The House That Wasn't There

"In this luminous story full of mystery and magic, Elana K. Arnold weaves a shimmering tapestry about the lovely and surprising ways we’re connected to each other. Heart-healing, hopeful, and wonderfully inventive, this beautiful novel by a master storyteller is not to be missed." —Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medal-winning author of The One and Only Ivan Alder has always lived in his cozy little house in Southern California. And for as long as he can remember, the old, reliable, comforting walnut tree has stood between his house and the one next door. That is, until a new family—with a particularly annoying girl his age—moves into the neighboring house and, without warning, cuts it down. Oak doesn’t understand why her family had to move to Southern California. She has to attend a new school, find new friends, and live in a new house that isn’t even ready—her mother had to cut down a tree on their property line in order to make room for a second floor. And now a strange boy next door won’t stop staring at her, like she did something wrong moving here in the first place. As Oak and Alder start school together, they can’t imagine ever becoming friends. But the two of them soon discover a series of connections between them—mysterious, possibly even magical puzzles they can’t put together. At least not without each other’s help. Award-winning author Elana K. Arnold returns with an unforgettable story of the strange, wondrous threads that run between all of us, whether we know they’re there or not. Two neighbors who can’t stand each other. One mystery that only they can solve together. Unlikely Friendship: Alder’s life is perfect until Oak moves in and her family cuts down his favorite tree. They think they have nothing in common, but the mysteries between their houses suggest otherwise. A Hidden World: Between their two houses is a third place—a house that shouldn’t exist, with a talking opossum who holds the key to the secrets connecting them. Family Secrets: As Alder and Oak dig into the past, they uncover a long-lost family connection that will change both of their lives forever, offering a poignant look at grief and loss. Sibling Kittens: Two adorable kittens, Fern and Walnut, aren’t just pets—they are the magical key to unlocking the portals between worlds and helping heal a fractured family.

Death just won't leave Howard alone. An alcoholic-three years sober-and still slinging drinks at a local queer watering hole, Howard can't seem to shake the bizarre and uncanny endings of the folks around him. The untimely demise of the go go boy; the nail gun slip of the hardware store clerk; the defenestration of the girl upstairs: wherever he goes, it seems Death follows. To make matters worse, his upwardly mobile partner, Reg, is away, leaving him to face all that Death, all that sweltering summer heat alone. It's hard, Howard thinks, to not feel hopeless. But when Reg returns, bringing with him all his joy and light, so too come the ghosts of Howard's dead. They haunt him from the periphery, taunt him into madness, and guide him toward a truth he refuses to see. They lead him to the House. The House that isn't there. The House with the temper. The House which may consume him if Death has its way.