Written by Eden Royce
Roderick (Roddie) and his mom are very close. He adores her. They do everything together. One of his fondest memories is he sits in front of her, and she braids his hair back. It is something she loves to do for him. Then, his mother passes away and he is put into an orphanage while the authorities wait for his aunt and uncle to return to South Carolina and the family home. He spends two months in the orphanage and has never felt as alone as he does right now. His Aunt Angie and Uncle Erik come to get him and take him home. Dogwood House is the house that his mom and aunt grew up in and will be his home from now on. This is a house that needs A LOT of repairs. He gets his own room, and his aunt and uncle are very nice to him. He works on the home with them. He wants to call this home but something weird is happening at night. Why is there hair everywhere? Even under the wallpaper? The house morphs and tries to play games with him at night and trick him. He finally decides that he is going to stand up for himself and his family like his mom did. Sometimes you just have to stand up for family.
Reviewed by Christie Haslam, Librarian, Gearld Wright Elementary
Review shared in September 2024
Rating: ★★★★✩ (4 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 4-6
The Creepening of Dogwood House
Written by Eden Royce
Walden Pond Press, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers
257 pages
Release Date: July 30, 2024
ISBN: 9780063251403
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
