Hardly Haunted

by Jessie Sima

From the bestselling creator of Not Quite Narwhal comes a delightfully spooky story about an old house who wants to be a home…even if her new family isn’t what she expected.

House has a problem.

She’s a little spooky. She’s a little cobwebby. Oh, no! What if she’s haunted?

She’s not sure, but…her hinges creak. Her pipes bang. And on windy days, the branches scritch-scratch at her windows. She tries to hold her breath and be as still as possible. If she’s on her best behavior, maybe a family will move in.

How will House ever find a family that doesn’t mind being haunted?

Genres: Picture Books, Halloween, Childrens, Ghosts, Storytime, Fantasy, Holiday

42 pages, Hardcover

First published July 20, 2021

About the author

Jessie Sima is an author and illustrator of picture books. They grew up in a small town in southern New Jersey and now write and draw in a creaky house in New York State. When not making books, Jessie can be found reading graphic novels, watching spooky movies, and playing outside with dogs.

Visit them online at jessiesima.com!

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A creepy house sits alone on a hill, no one lives there, it creaks with the wind, its pipes rattle and it is covered in cobwebs. The house is a little afraid that it might be haunted. The house doesn't want to be haunted though, it's a nice house and wants to be a home… and who wants to live in a haunted house?

Well, this is officially one of my new favorite children's books. Its absolutely adorable. The idea of a house worried it might be haunted is charming. The art manages to really capture the expressions of the house. The humor is well done and the ending is delightful. I really cannot praise this book enough. It's the perfect book for little ones who want something a little spooky, but not really scary. Charming and fun. A rare 5/5 stars.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this! Anthropomorphic houses have touched my heart since I encountered Virginia Lee Burton's The Little House as a child and I wanted to give this "Hardly Haunted" house a big hug and tell her to keep on believing in herself and that she would find her family one day. The illustrations are wonderful, accessible for children, aesthetically pleasing (it could have so easily gone too cartoony) while also deftly conveying the feelings of the house as the main character. My youngest said right away upon seeing the cover, "Look, the house has a face!" (he spotted it even before I did). I love the message of first accepting, then embracing, who you truly are -- even if it might not match expectations -- staying true to yourself, even if you are a bit lonely... waiting to find the true friends who will appreciate you just the way you are. The ending is a delight and I'm happy that even the adorable little stray black cat we see throughout the pages gets a family to love, too. Though not a "Halloween" book, it is perfect for this time of year and is one of my favorite reads this Halloween season!

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lonely old house on a hill worries that she might be haunted in this delightfully spooky picture-book from author/artist Jessie Sima. Desiring a resident family who will can give her companionship, she does everything she can to resist seeming haunted, until a windy night when she discovers that she likes making noise—creaking, squeaking, groaning—and that being haunted isn't so bad. Happy now with who she is, the house nevertheless remains lonely, until the night that a family of ghosts move in....

Having greatly enjoyed some of Jessie Sima's previous picture-books—namely, her Not Quite Narwhal and Harriet Gets Carried Away —I requested Hardly Haunted from my library as soon as I discovered its existence. It finally came in this past week, and although it's a little late in the year for spooky tales (Halloween having passed a month ago), I found it absolutely delightful. The house makes an endearing heroine, and her struggles to be something she isn't, in order to win companionship, is quite poignant. This, of course, makes the resolution of the story quite heartwarming. The artwork is cute, and manages to anthropomorphize the house to just the right degree, suggesting a face at times, but not going overboard. Naturally, as a cat lover I appreciated the inclusion of the little black cat in all of the scenes. Recommended to picture-book lovers looking for stories of spooky haunted houses that aren't too scary. Although no mention is made here of Halloween, this one would be perfect for a story time at that holiday.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first Halloween book of the season. Yes, I realize I’m a bit early, but I couldn’t wait! I had to kick-start the spooky season. Jessie Sima’s Hardly Haunted is more cute than scary, but it still made me Halloween happy. :)

Our tale is told by a lonely, abandoned house, who squeaks, rattles, and howls. Is she haunted ? No one is going to want to live in a haunted house. Sooo…she tries and tries not to creak and moan and scare. But how can she be happy pretending to be something she’s not?

I love the color palette of these pages. The purples are gorgeous! The different shades of blues and purples bring just the right amount of haunted to the house and night.

A sweet tale about being yourself and finding people in life who love you just the way you are.

Recommended read.

[Stay Fetters · Rating 5 out of 5]

"She liked being noisy. Maybe she liked being haunted."

This book was the perfect fit for me. I loved every single squeaky and creaky page.

If this book teaches you anything, it's to not change for anyone. Always be yourself and be proud of who you are.

I now need this book for my collection!

[Suhasa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spooky fun!

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this so much. And the little black cat is so adorable. Wonderful illustrations and it doesn't make the story scary at all. I think kids will love this book.

[Baby Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, friends! Our book today is part of our Spooky Season series – an extra spooky book every Friday in October! Today’s title: Hardly Haunted by Jessie Sima, a unique tale about being and loving yourself just as you are.

