by Kyle Lukoff
First published 2021
Bug feels different but can't name what's changing inside. At eleven years old, Bug lives with questions that don't have easy answers. The family is still grieving Uncle Roderick's recent death when strange things start happening around the house. Doors creak open by themselves. Objects move without explanation. Bug begins to suspect Uncle Roderick's spirit lingers nearby, perhaps trying to communicate something important. As these supernatural encounters intensify, Bug also grapples with deeper questions about identity and self-understanding. The ghost may hold answers, or Bug may need to find them alone. Two mysteries unfold together as Bug discovers who they really are while determining whether Uncle Roderick truly walks among the living. The boundary between the seen and unseen world blurs as Bug learns that some truths about yourself emerge slowly, like spirits materializing from shadow into light.
Genres: family-life, contemporary, magical-realism, young-adult, ghost-stories
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, self-discovery, supernatural-elements
192 pages · ebook · Dial Books
Content warnings: mental-illness