I received an advance reader’s copy (ARC) of The International House of Dereliction by Jacqueline Davies. Since this version is just a proof and not the final version, I won’t quote directly and will keep my comments general.

In The International House of Dereliction, Alice is proud of her abilities to repair things, skills she has cultivated in all the old houses her parents have lived in since she was born, as the university her mother works at keeps moving them into new places all around campus. So when they move into their eleventh home, next to an old condemned mansion, Alice is intrigued. She starts to explore the house, finding it to be the perfect repair job—until she discovers that she isn’t alone here. There are several ghosts dwelling within the sentient walls, and they need Alice’s help to move on to the other side. But Alice has learned that the house is scheduled to be demolished, and so she doesn’t have much time to help them. And as she digs into the ghosts’ pasts, she wonders if she can truly fix this, or if the ghosts are doomed to wander forever.

This was a sweet little ghost story! I really liked Alice, who’s clever and resourceful, an excellent protagonist who is capable but not without her flaws. She’s confident but reluctant to ask for help, witty but out of her depth in this supernatural setting she’s found herself in. I also really liked her interactions with the ghosts, especially Ivy and Mugwort. And Alice’s parents are also delightful, very quirky but loving and kind.

Her bond with her parents is pretty important to the story, too, as the major theme is connection and legacy. Alice, in looking into the ghosts’ lives, sees how actions big and small can affect people in major ways, even after one is dead and gone. Family is a major focus for Alice and her parents, and this is reflected too in the ghosts—family referring to both relatives and those a person chooses as family. It’s very sweet to see a middle grade book explore these ideas, and I’m glad to see the way Alice resolved things with the final spirit through compassion.

And though this book is about ghosts and therefore death and the afterlife, it’s with a sense of kindness, and doesn’t get too dark or existential, so it’s suitable for kids. There are also lots of fun vocabulary words for them to notice and learn, since Alice’s mother especially is such an academic. For example, this is the first middle grade book (and probably the first book in general) that I’ve read that has used the word “lugubriously.”

In the end, The International House of Dereliction is a whimsical tale about family, friendship, and repairing broken connections. The ending is slightly bittersweet, but also nice. The characters are charming, the setting is delightful, and the pacing is great for the intended audience. Some of the witty aspects of this reminds me of The Swifts, and the ghostly parts are great for kids who like not-to-scary Halloween books.

The International House of Dereliction will be published on July 18th, 2023!