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The Creepening of Dogwood House: A Southern Gothic Tale of Family Secrets and Hoodoo for Children
The Walter Award Honor–winning author of Root Magic returns with a terrifying story in the Southern Gothic tradition, inspired by the hoodoo practice of hair burning. At night, Roddie still dreams of sitting at his mother’s feet while she braids his Afro down. But that’s a memory from before. Before his mom died in a tragic accident. Before he was taken in by an aunt he barely knows. Before his aunt brought him to Dogwood House, the creepiest place Roddie has ever seen. It was his family’s home for over a hundred years. Now the house—abandoned and rotting, draped in Spanish moss that reminds him too much of hair—is his home too. Aunt Angie has returned to South Carolina to take care of Roddie and reconnect with their family’s hoodoo roots. Roddie, however, can’t help but feel lost. His mom had never told him anything about hoodoo, Dogwood House, or their family. And as they set about fixing the house up, Roddie discovers that there is even more his mother never said. Like why she left home when she was seventeen, never to return. Or why she insisted Aunt Angie always wear her hair in locs. Or what she knew of the strange secrets hidden deep within Dogwood House—secrets that have awoken again, and are reaching out to Roddie…
272 pages, Hardcover
First published July 30, 2024
12 people are currently reading
3129 people want to read
About the author
Eden Royce
59 books370 followersEden Royce is a writer from Charleston, South Carolina now living in Southeast England. She’s a Shirley Jackson Award winner and a Bram Stoker Award finalist for her adult fiction, which has appeared in a variety of print and online publications.
Her books for young readers have received Walter Dean Myers Award Honors, and been recognized as a Bram Stoker Award winner, an Andre Norton Nebula Award Finalist, an Ignyte Award winner, and a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award winner for outstanding children’s literature.
Find her on social media via her LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/edenroyce.
Sign up for her newsletter: https://edenroyce.eo.page/sbtyt
Her books for young readers have received Walter Dean Myers Award Honors, and been recognized as a Bram Stoker Award winner, an Andre Norton Nebula Award Finalist, an Ignyte Award winner, and a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award winner for outstanding children’s literature.
Find her on social media via her LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/edenroyce.
Sign up for her newsletter: https://edenroyce.eo.page/sbtyt
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
October 19, 2024
I enjoyed this slow burn southern gothic geared toward middle grade readers. It embraces themes of loss, grief, and family traditions, all within a creepy ancestral home called Dogwood House. There were scary moments, but at an appropriate level for tweens.
October 15, 2024
3.5 Stars
August 6, 2024
In Eden Royce’s third middle-grade novel we see the return of some of her favourite themes within the walls of a haunted house novel. Those themes are: death, loss and associated traumas; ancestors and how to maintain ties with them even through death; how to sustain cultural, familial, and individual memory but also how to cope with loss of same, some of which is inevitable, some of which was and is violently erased; and the power of love to bring together those within and across different boundaries. All in a richly developed Gullah Geechee context. Twelve year old Roddie’s mother Layla died in a vehicle accident. It takes two months for his Aunt Angie to hear and return from her world travels with her new husband Erik in order to take over guardianship of Roddie. They take him from a children’s home to the somewhat run down family home from Charleston city to further north in a South Carolina forest in an effort to restore both the house and their distant, frayed family ties.
The things I love about Royce’s writing are all here. She is deft at writing adults alongside her child protagonists such that they are convincing individuals even as Royce emphasises the importance of community. This helps in allowing the reader to know Layla through Roddie’s and Angie’s memories as both a mother, a sister, and a person with her own interests and mysteries which will never be fully known to either of them. Creating different circumstances and family configurations in each of her MG novels requires Royce to detail a mourning process and family bond recovery/reclamation particular to each, ensuring her books never feel repetitive. (If all one got from this book was another “dead mother trope” the reader was not paying attention.)
The once beautiful but now rather creepy, stinky house itself was well done. As I read descriptions of its high ceilings, the many rooms with custom wallpaper, and huge, ornate, commissioned fireplace, it occurred to me that narratives around this kind of house–family owned for multiple generations, indicating some wealth, with historical value and artistic investment–are almost always white-owned. As usual, Royce does important work in passing on histories neglected in the mainstream. I would love to read a short story about that fireplace.
My favourite aspect was how Royce wrote in hair as a major motif. I expected the usual preachy “Black is Beautiful” messaging. Instead, what I got was a story element that evoked connections to fairy tales from across the world about hair and creatures/beings who use it to fuel their power, as well as specifically African diaspora folklore. (It was a Vincentian woman who first told me about practices around disposing of hair. I think she always flushed hers and her daughters.) It was such a refreshing surprise for me to see a story about Black hair written this way, to not have to cringe at hair descriptions and to see Layla’s straightened written in a way that didn’t insult her personhood or intelligence.
Here is yet another Royce novel in which my heart ached and cheered for a family to overcome obstacles with the help of both the living and the dead. This is the richly developed centre of her novels. I will always be excited to read more from her.
The things I love about Royce’s writing are all here. She is deft at writing adults alongside her child protagonists such that they are convincing individuals even as Royce emphasises the importance of community. This helps in allowing the reader to know Layla through Roddie’s and Angie’s memories as both a mother, a sister, and a person with her own interests and mysteries which will never be fully known to either of them. Creating different circumstances and family configurations in each of her MG novels requires Royce to detail a mourning process and family bond recovery/reclamation particular to each, ensuring her books never feel repetitive. (If all one got from this book was another “dead mother trope” the reader was not paying attention.)
