnow and her friends are far from what they appear.
The Memory Eater
by Rebecca Mahoney
For generations, a monster called the Memory Eater has lived in the caves of Whistler Beach, Maine, surviving off the unhappy memories of those who want to forget. For generations, the Harlows have been in charge of keeping her locked up—and keeping her fed.
After her grandmother dies, Alana Harlow (17) inherits the family business. But Alana has lost some memories - including the knowledge of how to keep the monster contained.
Now the Memory Eater is loose. Alana’s mistake could cost Whistler Beach everything—unless she can figure out how to retrieve her memories and recapture the monster. As Alana delves deeper into her family’s magic, she discovers a shocking secret at the center of the Harlow family business and learns that tampering with memories always comes at a price.
For generations, a monster called the Memory Eater has lived in the caves of Whistler Beach, Maine, surviving off the unhappy memories of those who want to forget. For generations, the Harlows have been in charge of keeping her locked up—and keeping her fed.
After her grandmother dies, Alana Harlow (17) inherits the family business. But Alana has lost some memories - including the knowledge of how to keep the monster contained.
Now the Memory Eater is loose. Alana’s mistake could cost Whistler Beach everything—unless she can figure out how to retrieve her memories and recapture the monster. As Alana delves deeper into her family’s magic, she discovers a shocking secret at the center of the Harlow family business and learns that tampering with memories always comes at a price.
She Is a Haunting
by Trang Thanh Tran
When Jade Nguyen arrives in Vietnam for a visit with her estranged father, she has one goal: survive five weeks pretending to be a happy family in the French colonial house Ba is restoring so she can get out with the college money he promised.
But the house has other plans. Night after night, Jade wakes up paralyzed. The walls exude a thrumming sound. She finds curious traces of her ancestors in the gardens they once tended. At night, Jade can’t ignore the ghost of the beautiful bride who leaves her cryptic warnings: Don’t eat.
When Jade Nguyen arrives in Vietnam for a visit with her estranged father, she has one goal: survive five weeks pretending to be a happy family in the French colonial house Ba is restoring so she can get out with the college money he promised.
But the house has other plans. Night after night, Jade wakes up paralyzed. The walls exude a thrumming sound. She finds curious traces of her ancestors in the gardens they once tended. At night, Jade can’t ignore the ghost of the beautiful bride who leaves her cryptic warnings: Don’t eat.
These books have been nominated for the 2023 CYBILS Awards and are among the titles our judges are currently reading.