HUNGRY BONES

A 13-year-old girl’s paranormal abilities lead to an emotional journey with a resident ghost.

Chinese American Molly Teng and her free-spirited mom have already moved eight times. While her mother always rallies her to support Team Teng, homebody Molly is resentful about leaving Maine for Buckeye Creek, Texas, and yet again becoming “the weird girl who’s an easy target.” Molly and Mom move into an old house that comes complete with an attic-dwelling spirit named Jade who’s over a century old. At first, Jade’s excited—Molly is sensitive to her presence and Asian like she is. For her part, Molly initially decides to ignore Jade, until her presence becomes impossible to overlook. As their friendship grows, so does Molly’s resolve to help Jade figure out her past before she fades away. Molly’s abilities include what she calls “the zaps,” the energy-sucking pull she experiences from the overwhelming memories contained in some inanimate objects. Knowing the toll the zaps take on Molly, Jade hesitates to expose her to something physical belonging to her. Hung artfully integrates Chinese American history and present-day racism into a story that explores themes of belonging. Molly longs for stability and community while also being acutely aware of being “the Asian Girl” who’s a perpetual outsider. While the book has a few loose ends that may frustrate attentive readers, its compelling twists and fast pace keep the interest level high.

Spooky and intriguing, with plenty of heart.