Author(s): Lin Thompson

Middle

From the author of The Best Liars in Riverview comes a subtle exploration of gender identity, family, and the personal ghosts that haunt us all, perfect for fans of Kyle Lukoff and Ashley Herring Blake. Eleven-year-old Simon and his siblings, Talia and Rose, are staying the week at Nanaleen's century-old house. This time, though, it s not their usual summer vacation trip. In fact, everything s different. It s fall, not summer. Mom and Dad are staying behind to have a talk. And Nanaleen s house smells weird, plus she keeps forgetting things. And these aren t the only things getting under Simon s skin: He s the only one who knows that his name is Simon, and that he and him pronouns are starting to feel right. But he s not ready to add to the changes that are already in motion in his family. To make matters worse, Simon keeps hearing a scratching in the walls, and shadows are beginning to build in the corners. He can t shake the feeling that something is deeply wrong and he s determined to get to the bottom of it which means launching a ghost hunt, with or without his sisters help. When Simon discovers the hidden story of his great-aunt Brie, he realizes that Brie s life might hold answers to some of his worries. Is Brie s ghost haunting the old O Hagan house? And will Simon s search for ghosts turn up more secrets than he ever expected?