The once beautiful but now rather creepy, stinky house itself was well done. As I read descriptions of its high ceilings, the many rooms with custom wallpaper, and huge, ornate, commissioned fireplace, it occurred to me that narratives around this kind of house–family owned for multiple generations, indicating some wealth, with historical value and artistic investment–are almost always white-owned. As usual, Royce does important work in passing on histories neglected in the mainstream. I would love to read a short story about that fireplace.
My favourite aspect was how Royce wrote in hair as a major motif. I expected the usual preachy “Black is Beautiful” messaging. Instead, what I got was a story element that evoked connections to fairy tales from across the world about hair and creatures/beings who use it to fuel their power, as well as specifically African diaspora folklore. (It was a Vincentian woman who first told me about practices around disposing of hair. I think she always flushed hers and her daughters.) It was such a refreshing surprise for me to see a story about Black hair written this way, to not have to cringe at hair descriptions and to see Layla’s straightened written in a way that didn’t insult her personhood or intelligence.
Here is yet another Royce novel in which my heart ached and cheered for a family to overcome obstacles with the help of both the living and the dead. This is the richly developed centre of her novels. I will always be excited to read more from her.
November 10, 2025
Review originally published 10 Nov 2025 at Falling Letters.
The Creepening of Dogwood House turned out to be a refreshing spooky middle grade read. While I have enjoyed some great reads in the genre this past year or so (ex. Benji Zeb is a Ravenous Werewolf, It Came from the Trees), The Creepening feels unique on several points.
Hoodoo
Most obvious is the rooting of the story in hoodoo practices. Hoodoo, as explained by Auntie Angie to Roddie, “[is] a system of beliefs and practices we brought with us from the African continent to the Americas.” In response to Roddie’s question as to whether it’s a religion, she further explains:
Thoughtful Protagonist
Roddie makes a well-rounded protagonist. He’s thoughtfully introspective – not to a point of dullness or disregard for others around him. Yes, he carries sadness for his mother who died in an accident a few months before the story begins. But that sadness does not define his personality or actions. He navigates his grief alongside his aunt and her husband. It doesn’t stop him from exploring his new home or helping his new family.
Many middle grade stories that deal with speculative elements alongside ‘real life’ problems have the two working separately. That is, the protagonist’s experience battling fantasy demons helps him learn to conquer his ‘real life’ demons. It’s conquer one, then use the skills learnt from that to conquer the other. What I liked about The Creepening is that Roddie’s processing of grief happens in tandem with his learning about hoodoo and building a relationship with Aunt Angie and Erik. The writing inextricably links all aspects, with neither taking precedence or page time over the others.
Family Focus
The story focuses on just those three characters which I’ve already named: Roddie, Aunt Angie, and Erik (Aunt Angie’s new husband, who had never met Roddie or his mother). There are three other characters, including a villain, that help move the plot. Many middle grade novels explore relationships with both friends and family. I’ve seen some that focus more heavily on friends than family, but few that focus so clearly on family as The Creepening. Roddie doesn’t have a sidekick buddy to trade banter or theories with, and it never feels like he needed one. For myself, a jaded adult reader, this was one of the refreshing aspects of the story. I appreciated the tight focus on Roddie’s relationship with his new caregivers (both of whom are lovely people!).
Spooky Level
In terms of spookiness: it’s got some spooky moments! But nothing too spine-tingling. For kids who enjoy scares, I will say this is on the lighter end. The spooky vibes come from Roddie’s interactions with the big, dilapidated, isolated house. Some kids may find the mention (two or three times) that Roddie’s mom died in a fiery car accident so he couldn’t see her after her death more challenging than the fictitious spooky elements. There are tense moments but no jump scares or anything particularly harrowing or violent. Though the villain’s ‘repurposing’ of human hair is pretty creepy in itself if I think about it…
The Bottom Line 💭: A strong entry into the canon of middle grade haunted house stories, hand The Creepening of Dogwood House to readers clamouring for spooky stories, but also consider it for those who enjoy stories about finding new family or connecting with cultural roots.
The Creepening of Dogwood House turned out to be a refreshing spooky middle grade read. While I have enjoyed some great reads in the genre this past year or so (ex. Benji Zeb is a Ravenous Werewolf, It Came from the Trees), The Creepening feels unique on several points.
Hoodoo
Most obvious is the rooting of the story in hoodoo practices. Hoodoo, as explained by Auntie Angie to Roddie, “[is] a system of beliefs and practices we brought with us from the African continent to the Americas.” In response to Roddie’s question as to whether it’s a religion, she further explains:
“Some people choose hoodoo as their religion. Others embrace certain practices alongside another chosen religion as a way to feel connected to their ancestral roots. Still others do a few things based in hoodooo in their daily lives, out of comfort, or nostalgia. […] Hoodoo has changd and shifted over the centuries, but it’s a part of our history and I’m nostalgic about it.” (Pg 98-100)Aunt Angie is surprised to find that Roddie hadn’t learnt anything about hoodoo from his mother, who Aunti Angie says was more interested in hoodoo than she (Angie) was, when they were growing up. The story maintains a tidy, narrow focus on this topic: Roddie and his aunt finding restoration and healing as they reconnect with their family’s culture and work through the tragedy of losing their mother/sister.
