July 15, 2023
Micah must convince an old, haunted Victorian house to release its hold over her and her loved ones. Eleven-year-old Micah has lived most of her life in her grandfather's house. Now she and her mom are preparing to move an hour away. Not only does Micah worry about Poppop being alone, she'll also miss their weekend trips going through other people's trash in search of possible treasures. Biking through the streets to avoid packing, Micah notices the run-down and abandoned Finch House, which has a mysterious and sinister past. Though Poppop has forbidden her to go near it, she finds herself drawn to the place. To her surprise, Finch House has been renovated, and a boy named Theo tells her he and his family have moved in. Poppop arrives to collect Micah and is inexplicably terrified, abruptly ordering her into his truck. When Poppop goes missing a day later, Micah's instincts lead her back to Finch House. Torn between keeping her promise to stay away from Finch House and searching it for Poppop, Micah accepts Theo's invitation inside, where she learns that not only is it haunted, she is trapped! More than a mere ghost story, the brilliantly woven, engaging tale that unfolds is one of local disappearances, hidden family secrets, and trauma. Readers will be hooked as Micah attempts to escape Finch House's grip. Micah and Poppop are Black; Theo is cued white. A supremely successful, atmospheric tale of horror. (Horror. 8-13)
COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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.
September 15, 2023
Grades 4-7 *Starred Review* Micah isn't ready for change. Her mom is moving them an hour away from Poppop's house and the familiarity of their town--including the elusive Finch House, an old, run-down mansion Poppop makes her promise to stay away from. Micah finds herself biking near Finch House one day close to the move, but it's no longer run-down; a new family has moved in, and a boy her age, Theo, is hanging out in the yard. She learns from Theo that the house isn't quite what it seems--it's haunted by whispers and childlike shadows--which sparks an argument with Poppop over what secrets he might be hiding. But after Poppop disappears, his truck left in front of the Finch House, Micah has no choice but to go inside. She quickly discovers the secrets of the home (including a challenging racial history) and a magic that's holding on to her great-aunt, the first of many children the house has taken. Pitch-black tunnels, twisting plots, and untrustworthy relatives will tingle the spines of readers intrigued by ghost stories, and an unexpected ending sets up the potential for a sequel delving further into the magic behind the haunted Finch House. Burch's debut is cohesive, fast paced, and thoughtful about the racial challenges of the past and how they may haunt the present.
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