THE LONELY BELOW

Eva Mauberry thought boarding school was going to be hard, but she didn’t expect it to be haunted.

After her beloved MawMaw Septine passes away, 12-year-old Eva’s parents need to leave Tennessee and travel to Louisiana to settle her affairs, so they ask Eva to enroll in Blythe Academy, the boarding school in Mississippi that her father went to. Leaving family is always hard, but it’s especially challenging for Eva, who has anxiety and is autistic; she struggles when people aren’t understanding of her needs. But Eva, who’s Black, lucks out in rooming with kind and welcoming Afro-Latina Vee, and she’s quickly invited into her friend group, which includes chatty Ami, who’s Black and Thai and uses they/them pronouns. When strange things start happening around school, Eva realizes that Blythe is haunted by vengeful spirits. But nobody believes Eva sees ghosts, especially the resident mean girls. Fifty years ago, a building collapse killed a classroom full of students and their teacher. With Blythe’s centennial approaching, might tragedy strike again? The solid mystery at the heart of this story, which contains enough spooky elements for middle-grade horror lovers, reveals racist historical displacement practices. The author delivers a haunting read that’s enhanced by thoughtful representation of autism and anxiety.

A chilling ghost story and an affirming tale about believing in yourself when no one else does.