Thoughtful Protagonist
Roddie tried to breathe through his mouth while the air cleared, but it didn’t really help. Still, he didn’t want Aunt Angie to feel badly. “You said no one’s taken care of this place for awhile. Maybe the house needs time to adjust, like people do.” When his aunt’s mouth dropped open into a little O, he shrugged. “I’ve been to therapy.” (pg. 41)
Roddie makes a well-rounded protagonist. He’s thoughtfully introspective – not to a point of dullness or disregard for others around him. Yes, he carries sadness for his mother who died in an accident a few months before the story begins. But that sadness does not define his personality or actions. He navigates his grief alongside his aunt and her husband. It doesn’t stop him from exploring his new home or helping his new family.
Many middle grade stories that deal with speculative elements alongside ‘real life’ problems have the two working separately. That is, the protagonist’s experience battling fantasy demons helps him learn to conquer his ‘real life’ demons. It’s conquer one, then use the skills learnt from that to conquer the other. What I liked about The Creepening is that Roddie’s processing of grief happens in tandem with his learning about hoodoo and building a relationship with Aunt Angie and Erik. The writing inextricably links all aspects, with neither taking precedence or page time over the others.
Family Focus
The story focuses on just those three characters which I’ve already named: Roddie, Aunt Angie, and Erik (Aunt Angie’s new husband, who had never met Roddie or his mother). There are three other characters, including a villain, that help move the plot. Many middle grade novels explore relationships with both friends and family. I’ve seen some that focus more heavily on friends than family, but few that focus so clearly on family as The Creepening. Roddie doesn’t have a sidekick buddy to trade banter or theories with, and it never feels like he needed one. For myself, a jaded adult reader, this was one of the refreshing aspects of the story. I appreciated the tight focus on Roddie’s relationship with his new caregivers (both of whom are lovely people!).
Spooky Level
In terms of spookiness: it’s got some spooky moments! But nothing too spine-tingling. For kids who enjoy scares, I will say this is on the lighter end. The spooky vibes come from Roddie’s interactions with the big, dilapidated, isolated house. Some kids may find the mention (two or three times) that Roddie’s mom died in a fiery car accident so he couldn’t see her after her death more challenging than the fictitious spooky elements. There are tense moments but no jump scares or anything particularly harrowing or violent. Though the villain’s ‘repurposing’ of human hair is pretty creepy in itself if I think about it…
The Bottom Line 💭: A strong entry into the canon of middle grade haunted house stories, hand The Creepening of Dogwood House to readers clamouring for spooky stories, but also consider it for those who enjoy stories about finding new family or connecting with cultural roots.
February 8, 2025
Good amount of creepy. Perfect for middle grade.
August 7, 2024
When Roddie's mother dies in an accident his life is uprooted and he has to move in with his estranged aunt and her new husband to Dogwood House, a home that was in his family for generations. As his aunt and her husband fix it up Roddie notices strange things happening. Once his mom starts talking about reconnecting with her roots he starts to discover many things kept hidden from him.
One thing Eden Royce does well is adding pieces of her culture into the narrative. Her Gullah Geechee history and the hoodoo traditions shine here just like in Root Magic. And I read one of her short stories where I loved her unique take on magic as well. Where this book fell short for me was the pacing and the reliance more on sympathy towards Roddie's situation to drive the story. Dead mother trope is such a go to in middle grade and I feel like sometimes authors rely on it to do the heavy lifting for them. Readers of course will instantly feel for Roddie for losing his mother and then having to move to a new town with an aunt he barely knows. But putting him in such a new environment I wish we would've gotten more building upon getting to know his aunt and navigating the new school and town.
I received an arc from Eden Royce and Walden Pond Press in exchange for an honest review.
One thing Eden Royce does well is adding pieces of her culture into the narrative. Her Gullah Geechee history and the hoodoo traditions shine here just like in Root Magic. And I read one of her short stories where I loved her unique take on magic as well. Where this book fell short for me was the pacing and the reliance more on sympathy towards Roddie's situation to drive the story. Dead mother trope is such a go to in middle grade and I feel like sometimes authors rely on it to do the heavy lifting for them. Readers of course will instantly feel for Roddie for losing his mother and then having to move to a new town with an aunt he barely knows. But putting him in such a new environment I wish we would've gotten more building upon getting to know his aunt and navigating the new school and town.
I received an arc from Eden Royce and Walden Pond Press in exchange for an honest review.
July 7, 2024
Very cool. This is my favorite book from the author. It is such a well-balanced story of parent loss, courage, and suspense horror.
"Gotta keep pushing through the dark, baby. Keep going no matter what."
These are the last words his mom tells him before the accident. Then Roddie moves into his mom's childhood creepy mansion with his aunt and her new husband to restore the house that is beyond ruined and creepy. With hoodoo roots, this family will suffer at the hands of an evil entity, but the memories of the house will do what is possible to help Roddie through. Set in South Carolina. A good-mannered child who is very kind and conscious of other people's suffering, loss of parents, and grief. Lots of art, architecture, and house restoration facts as well. We always learn about many things from this author's books. Awesome ending.
