THE HOUSE THAT WHISPERS

Three siblings unravel family mysteries.

Simon is not the name that everyone calls the middle Bradley sibling, but it’s the name he picked for himself. Ever since he realized he was trans or maybe nonbinary or something else, he’s been mentally fixing the name and pronouns others use for him. Simon, big sister Talia, and little sister Rose are staying with their maternal grandmother, Nanaleen, for a week in a creepy old family home bordering the Appalachians while their parents figure out how to repair their marriage. Simon becomes convinced the house is haunted and wonders if it’s related to the decades-old disappearance of his Great-Aunt Brie, a butch growing up in unforgiving times. Likely to appeal to fans of Tae Keller’s When You Trap a Tiger and Kyle Lukoff’s Too Bright To See, this story is at times unsettlingly creepy, at other moments heartwarming. Talia’s suddenly shifty behavior and Nanaleen’s apparent memory loss add to the challenging family dynamics. The solid haunted-house buildup shifts gears in the denouement of the final climactic scene. Many moments are overly direct, with characters (mostly cued as White) explaining to Simon, and by proxy the reader, important lessons in emotional development. Still, this is an interesting examination of how to deal with some difficult elements of growth and change.

Gentle, calm, and reassuring.