High on a hill sat a spooky old house – and that house was feeling worried. No one wants to live in her, and she finds herself lonely because of it; in fact, she thinks she might be haunted. She does everything she can to suppress her spooky qualities – her creaks and squeaks and rattles – even holding her breath to keep the creepy sounds at bay. Yet when a rushing wind causes her to scratch and howl and groan, the house realizes something: being haunted is kind of awesome. She decides to be herself, but she’s still lonely… that is, until a very special family comes to stay.

Delightful. This rather original take on the classic “be yourself” theme is a great mixture of humor, heart, and spookiness. Sima’s illustrations and story give off a sense of creepy-cute that never veers into scary; in fact, there’s a distinct Miyazaki-ish vibe to the anthropomorphic house and it’s surroundings, especially in details like the gothic style of the house, the windswept hill, and an expressive black cat that leads the reader through the house’s interior. The frequent use of onomatopoeia makes it a joy to read aloud, and the overall message is lovely. The length is perfect storytime at any age, and JJ loved the artwork, sound effects, and especially the little cat. A fantastically fun Halloween read with a great lesson, and we loved it. Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

All House wants is for people to move in and live there, but no one ever does. House sits on a hill and looks a little creepy now. Could she be haunted, she wonders? Certainly that isn't what she wants. But, she has all the makings for a haunted house. She is a little dusty, has plenty of cobwebs, her doors creak, her pipes rattle, and even the little black cat who ventures inside gets scared. But maybe, just maybe, if House is very calm and quiet, someone will want her. Outside, the wind is having none of that and finally the house realizes she likes being noisy and maybe even likes the idea of being haunted. Now, if only the right family would move in, she could become a real haunted house. But wait, who is that coming up the walk? Halloween, ghosts, goblins and haunted houses can be pretty scary to young kids, but this is a perfect book for dispelling some of those fears. By anthropomorphizing the house, kids not only learn the importance of being themselves, but they may even begin to feel empathy for the empty house. After all, even kids experience loneliness and feelings of being unwanted sometimes. This is a perfect Halloween story that can just as easily be read and enjoyed all year round.

[Ms. Arca · Rating 4 out of 5]

We love a be yourself story! We love a move your body (or house frame?) story. We love a book that lets us talk about perspective and make fun sounds to bring it to life!

This will be my new Halloween read aloud because it’s light and sweet, gets at perspective and acceptance, and has all sorts of great mentor text pieces, too. The sound effects and tempo are great (it’s a quick read) and make it a fun read aloud.

Classroom win!

I’ll read anything Jessie Sima.

[Dax · Rating 5 out of 5]

This had me laughing out loud and just truly falling in love! I wish I could live in this "hardly haunted" house!!


Me the whole time I was reading it:

[Milton Public Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

House is lonely and wants someone to come and live in her. She is old, creaky, and a little bit cobwebby. She tries to stop all of her noises so that someone will want to live with her! Even so, she discovers that it is actually quite fun to be different and a little haunted. Not to worry though, the story has a happy ending with a family who does end up making the house into a home.

The talented Jessie Sima does it again! This is a beautiful picture book with a fun and endearing story. I love this book because it is a fun story, a lovely main character, and has beautiful illustrations. This is a great Halloween book that isn't super scary, so it is good for readers of all ages. I definitely recommend!

Find it today: https://ent.sharelibraries.info/clien...

Ashley C. / Milton Public Library #CheckOutMPL

[Cheryl]

There is no doubt that Sima is creative, talented, and deserves to be popular. But somehow I tend to *almost* like her books. I like the sound effects in this one; it would be fun to read aloud. I have no problem with the idea of a house being lonely. But I don't understand the cat, and ending causes me to say wtf.

I'm just going to have to leave it unrated. And you'll have to read other reviews to know if you want to read it or not.

[Laura Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous picture book by the uber talented Jessie Sima. Hardly Haunted was perfection for me until the conclusion. Too easy and uninspired. I did expect more. Still, children will adore the illustrations and the reader can always tweak how the story ends if desired. Looking forward to Sima's next book!

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clever story about a lonely house who wants a family. The house is worried she is haunted and tries to stay silent. Readers will love reading along with all the sounds and watching the house figure out she likes being haunted. By the end of the book, a family has moved in and they are perfect residents.
Fun read aloud.

[Lori Tart · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do you do when you're an almost haunted house? Wait for just the right family to come along.
Such a cute read with great details and sounds to help tell the story!

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet story about a house that would like some occupants.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute story with lots of nice pictures and fun sounds to read out aloud. Maybe "haunted" doesn't have to be scary.

[Riana (RianaInTheStacks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

An adorable book about a house that thinks it must be haunted since no one lives with her. She tries real hard to not let her steps squuuueak or her doors creeeeak, and yet, it can't be helped. But then, she realizes it's kinda fun being haunted and she just needs to find a family that appreciates her for who she is. When a ghost family moves in, it's the perfect match!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

An old house tries hard not to be creepy, but finds it actually might be fun! But who will make this haunted house a home? Lots of great noises to make, and an adorable black cat on each page guides the reader. Perfect for a crisp autumn twilight.

[Ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I wish I was in that house… but it would be scary if I was in that house.”

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hardly Haunted was a wonderfully illustrated picture book following a house that despairs over being empty and realizes it may be haunted.

House has a problem, she thinks she may be haunted. She's a little spooky, a little creaky, but maybe if she holds as still as possible then a new family will move in. House desperately wants to be a home, but how will she ever find a family who doesn't mind her being haunted?

Jessie Sima's art style is gorgeous and the illustrations in Hardly Haunted are no exception. The attention to detail is amazing and she perfectly captured what a haunted house would look like. Throughout the story we follow a little black cat who makes their way through the house as House lists all of her problems. Eventually the perfect family comes along and I loved seeing how happy House was with her new family. I really enjoyed the ending scene and how everyone had settled in.

Overall Hardly Haunted is a delightful read about how being different is ok and I would highly recommend it.

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so dang cute. An empty house is lonely and worried that because she seems haunted no one will want to live there. But it turns out, being a haunted house is fun (as is making all the creaking howling sound effects!) and she just needs to find the right family.

I like gentle spooky books like this because sometimes it can be really hard to find a good spooky book for a spooky story time! I thought about using Frank Was a Monster Who Wanted to Dance, which I really love, but that can be a little gross. And since story time is still virtual and I can't see the kiddos, I didn't want to choose a book that would inadvertently, unintentionally scare them. This is a good option! It hints at some scarier things, but with a through line of a sweet friendly house who just wants some friends.

[Shaye Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awww. 🙁 This poor, spooky, lonely little house isn’t getting any buyers. It tries to change itself to attract a new buyer to turn the “house” into a “home.” But eventually the house realizes it just needs to be itself to attract the right people. The illustrations in this book were made in Photoshop.

For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!!

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

House on the hill is worried and thinks that she's haunted, and that's why no one lives in her. She tries to be as least haunted as she can be, so a family would move in, but house realizes that she's just an empty house on a hill, but one day something happens that makes her just not a house, but a home.

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book about a haunted house, who tries very hard to be quiet and calm, so that maybe no one will notice that she is haunted. But then she discovers that she likes being noisy! How can she stay haunted and still attract a loving family?

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

A vacant house concludes the reason she is uninhabited is that she must be haunted.

As a lover of old houses and of black cats, I really enjoyed this book. It features an anthropomorphic, semi-abandoned, lonely, old home who longs for a family to move in. She reasons that she must be sitting empty because she is haunted. The house then attempts to stop her floors from creaking, stairs from squeaking, and pipes from rattling, so that a family will want to live in her. Personally, none of those things bother me about older homes, and I don’t understand why people prefer particle board, pre-fab construction. But the house in the story is afraid such things prevent her from being lived in and loved.

In the end, the house decides to simply embrace “being haunted.” A family who appreciates her finally moves in, and the haunted house becomes a haunted home.

Like the house in the story, there are many beautiful old houses, sitting empty and falling into ruin, out in the countryside where I live. And even more confusing, there is often a poorly built newer home or trailer literally feet away on the same property. (There are also old barns left to collapse next new pole barns.) I find it absolutely puzzling that people actually prefer a shoddily built 1970s ranch house to an older home with character, history, and craftsmanship. I guess it’s the unfortunate human tendencies of thinking new always equals better and of wanting to build but not to maintain. My father still talks about how his grandparents’ brick farmhouse was immediately bulldozed by the new owner after they were forced to sell the property. Alas ...

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

An old broken-down house thinks she might be haunted. She doesn't want to be haunted, she wants to be a home for some people. She tries to muffle her creaks and squeaks and groans and is surprisingly successful until a storm strikes. The wind causes branches to scratch against the house's windows and the lights to flicker and a howl to burst out into the night. The house finally realizes that she enjoys the noise, but she still wants to be a home, just a haunted one. Sim's darling illustrations give this falling down house a surprising amount of personality. The cat who appears throughout the book adds a nice touch to the story, especially when the black cat freaks out a bit at all the noises. Sim has created a lovely tale that emphasizes themes of appreciating one's differences and finding one's own way. A fun read for Halloween or anytime really.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hardly Haunted is the tale of a lonely old house full of creaks and moans that wants someone to make it into a home. Lucky for House, a ghost family comes along and appreciates her just as she is, spooky and filled with cobwebs, and she becomes their perfect home. Kids will enjoy the eerie illustrations and helping make all the fun creaks, squeaks, rattles, and groans as you read this fun book.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hardly Haunted was a sweet picture book about an old lonely house who wants a family to live inside her. The house worries no one will want to live in her because she might be a little bit haunted. The artwork was great and the story was adorable. Definitely a fun book that's spooky, not scary.