Some of my favorite quotes:
"Be proud of your efforts, even if no one else is."
"It was considered the right thing to do at the time. But times change."
"Even if you have to give bad news, there's no reason to be mean about it."
Thank you, publisher, for the copy.
"Gotta keep pushing through the dark, baby. Keep going no matter what."
These are the last words his mom tells him before the accident. Then Roddie moves into his mom's childhood creepy mansion with his aunt and her new husband to restore the house that is beyond ruined and creepy. With hoodoo roots, this family will suffer at the hands of an evil entity, but the memories of the house will do what is possible to help Roddie through. Set in South Carolina. A good-mannered child who is very kind and conscious of other people's suffering, loss of parents, and grief. Lots of art, architecture, and house restoration facts as well. We always learn about many things from this author's books. Awesome ending.
Some of my favorite quotes:
"Be proud of your efforts, even if no one else is."
"It was considered the right thing to do at the time. But times change."
"Even if you have to give bad news, there's no reason to be mean about it."
Thank you, publisher, for the copy.
Read
September 7, 2024A MG scary book that will be for those dipping their toes into scary books in upper elementary, lower middle school.
🏚️
Roddie is struggling since the death of his mother. He’s having dreams about her that feel so real. When his aunt and her new husband return from their honeymoon, they learn Roddie’s mom has passed away and come to get custody of Roddie. Together they move into Aunt Angie’s childhood Southern Gothic home in South Carolina. Roddie begins to learn more about his mom’s upbringing, hoodoo and the history of the house, but all is not as it seems in Dogwood House.
🏚️
This one was not for me. I found the pacing slow, with barely anything spooky happening the first 75% of the novel It also seemed a bit repetitive. I will still be purchasing this for my school library, but it just didn’t work for me personally. Many kids will love this if they’re easing into the genre.
CW: death of a parent, car accident, grief, abandonment, fire
2 ⭐️
🏚️
Roddie is struggling since the death of his mother. He’s having dreams about her that feel so real. When his aunt and her new husband return from their honeymoon, they learn Roddie’s mom has passed away and come to get custody of Roddie. Together they move into Aunt Angie’s childhood Southern Gothic home in South Carolina. Roddie begins to learn more about his mom’s upbringing, hoodoo and the history of the house, but all is not as it seems in Dogwood House.
🏚️
This one was not for me. I found the pacing slow, with barely anything spooky happening the first 75% of the novel It also seemed a bit repetitive. I will still be purchasing this for my school library, but it just didn’t work for me personally. Many kids will love this if they’re easing into the genre.
CW: death of a parent, car accident, grief, abandonment, fire
2 ⭐️
October 27, 2024
Middle-grade
Horror
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
From the author of Root Magic, this middle-grade horror is a southern gothic tale inspired by the hoodoo practice of hair-burning, and has some truly creepy moments.
When Roddie’s mother dies in a tragic accident, he is taken in by his aunt, Angie, who moves him into her ancient childhood home, Dogwood House, where he learns things about his mother he never knew and many more secrets that the house has to hold, including the terrifying Bridge Weaver (a creature that steals its victims hair to better manipulate them).
Haunted house vs hoodoo!
This has some very spooky moments but is also about a boy grieving the loss of his mother and the power of memory and tradition.
Set in South Carolina + mentions Gullah Geechee (which reminded me of watching Gullah Gullah Island as a kid!)
Horror
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
From the author of Root Magic, this middle-grade horror is a southern gothic tale inspired by the hoodoo practice of hair-burning, and has some truly creepy moments.
When Roddie’s mother dies in a tragic accident, he is taken in by his aunt, Angie, who moves him into her ancient childhood home, Dogwood House, where he learns things about his mother he never knew and many more secrets that the house has to hold, including the terrifying Bridge Weaver (a creature that steals its victims hair to better manipulate them).
Haunted house vs hoodoo!
This has some very spooky moments but is also about a boy grieving the loss of his mother and the power of memory and tradition.
Set in South Carolina + mentions Gullah Geechee (which reminded me of watching Gullah Gullah Island as a kid!)
October 20, 2024
I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes; this in no way influences my review.
I’ve been finding myself really enjoying books that feature hoodoo practices, and this sounded interesting and the perfect amount of creepy. Roddie losing his mother and then having to wait at the orphanage until they could reach his aunt was absolutely gutting, but I loved how so much of this book was familial love and remembering people to keep them alive in your heart. The whole story of the Bridgeweaver and the way there was so many different kinds of hair in the walls of the house was SO CREEPY! I loved how things resolved, and the final scene with Roddie letting his aunt braid his hair hit my heart in the best way. Such an emotional story with great lore and a fantastic main character.
I’ve been finding myself really enjoying books that feature hoodoo practices, and this sounded interesting and the perfect amount of creepy. Roddie losing his mother and then having to wait at the orphanage until they could reach his aunt was absolutely gutting, but I loved how so much of this book was familial love and remembering people to keep them alive in your heart. The whole story of the Bridgeweaver and the way there was so many different kinds of hair in the walls of the house was SO CREEPY! I loved how things resolved, and the final scene with Roddie letting his aunt braid his hair hit my heart in the best way. Such an emotional story with great lore and a fantastic main character.
