Bug's family lives in a haunted house, or at least Bug and Uncle Roderick think so. Sadly, Uncle Roderick dies, leaving Bug and Mom alone in the haunted house. While Bug's friend Moira is convinced they need to reinvent themselves before starting middle school, Bug is distracted by haunted happenings that are becoming more frequent and more pointed. Is Uncle Roderick sending Bug a message?

This book is beautiful and haunting. At points I was legitimately startled by the spooky happenings; at other points I cried happy tears for Bug. I was so glad for the way Bug's friends accepted, respected, and celebrated Bug and Bug's evolving gender identity. I want Bug's mom to adopt me and my trans spouse, who was told "Even boys can wear makeup and flashy clothing" when he came out (no, I still don't know what my mother in law meant by that).

As a former seventh grade teacher, I appreciated that Bug and Moira both are trying to figure out who they are, and I loved how they supported each other even though they don't necessarily have a ton in common. Bug's coming out experience is fantastic and positive, and although I am sure there are plenty of places where Bug's coming out would have happened much differently, it's absolutely okay to portray it positively because everyone deserves a happy ending.

Recommended for: middle grade and tween readers; this is a great "I'm nervous to be starting middle school" book; also great for readers who enjoy realistic stories with supernatural elements or books that are just a little bit spooky