A little too haunted

Most kids, when woken by a loud knocking at 3 a.m. in a purportedly haunted house, wouldn't respond with, "Heck yeah, witching hour." But most kids aren't Luna Catalano. The aspiring ghost hunter is eager to capture proof that her new house is haunted, not just for the thrill of it but to repair her relationship with her moms. The couple makes a living as home-improvement influencers, their gimmick being that they renovate haunted houses, which Luna loved until learning that they were faking all the haunted effects on their channel. Luna, a true believer, had a meltdown during a live stream and revealed the dirty secret, losing the show followers and sponsors. While her moms view their current renovation project as a chance to rebrand, Luna is determined to prove that ghosts really exist--no rebranding required. Winans summons a quirky cast of characters and plenty of cats to her horror-comedy. Luna is a treasure of a protagonist, whose struggles with loneliness and IBS give depth to her innate weirdness (a compliment!) and paranormal passion. As Luna digs into the rumors about the house, she uncovers its grisly history while also making genuine friends and experiencing a queer awakening. It's a lot to deal with, but Winans gives Luna enough moxie and support to face everything that comes her way.

Thirteen-year-old aspiring ghost hunter Luna Catalano always thought that her two mothers' jobs as home improvement influencers who renovate haunted houses were real--until she stumbles upon them faking a paranormal encounter and exposes them as frauds during a livestream. Their newest project in Cleveland is supposed to be a fresh start, and Luna is delighted to find that the house is actually haunted. But the resident specter seems decidedly unfriendly. The shade goes to increasingly frightening lengths to terrorize the family, and frames Luna by destroying her moms' film equipment--and even physically harming them. Recruiting her new neighbors, including horror novelist Evie, Luna must learn who or what is haunting her new home before the house claims another victim. But when an attempt at an exorcism goes wrong, Luna accidently empowers her tormentor. In this atmospheric ghost story, Winans (Wishbone) conjures satisfying, spine-tingling scares and a cozy mystery alongside quiet moments of adolescent uncertainty. As Luna juggles issues stemming from irritable bowel syndrome, her first crush on a girl, and her desire for belonging, she undergoes an emotionally volatile but fulfilling journey of self-discovery. Luna cues as white. Ages 8--12. Agent: Patricia Nelson, Looking Glass Literary. (Sept.)

An aspiring 13-year-old ghost hunter takes on her first real case. A month ago, The Incident upended Luna Catalano's life. She exposed her home improvement influencer moms--who claim to flip haunted houses--for faking the hauntings. That's how the family ended up in Ohio, living at 5753 Shadyside Avenue: "theleast haunted house Luna had ever seen." But she finds that looks can be deceiving. As well as dealing with her irritable bowel syndrome, which is aggravated by stress, she keeps experiencing odd, disruptive occurrences. First, a strange voice keeps saying, "Welcome home." Then, Luna sees "GET OUT" written in blood on the ceiling. The mysterious happenings continue, and eventually, the house's very real ghosts turn violent. With help from sibling neighbors Dani and Mateo Moreno, can Luna save her family--and herself--before it's too late? Pucella Winans' latest is a love letter to ghost stories and those who believe in them--especially queer kids. The five embedded short stories are pitch-perfect in tone, slowly building the novel's eerie lore alongside the unfolding plot, which contains occasional humor. Through her art, Luna realizes that she might like girls--growth that beautifully mirrors Dani's coming out as nonbinary. Dani's strict adherence to the scientific method also teaches Luna valuable lessons about jumping to conclusions when it comes to friendships. The Morenos are Latine. Luna is cued white, like one of her moms; her other mom has Italian and Brazilian heritage. Sweet meets spooky--and it's absolutely spectacular.(Horror. 9-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.