Read
October 17, 2024This was a fun, seasonal/spooky read for middle grade kiddos. I think the book did a good job navigating parental loss and grief. I liked Roddie as a character and how inquisitive he is. I can see myself recommending this to kids within the target demographic.
I feel like the ending was a bit rushed, but all in all, this was a pleasant read!
I feel like the ending was a bit rushed, but all in all, this was a pleasant read!
November 5, 2024
I really love how Royce keeps giving characters and stories that you just can't help but root for. Here culture and family and grief are at the forefront.
November 7, 2024
Running into what feels like a spiderweb but is actually wet sticky HAIR is my new nightmare
November 7, 2025
Loveable characters and an impactful story about memory, tradition, and family, but paced a little haphazardly. And could have been scarier, in my opinion.
March 10, 2025
The Creepening of Dogwood House was very effective at pulling us directly into Roddie's grief. We are immersed into his struggles and welcome the kind-hearted embrace of his aunt and her new husband, who seem like genuinely good people.
Eden Royce does a wonderful job of connecting Roddie to these new guardians and helping us trust them, too. I really enjoyed the moments where they helped him understand the path of grief and how they shared memories together.
Mixed into the memories of his mom, the reader gets hints that there was something dark and bad that made her leave their ancestral home, the old house that Roddie's aunt is trying to repair. Those hints deepen into some wild, time-bending experiences as Roddie tries to uncover the past. I thought the storyline with the villain was fascinating and genuinely creepy.
But we lose some of that tension at times as the story takes us more into Roddie trying to start this new life. Maintaining that tension and mystery, even as he connects with his aunt and new uncle, would have brought those two storylines together a bit more.
Overall, though, I enjoyed this book and would read more from Eden Royce. The family dynamics were heart-warming, the time bending was neat, and the villain was horribly fascinating!
Eden Royce does a wonderful job of connecting Roddie to these new guardians and helping us trust them, too. I really enjoyed the moments where they helped him understand the path of grief and how they shared memories together.
Mixed into the memories of his mom, the reader gets hints that there was something dark and bad that made her leave their ancestral home, the old house that Roddie's aunt is trying to repair. Those hints deepen into some wild, time-bending experiences as Roddie tries to uncover the past. I thought the storyline with the villain was fascinating and genuinely creepy.
But we lose some of that tension at times as the story takes us more into Roddie trying to start this new life. Maintaining that tension and mystery, even as he connects with his aunt and new uncle, would have brought those two storylines together a bit more.
Overall, though, I enjoyed this book and would read more from Eden Royce. The family dynamics were heart-warming, the time bending was neat, and the villain was horribly fascinating!
August 22, 2024
I fell in love with the idea of this story, but the execution fell completely flat for me. I thought the pacing was really off -- it took too long to get scary, and the ending felt rushed. Part of that might be the audiobook narrator, who I don't think was the right choice. I had to keep checking that this was really meant to be a horror story, because it was just lacking.
There are better Southern horrors, including others by this author, and I would point readers to those first.
There are better Southern horrors, including others by this author, and I would point readers to those first.
April 20, 2025
Another deep dive into grief, mourning, and hoodoo practices written for the middle grades audiences. This tale of the Bridge Weaver, a hoodoo hair monster, and the power of family lines and ancestors is another great representational piece of hoodoo practitioners and their families. Roddie and his family are a beautiful example of distant blood family becoming found, close family. ❤️🔥🔥
Eden Royce is a master of storytelling that rings true to her cultural heritage. ❤️🔥🥰
Eden Royce is a master of storytelling that rings true to her cultural heritage. ❤️🔥🥰
March 17, 2024
E ARC provided by Netgalley
Roderick and his mother, Layla, a bank accounts manager, had a comfortable life and were very close until her untimely death in a car accident. Unable to locate any relatives, the authorities put him in an orphanage, where he is at least taken good care of by Ms. Penny, who understands the depths of his grief and lets him help her in the kitchen. When his Aunt Angela is finally found, she rushes home from her extended honeymoon with her new husband, Erik. Both are involved with refurbishing old properties, so it's not a big surprise when they tell Roddie that they will be moving into Layla and Angela's childhood home in South Carolina, not far from where Roddie had been living. The house has been rented since the death of the grandparents, and is in rough condition. It's liveable, but there's a lot of work to be done. Roddie is clearly struggling, but his aunt and new uncle strike a good balance with being glad to be with him, and being sad about the reasons for this. Dogwood House, so called because of the dogwood trees that used to be growing nearby, was built by Roddie's great-great-great grandfather, and there are some surprises that show up in the renovation, like the grandmother's porcelain jewelry box. There's a persistent, fetid smell, but this is dismissed as part and parcel of the damp climate and the poor condition of the house. Roddie throws himself in to renovating, even stripping the wallpaper from his room. There are creepy things in the house which are not made less creepy by Angela's attempts to embrace the family's hoodoo past. She gives Roddie a bowl to use to burn any hair that comes out in his comb, saying that there was a belief that spirits could control you if they have some of your hair. Roddie's hair has been neglected since his mother's death, since she would braid it for him. Layla always had a very short hair cut, and Angela has locs, so Roddie tries to condition and style his hair by himself, although Angela does offer to help. When Roddie starts getting headaches, he starts to worry that the family lore about the Bridgeweaver, an evil spirit who is taking people's hair and using it for malevolent purposes, might be real. Will he be able to harness his mother's spirit of "keep pushing through the darkness" to save his new home and family from destruction?
