The House in Poplar Wood
(Fantasy Middle Grade Novel, Mystery Book for Middle School Kids)
by K. E. Ormsbee
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Pub Date Aug 28 2018 | Archive Date Aug 27 2018
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Description
Stranger Things meets The Haunted Mansion in this page-turning middle grade fantasy.
For as long as the Vickery twins can remember, they’ve only ever been able to leave the house together once a year—on Halloween. The rest of the year, Lee and his mother serve Memory, while Felix and his father assist Death. This is the Agreement.
But one Halloween, Gretchen Whipple smashes her way into their lives. Her bargain is simple: If the twins help her solve the murder of local girl Essie Hasting, she’ll help them break the Agreement. The more the three investigate, however, the more they realize that something’s gone terribly wrong in their town. Death is on the loose, and if history repeats itself, Essie’s might not be the last murder in Poplar Wood.
Simultaneously heartwarming and delightfully spooky, The House in Poplar Wood is the story about a boy’s desire to be free, a girl's desire to make a difference, and a family’s desire to be together again.
Marketing Plan
- National publicity
- Select author appearances
- Print and online advertising
- Social media campaign
- Discussion guide
- Promotion at school and library conferences and regional trade shows
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781452149868 |
| PRICE | $16.99 (USD) |
Links
Featured Reviews
Patricia M, Reviewer
This was such a unique premise, and I adored every minute I spent with the twins in Poplar Wood. I keep these books from NetGalley on my Kindle app and read while walking across my work campus or while in the bathtub. This was a book that I didn't realize had me so rooted in place until I noticed I was sitting in cold water, my jaw brushing my clavicle. Such a fun idea and it had me going until the end.
Kyra L, Reviewer
Twins Lee and Felix Vickery live in a secluded house in Poplar Wood with their parents. The hitch? Their dad Vince is the apprentice to Death and their mom Judith is the apprentice to Memory.
Death and Memory despise each other and have had a feud going for years so when Passion brought Vince and Judith together thirteen years ago, an Agreement was made,
(All those capital letters aren't a mistake: the shades Death, Memory, and Passion are almost human in this tale and the Agreement is a binding contract that Death and Memory created and any discussion of it is filled with dread.)
The Agreement has several rules: Felix lives with his dad and Death in the East wing of Poplar House, Lee lives with his mom and Memory in the West wing. Lee can never see his dad, Felix can never see his mom, and their parents can never see each other again. The boys can meet, but only outside the house.
Gretchen Whipple, the mayor's daughter, is from a family of summoners who are meant to keep balance between the 3 shades so they don't overstep their bounds interfering in the lives of the townspeople. She knows that the recent death of Essie Hasting (apprentice to Passion) wasn't an accident; her father is covering for Death.
The Whipple and Vickery families are sworn enemies but Gretchen knows she has to work with Felix and Lee to figure out what really happened to Essie and maybe even help break the Agreement holding the boys and their parents hostage to the feuding shades.
The House in Poplar Wood is an exciting and original story with kids learning to trust their instincts, question the world around them, and finding the courage to stand up for themselves and their loved ones.
I wasn't prepared to love this story as much as I do! I can definitely recommend this book to both middle grade and adult readers. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
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