The House with Chicken Legs

"The House with Chicken Legs" is a captivating middle-grade fantasy novel inspired by Russian folklore, following 12-year-old Marinka. She lives with her grandmother, Baba Yaga, in a sentient house that roams the world, guiding the recently deceased to the afterlife. Marinka yearns for a normal life and human friends, a desire that clashes with her destiny to become a Yaga herself. When her grandmother mysteriously vanishes, Marinka breaks rules and embarks on a perilous quest into the afterlife to rescue her. This award-winning story beautifully explores themes of loneliness, identity, grief, and the courage to embrace one's path, offering a thoughtful and whimsical approach to death and destiny for children aged 8-12.

"All 12-year-old Marinka wants is a friend. A real friend. Not like her house with chicken legs. Sure, the house can play games like tag and hide-and-seek, but Marinka longs for a human companion. Someone she can talk to and share secrets with. But that's tough when your grandmother is a Yaga, a guardian who guides the dead into the afterlife. It's even harder when you live in a house that wanders all over the world . . . carrying you with it. Even worse, Marinka is being trained to be a Yaga. That means no school, no parties -- and no playmates that stick around for more than a day. So when Marinka stumbles across the chance to make a real friend, she breaks all the rules . . . with devastating consequences. Her beloved grandmother mysteriously disappears, and it's up to Marinka to find her -- even if it means making a dangerous journey to the afterlife. With a mix of whimsy, humour, and adventure, this debut novel will wrap itself around your heart and never let go." -- Jacket flap.