Strengths: If I were a tween who had read a lot of books, I would be utterly terrified of moving. New homes are ALWAYS haunted, from Wright's 1984 Ghosts Beneath Our Feet to Sutherland's The Nightmare Night Door and several K.R. Alexander titles. This had a bit of a spin to it, with the hoodoo surrounding the hair, and the family backstory about previous hauntings that caused the house to be abandoned to renters. Angela and Erik are fantastic relatives who step up to take care of Roddie and are so sensitive to his needs. The build up to the Bridgeweaver is well done; it took me a while to figure out why there were so many details about hair, but it all paid off. Roddie's grief is realistically portrayed, and I did appreciate that he had been in counseling. This is on trend with the idea that you can't get rid of bad memories without getting rid of good ones as well.
Weaknesses: I wish that the mother hadn't been killed, but it does at least forward the plot. It seems more likely that Roddie would have gone into foster care, but maybe there are still orphanages in the South. The hair in the wallpaper grossed me out, but that's more of a more of a "me" thing that should play well with students.
What I really think: This is a great choice for readers who enjoyed Royce's Conjure Island or Root Magic, or other books involving Southern US creepy folklore like Smith's Hoodoo or Bourne's Nightmare Island. This was creepy enough that I will buy a copy.
Roderick and his mother, Layla, a bank accounts manager, had a comfortable life and were very close until her untimely death in a car accident. Unable to locate any relatives, the authorities put him in an orphanage, where he is at least taken good care of by Ms. Penny, who understands the depths of his grief and lets him help her in the kitchen. When his Aunt Angela is finally found, she rushes home from her extended honeymoon with her new husband, Erik. Both are involved with refurbishing old properties, so it's not a big surprise when they tell Roddie that they will be moving into Layla and Angela's childhood home in South Carolina, not far from where Roddie had been living. The house has been rented since the death of the grandparents, and is in rough condition. It's liveable, but there's a lot of work to be done. Roddie is clearly struggling, but his aunt and new uncle strike a good balance with being glad to be with him, and being sad about the reasons for this. Dogwood House, so called because of the dogwood trees that used to be growing nearby, was built by Roddie's great-great-great grandfather, and there are some surprises that show up in the renovation, like the grandmother's porcelain jewelry box. There's a persistent, fetid smell, but this is dismissed as part and parcel of the damp climate and the poor condition of the house. Roddie throws himself in to renovating, even stripping the wallpaper from his room. There are creepy things in the house which are not made less creepy by Angela's attempts to embrace the family's hoodoo past. She gives Roddie a bowl to use to burn any hair that comes out in his comb, saying that there was a belief that spirits could control you if they have some of your hair. Roddie's hair has been neglected since his mother's death, since she would braid it for him. Layla always had a very short hair cut, and Angela has locs, so Roddie tries to condition and style his hair by himself, although Angela does offer to help. When Roddie starts getting headaches, he starts to worry that the family lore about the Bridgeweaver, an evil spirit who is taking people's hair and using it for malevolent purposes, might be real. Will he be able to harness his mother's spirit of "keep pushing through the darkness" to save his new home and family from destruction?
Strengths: If I were a tween who had read a lot of books, I would be utterly terrified of moving. New homes are ALWAYS haunted, from Wright's 1984 Ghosts Beneath Our Feet to Sutherland's The Nightmare Night Door and several K.R. Alexander titles. This had a bit of a spin to it, with the hoodoo surrounding the hair, and the family backstory about previous hauntings that caused the house to be abandoned to renters. Angela and Erik are fantastic relatives who step up to take care of Roddie and are so sensitive to his needs. The build up to the Bridgeweaver is well done; it took me a while to figure out why there were so many details about hair, but it all paid off. Roddie's grief is realistically portrayed, and I did appreciate that he had been in counseling. This is on trend with the idea that you can't get rid of bad memories without getting rid of good ones as well.
Weaknesses: I wish that the mother hadn't been killed, but it does at least forward the plot. It seems more likely that Roddie would have gone into foster care, but maybe there are still orphanages in the South. The hair in the wallpaper grossed me out, but that's more of a more of a "me" thing that should play well with students.
What I really think: This is a great choice for readers who enjoyed Royce's Conjure Island or Root Magic, or other books involving Southern US creepy folklore like Smith's Hoodoo or Bourne's Nightmare Island. This was creepy enough that I will buy a copy.
August 13, 2024
A very good middle grade horror book, audiobook reader did a great job. Introducing your new nightmare fuel - the Bridge Weaver, a horrible black beaked creature who lives in a world that is not far enough away from ours and comes out to steal the hair off sleeping children's heads in an effort to gather enough hair to build a bridge from his realm to ours and then using the hair he has gathered control people and have them kill their families. So pretty dark stuff. And yet, this book was a hopeful and sweet story of a young boy who while grieving for his mother learns about his family and connects with family traditions and with the Aunt he only met a few times before and the husband she's just married who he'd never met before.
In this book it's interesting because the story takes place during summer, and Roddie has yet to start school and meet any other young people, so the whole book he is only interacting with the two adults, a ghost, the villain and the memories of his mom and aunt as kids. It was refreshing to read a book where the adults are not only present, but despite not always realizing the dangers in the house, do their best to help Roddie and keep him safe.
