Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Berry
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Teen finds horror in homecoming in creepy chiller.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
As SHE IS A HAUNTING opens, Jade has returned to Vietnam after years away in order to help her estranged father refurbish a rundown house that's been in the family for decades. He has promised to pay enough for her college tuition if Jade stays five weeks, but the family is holding so many secrets that that simple goal may be impossible to achieve. Strange occurances -- a ghostly bride, mysterious photographs, hordes of rats and silverfish -- start small, but soon Jade believes that the house itself wants to destroy her family.
Is It Any Good?
This smart and twisty ghost story delivers a wealth of sinister shocks. Debut novelist Trang Thanh Tran packs She Is a Haunting with plenty of ghoulish surprises and spooky revelations, as well as social commentary about Vietnam at the start of a new century. Darkly funny and surprisingly touching, She Is a Haunting should appeal to fans of The Shining.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how She Is a Haunting presents the supernatural. Do you believe in ghosts? Jade believes in them and demonstrates courage, curiosity, and empathy when confronting them.
Why does Jade feel so uncomfortable in Vietnam? Do children who speak multiple languages get confused when trying to communicate?
What is colonialism, and how has it affected Vietnam? How is colonialism portrayed in movies and television?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : Cooking , Fantasy ( Magic ) , Animals ( Bugs )
- Character Strengths : Courage , Curiosity , Empathy
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Bloomsbury YA
- Publication date : February 28, 2023
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 18
- Number of pages : 352
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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