The Haunting of Bellington Cottage

Gr 3-6–Bellington Cottage is the perfect place for a winter getaway, complete with hair-raising mystery, ghostly intrigue, and a lot of creepy taxidermy animals. Twelve-year-old Iris is looking forward to reconnecting and constructing the ultimate haunted Rent-A-Bode with Violet, an old family friend she last saw three years ago. Only Violet, who now goes by “Vee” and embraces goth fashion, appears to want nothing to do with Iris, this vacation, or her mom’s new boyfriend. When strange things start happening—pacing footsteps late at night, the outdoor wooden swing slamming against a tree, rooms becoming messy all by themselves—Iris and Vee discover they might be staying in an actual haunted house. With the help of a journal written in the 1900s, Iris and Vee set aside their differences to uncover the mystery of what is really going on at Bellington Cottage. This novel is equal parts thrilling and evocative but relatively mild in terms of spookiness. Parnum creates a relatable character in Iris, a girl who is trying to find her place after her best friend moves away. Her growth in self-awareness and development of her friendship with Vee reads as very authentic. A slow build with some spine-tingling moments leads to a heartfelt conclusion. Characters are cued white.