There are some truly scary moments in the book, I would say it's on par with Mary Downing Hahn for spookiness level.
The story includes references to the history and culture of Gullah Geechee people and hoodoo practices, such as burning hair to keep it away from spirits. The house itself is a well-described haunted house, rooms with unexplainable bad smells lingering, wallpaper that hides a coil of retreating hair (shiver) and rooms that appear and disappear and the ways that it both tries to help Roddie by showing him the memories of his ancestors who lived in the house before, but also in that it is the gateway for the Bridge Weaver who in part controls it and the ghosts inside.
Also, even though this is a book where the mother dies before most of the action of the book, she is also still present in the memories Roddie discovers in the house, the map she's created that guides him and the memories of her that Roddie sees.
In this book it's interesting because the story takes place during summer, and Roddie has yet to start school and meet any other young people, so the whole book he is only interacting with the two adults, a ghost, the villain and the memories of his mom and aunt as kids. It was refreshing to read a book where the adults are not only present, but despite not always realizing the dangers in the house, do their best to help Roddie and keep him safe.
There are some truly scary moments in the book, I would say it's on par with Mary Downing Hahn for spookiness level.
The story includes references to the history and culture of Gullah Geechee people and hoodoo practices, such as burning hair to keep it away from spirits. The house itself is a well-described haunted house, rooms with unexplainable bad smells lingering, wallpaper that hides a coil of retreating hair (shiver) and rooms that appear and disappear and the ways that it both tries to help Roddie by showing him the memories of his ancestors who lived in the house before, but also in that it is the gateway for the Bridge Weaver who in part controls it and the ghosts inside.
Also, even though this is a book where the mother dies before most of the action of the book, she is also still present in the memories Roddie discovers in the house, the map she's created that guides him and the memories of her that Roddie sees.
July 9, 2024
The Creepening of Dogwood House by Eden Royce is a haunting tale that immerses readers in the eerie atmosphere of an old family home steeped in hoodoo traditions. The protagonist, Roddie, grapples with his new reality after the tragic loss of his mother, navigating the unfamiliar territory of Dogwood House and the peculiar customs of his aunt. Royce's vivid descriptions of the house, draped in Spanish moss and laden with secrets, create a chilling backdrop that sets the tone for the story. The narrative effectively captures Roddie's sense of loss and displacement, making his journey relatable and poignant.
However, the book falls short in certain areas. While the setting and initial premise are compelling, the pacing can be uneven at times. The story often lingers on descriptions and atmospheric details, which, while rich, occasionally detract from the plot's momentum. Additionally, the secondary characters, including Aunt Angie, could benefit from more development. Their motivations and histories are touched upon but not explored in depth, leaving some of their actions and decisions feeling somewhat ungrounded. This lack of character depth makes it harder to fully engage with their personal stakes in the narrative.
Overall, The Creepening of Dogwood House is a solid read for those who enjoy atmospheric horror with a strong cultural backdrop. Eden Royce excels at crafting a spooky, immersive setting that draws readers in. However, the story's pacing issues and underdeveloped characters prevent it from reaching its full potential. Despite these shortcomings, the book offers a unique glimpse into hoodoo practices and the haunting legacy of family secrets, making it a worthwhile read for fans of the genre.
However, the book falls short in certain areas. While the setting and initial premise are compelling, the pacing can be uneven at times. The story often lingers on descriptions and atmospheric details, which, while rich, occasionally detract from the plot's momentum. Additionally, the secondary characters, including Aunt Angie, could benefit from more development. Their motivations and histories are touched upon but not explored in depth, leaving some of their actions and decisions feeling somewhat ungrounded. This lack of character depth makes it harder to fully engage with their personal stakes in the narrative.
Overall, The Creepening of Dogwood House is a solid read for those who enjoy atmospheric horror with a strong cultural backdrop. Eden Royce excels at crafting a spooky, immersive setting that draws readers in. However, the story's pacing issues and underdeveloped characters prevent it from reaching its full potential. Despite these shortcomings, the book offers a unique glimpse into hoodoo practices and the haunting legacy of family secrets, making it a worthwhile read for fans of the genre.
May 10, 2024
(Review copy from Netgalley for review consideration)
I am a huge, huge fan of anything Eden Royce does, and although I don’t typically read middle grade books, reading “Root Magic” and “The Creepening of Dogwood House” felt like such immersive experiences, so I was very excited to get to explore the landscapes here. Royce, a South Carolina native of Gullah Geechee heritage, here goes into the story of Roddie. He is dreaming of a time that his mother taught him how to cook pan-fried fish.
It takes a very subtle balance to be able to take painful histories and to write them for young readers in a way that educates yet does not traumatize them, and Royce pulls that off here as she did with “Root Magic.”
I felt Roddie’s loss so acutely, and having to cope with so much at such a young age. He is going to go live with his aunt now.
Dogwood House is the home where Roddie’s mother and aunt grew up, and that’s where they’re headed now. I loved the Gothic suspense.
Witnessing Aunt Angie teach Roddie about hoodoo and its importance in their family was so interesting and one of my favourite parts of the novel, especially with the cultural context that Angie provides.
As the chapters went on, the novel gets more and more interesting as Roddie had to solve a family mystery, and things definitely got very intense (and scary!) and ultimately, hopefully, to a better path for Roddie and his family.
