Review:

Lee and Felix are brothers who live unusual lives. Their mother is Memory’s apprentice, and their father is Death’s apprentice. Lee helps his mother as she helps Memory, and Felix helps his father as he helps Death. An Agreement set by the two Shades (Memory and Death) binds Lee, Felix, and their parents to the work. Enter Gretchen, a girl who Lee goes to school with. She’s convinced that her classmate, Essie, didn’t die of an accidental death – instead, Gretchen thinks Death overstepped his boundaries and caused Essie to die. Gretchen, Lee, and Felix work together to figure out why and how Essie died, and they hope to break the Agreement in the process.

I got this book as an Advanced Reader’s Copy shortly before its release last fall from the publisher, Chronicle books. I started reading it on a Saturday, and finished it Sunday evening. Ormsbee has one of my favorite writing styles of all time; her series The Water and the Wild is one of my favs, and I’ll have to do a review of it soon. She paints vivid pictures with her words, but with a subtlety that draws you in. The House in Poplar Wood is not overly scary for any kids reading, but there are a couple sections closer to the end that are haunting enough that I wouldn’t recommend this for kids younger than 5th grade or so. It’s absolutely perfect for middle schoolers – and us adults who enjoy beautifully written and unique stories!

Favorite Passage:

But the memories of Love and of People — there was no rule to their labeling. They were equal parts “Remember” and “Forget”. Some precious, to be cherished. Some rotten, to be put away. And they were the only jars Lee was ever asked to relabel. Patients would return, begging to never remember former friends whose memories they once wished to preserve, while others asked to reclaim memories of love they once thought they did not want anymore.
— Chapter 6: Lee

What I Loved Most:

It seems like there aren’t many books coming out nowadays with a completely original premise. Many stories are retellings or tweaks of stories that have already been told. The House in Poplar Wood is absolutely unique. This is a world where Death and Memory aren’t just concepts, but actual beings. I was captivated after reading the Prologue, where  we first meet Lee and Felix and see the different tasks each is assigned. And as a side note, I’m a sucker for a good font, and the Hightower used in my copy of this book is to die for.

Read this book if you like:

Autumn, unusual family structures, spooky stories, mystery

Book Details:

• Author: K. E. Ormsbee
• Publisher: Chronicle Books
• Date of Publication: August 28, 2018
• Age Recommendation: 5th – 8th Grade
• Find The House in Poplar Wood on Amazon if you’d like to own a copy!
• Check out The House in Poplar Wood on Worldcat to find it at a library near you!