Perfectly creepy middle grade novel, and perfect for the tweens in my library who are looking for a scary read, especially since it is set in our area. I also enjoyed the discussions of Korean vs. Japanese culture and food.

Oof. This was a rough read for me. Please keep in mind that I am an adult and therefore not the target audience... but I love kids' books, and my background is in children's lit.

My biggest issue with this was the development. At least half of the plot is delivered as a single-chapter infodump at the start of the story. Lots of detail is paid to what the kids eat, which makes sense on one level because I was a very food-motivated child, and Jack and Rory are comparing cultural notes throughout. On the other, it seems strange that we got a ton of detail on packaged snacks but almost not explanation of the things haunting the house? The lore for the monsters was wildly inconsistent, and there were multiple places where the characters decide that something is true with zero evidence, only to be proven correct later.

I don't think I'd have found this creepy as a kid. I still remember being scared by horror novels as an elementary schooler, and the details were what got me even then. There are so few details in this story, and many of them seem to be completely random. There was so much telling and real room for character arcs. I never really got into the story, and Jack and Rory remained pretty flat. Too many worldbuilding plotholes, not enough character development.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. Unfortunately, this one didn't do it for me. I generally avoid sharing two-star ratings on wide platforms, so I have decided not to post this review wide.

Rory wants to be excited about the new neighbors moving in next door. There’s a boy just his age and a spunky little dog too. It’s just that the history of the house is unsettling, and he’s already lost one friend to its darkness. His family and the new neighbors will have to work together if they want to survive.

Somehow I read two haunted house books yesterday. One for adults and this one for middle grade readers. A number of reviewers say it’s not scary enough. It’s for kids! I thought it was perfectly creepy, and I appreciate the short length making it accessible to young readers working on reading stamina. Features characters of Korean and Japanese heritage and includes lots of descriptions of authentic cuisine.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Kids for the ARC!

The House Next Door is creepy story about family living next to a vacant haunted house. Then, a new family moves into the empty house and the neighbor kids have to help the new family get rid of the ghosts and creatures inside. It's a great book to read for spooky season. Fans of Goosebumps will enjoy reading this book!

I wanted to like this so badly, after (and maybe especially) seeing all the lukewarm reviews. Unfortunately, I have to add my lukewarm review to the bunch. The biggest roadblock for me was the writing. I don't want to sound mean, but this felt like baby's first book, it was that amateurly written. It felt incredibly stilted, the dialogue was hamfisted at best, and cringey and unrealistic at worst, and large blocks of exposition were dumped on the readers all at once throughout the book.

However, that wasn't my biggest issue. This novel as a POV problem. While the story is from Rory's third-person limited POV, he's a painfully static character. Jack is the much more dynamic character, and the one with the arc (however poorly done). Which, there's nothing inherently wrong with the central protagonist lacking a character arc, especially because Rory does maintain agency within the narrative.

But I need a more engaging cast of characters if the plot's going to be so slow. Oh seriously backloaded the back half of this book, leaving me to plod through the first half. The story seldom had any sense of urgency, which is strange, considering the stakes of the story in the abstract. But, because Oh failed to engage me on a writing or character level, there was simply nothing to sink my teeth into.

The one bright spot in this novel, and the reason this isn't 2 stars, is that the book really kicks it into high gear for the climax. THAT level of action, of mischief and planning and danger, was what was missing from the rest of the book.

Rory has avoided the house next door since he was little and his best friend was injured under mysterious circumstances. Since then, and with some help from his grandfather, Rory has tried to protect himself as best he can. But when a new family moves in, Rory must face his fears and the frightening creatures in the house next door before someone else gets hurt.

Situating Rory in the house next door (rather than the haunted house itself) gives this creepy story a unique narrative perspective, as Rory is able to provide a glimpse into the history of the house. His personal stake in what happens there, initiated by the loss of his best friend at age five, also adds urgency and emotional resonance to the plot. His relationships with his family members are warm and well drawn, particularly the connection he shares with his Ojiichan, who lives in Japan. Rory's new neighbors are Korean, and the dynamic between the two families allows for the joyful sharing of cultural traditions and foods throughout the book. Clues about what's haunting the house next door are also peppered throughout, and lead to a surprising and satisfying reveal. Rory's ultimate confrontation with the creatures is also action-packed and fast-paced. Ellen Oh gets everything right in this engaging middle grade horror story. Highly recommended!

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

This book follows Rory, a young kid who lives next door to a haunted house. When a new family moves in, he has to protect them from the monsters in their house.

