The Nightmare House

White-cued 11-year-old Penny Hope’s anxiety manifests as a real-life monster under her bed in this ethereal novel by Allen (Breathing Underwater). For the past four years, Penny’s anxieties have been heightened by the presence of the Fear Maker, a creature of “nightmare and shadow” who lives beneath her bed. But now the Fear Maker, having become a corporeal entity, is stealing the “soul, their them-ness” of the people in her town. Only Penny can see her soulless neighbors’ “blank, colorless, empty eyes,” resulting in intense feelings of isolation. When her supportive poet grandmother encourages her to write about her fears and introduces her to homeschooled Indian-cued peer Aarush Banerjee, Penny feels as if she’s found a bright spot. As the Fear Maker’s power intensifies, however, Penny learns that to destroy him, she must “pick one thing you’re afraid of, and do it.” She resolves to face her fears by joining Aarush in a poetry contest, hoping to find the right words to overcome her anxieties. Poetic prose and visceral emotion infuse realistic depth into this mood-driven, allegorical portrayal of mental illness. Stark b&w illustrations by Hewitt employ a photo negative effect to accentuate Penny’s brooding poems. Ages 10–12. Agent: Rena Rossner, Deborah Harris Agency. (Aug.)