I enjoyed this book! We had some creepy moments, we had some funny moments, and we had some great friendships. We also had some Korean and Japanese cultural parts like discussion of different foods and customs and what not. I enjoyed learning about that stuff while also being creeped out; it was a good balance.

I didn't find the story to be too scary but it was creepy and would be good for kids.

I did find the dialogue to be a bit unrealistic at times but overall this was a great story.

Hands down the best book I've read this year. Incredibly engaging and suspenseful -- would rec anything Ellen Oh writes to my students!

I very much enjoyed reading a children's ghost story where the MCs are 2nd generation Asian Americans incorporating their heritage to solve the problem at hand (and being enthusiastic about sharing their culture). Was I also loving the halmoni making classic korean dishes every other page to share, yes yes I was.
A great book to share with young readers.

I didn't love this one very much, but can see how there would be an audience for this book among middle grade readers. There was a lot of dialogue, as well as things that were integral to the story not being explained as well as they could have been. Kind of a miss for me, but may be great for others. Thank you, NetGalley!

Thank you to Ellen Oh, HarperCollins Children Books, and Netgalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review (unpaid).

A children's "horror" story reminiscent of Monster House and Zathura.

This started out really promising, with a scary haunted house, and frightening stories of children getting hurt. The multicultural families and food they shared was my favorite part of the book. I felt like the dialogue took up more of the book than the action, and the scary creatures were never really explained well. The ghosts were rather milquetoast as well.

I think middle grade readers who don't want a really scary book and who enjoy character driven books with diverse characters will enjoy this, but it wasn't fast paced enough for me.

The House Next Door is a perfect spooky mystery for middle-grade kids and beyond! I truly loved the way that Japanese and Korean folklore was woven into the lore of the house and Rory's tactics to rid his new friend's home of the evil spirits plaguing it! It was so sweet how Jack and Rory befriended the friendly ghosts who did their best to protect the house and the families who resided within. While it ended quite quickly, it does make sense for the age group, as I am unsure dragging it out any longer would have kept their attention.

This is my first book from Ellen Oh and is the perfect horror book to start your middle grade kid on.

The House Next Door is wholesome with a suspense and creepiness that isn't necessarily outright scary. Rory is a great kid with a great family which makes him the perfect antagonist. He has experience with the paranormal due to living next to a house that holds ghosts and something more evil. This evil drove out his former neighbors and friend and has since housed occupants for short periods of time or sat vacant. When a new family moves in and he befriends the son, Jack, he knows he has to help them. Jack is a good counter balance to Rory. He’s a great kid with a lot of similar interests to Rory but he does not believe in the paranormal. But he ultimately trusts Rory when Rory tells Jack his little sister is in danger and they start coming up with a plan.

Besides how great the kids are, the stand out was both boys’ families. I loved getting a glimpse into a Japanese American household and a Korean American household. I loved that both families love and center food within their home and wish I had that growing up. I have a list of food to try now!

Overall, the story is about family, friendship, and being brave. With, of course, the paranormal. I really enjoyed this and highly recommend for middle grade kids (and adults too)!

The House Next Door by Ellen Oh – ★★½ It’s got a spooky setup and some decent chills, but it moves fast and doesn’t dig deep. Characters feel kind of flat, and the ending’s a bit rushed. If you just want a quick ghost story with creepy vibes, it works — but don’t expect to be haunted afterward.

This book was a fun middle grade read that I liked a fair bit. The themes of friendship is very strong in this one and the concept of the monster was so interesting and unique! I went into this thinking that this will be entirely about the ghosts. But let us be frank, its a twist that was done done very well. I loved how Hazel, the ghost lady in the story, has the reputation of not liking children when the truth is quite sadder. The ghosts were full characters of their own with really emotional arcs. The best part were the cat and the dog though. Tansy and Petey deserve all the love.

I though this was a fun, fast book about a boy who is determined to save his new neighbors from whatever is haunting the house next door. I loved the boy’s creative intensity when figuring out what could work to keep the creatures from stealing away the five-year-old sister. It also has great food, a cool and dog, and a wonderful Halmeoni.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for this DRC.
#TheHouseNextDoor #NetGalley

This was pretty bizarre, and not in a fun way. The writing was messy, the dialogue choppy, and many of the interactions between Rory and Jack just felt... inorganic. Also, for a haunted house story, this wasn't very scary. Gross, yes, but not scary. I liked the descriptions of the food better than anything else.

Creepy and gross but not very scary. I’d hand this to my more timid younger middle schoolers who was a good spook with lots of heart and humor. Definitely a fun quick read.

A good mystery and light horror book for early middle grade readers. The plot did drag on around 60% of the book so the ending felt a little rushed.