I am a huge, huge fan of anything Eden Royce does, and although I don’t typically read middle grade books, reading “Root Magic” and “The Creepening of Dogwood House” felt like such immersive experiences, so I was very excited to get to explore the landscapes here. Royce, a South Carolina native of Gullah Geechee heritage, here goes into the story of Roddie. He is dreaming of a time that his mother taught him how to cook pan-fried fish.
It takes a very subtle balance to be able to take painful histories and to write them for young readers in a way that educates yet does not traumatize them, and Royce pulls that off here as she did with “Root Magic.”
I felt Roddie’s loss so acutely, and having to cope with so much at such a young age. He is going to go live with his aunt now.
Dogwood House is the home where Roddie’s mother and aunt grew up, and that’s where they’re headed now. I loved the Gothic suspense.
Witnessing Aunt Angie teach Roddie about hoodoo and its importance in their family was so interesting and one of my favourite parts of the novel, especially with the cultural context that Angie provides.
As the chapters went on, the novel gets more and more interesting as Roddie had to solve a family mystery, and things definitely got very intense (and scary!) and ultimately, hopefully, to a better path for Roddie and his family.
March 6, 2024
Horror has always had a special place in my heart and since becoming a school librarian I have been exceedingly happy to read all the amazing middle grade horror books that I wish I had as a child and am lucky to put on the library shelves for my students. The Creepening of Dogwood House is another excellent addition to the collection.
This story does what all good horror does... it reminds us that even in the middle of grief and fear, there is a way through. In this case Roddie is still hurting from the death of his mother and is trying to find his place with an aunt he hasn't really ever known and in the house his mother grew up in. A house that has generations of history hidden in the ever changing walls. It's up to Roddie to remember his mother's words "keep pushing through the darkness" and figure out what is making the house, and his family, sick.
This is a story that will have you actively cringing from how creepy some of the scenes are and tearing up along with Roddie and his Aunt as they find their way through. I can't wait to add this one to the library shelves!
This story does what all good horror does... it reminds us that even in the middle of grief and fear, there is a way through. In this case Roddie is still hurting from the death of his mother and is trying to find his place with an aunt he hasn't really ever known and in the house his mother grew up in. A house that has generations of history hidden in the ever changing walls. It's up to Roddie to remember his mother's words "keep pushing through the darkness" and figure out what is making the house, and his family, sick.
This is a story that will have you actively cringing from how creepy some of the scenes are and tearing up along with Roddie and his Aunt as they find their way through. I can't wait to add this one to the library shelves!
January 9, 2025
The Creepening of Dogwood House by Eden Royce is a well-crafted novel for boys in grades four through seven. While the target audience is boys, I’m positive girls would be drawn into the narrative.
Roddie lives an idyllic life with his mom until she is killed in an automobile accident. After Roddie spends two months in an orphanage, his aunt finally arrives to take him to Dogwood House, the ancestral home that has fallen into disrepair while Aunt Angie traveled for her job. Aunt Angie and her husband Erik are determined to restore the home to its glory days to make a home for Roddie. Roddie has multiple middle of the night encounters as the house shape shifts before the climactic encounter with the monster Bridgeweaver who wants to use Roddie’s hair to build a bridge from his world to Roddie’s world.
As I was reading the book, I was struck by the fact that it is a really scary book for middle grade children, but then I thought about the terrifying world these children encounter daily. Eden has crafted a book with wonderful examples of foreshadowing and figurative language along with Dogwood House to control the narrative, an impressive use of setting. Eden introduces voodoo, hoodoo, and hair as important cultural elements to be embraced. As I was reading, I anticipated a connection to enslaved people and this impressive ancestral home, but it was not a part of the narrative.
C.S.
Ret. Teacher
Roddie lives an idyllic life with his mom until she is killed in an automobile accident. After Roddie spends two months in an orphanage, his aunt finally arrives to take him to Dogwood House, the ancestral home that has fallen into disrepair while Aunt Angie traveled for her job. Aunt Angie and her husband Erik are determined to restore the home to its glory days to make a home for Roddie. Roddie has multiple middle of the night encounters as the house shape shifts before the climactic encounter with the monster Bridgeweaver who wants to use Roddie’s hair to build a bridge from his world to Roddie’s world.
As I was reading the book, I was struck by the fact that it is a really scary book for middle grade children, but then I thought about the terrifying world these children encounter daily. Eden has crafted a book with wonderful examples of foreshadowing and figurative language along with Dogwood House to control the narrative, an impressive use of setting. Eden introduces voodoo, hoodoo, and hair as important cultural elements to be embraced. As I was reading, I anticipated a connection to enslaved people and this impressive ancestral home, but it was not a part of the narrative.
C.S.
Ret. Teacher
November 4, 2024
I like this book very much. I think it would have been more enjoyable for kids aged 10 to about 13.
It follows a boy named Roddie. He recently lost his mother in a car crash. Which leaves g I'm completely alone. Until his long list aunt shows up to claim him. Roddie has never heard from or about this aunt. But she has a whole set up for him to be raised by her.
She wants to return to the house she and his mom grew up in. But the house is in disrepair and needs a lot of work.
At first, I thought that the aunt was secretly evil, but we soon learned that the house itself was haunted by some evil entity. That uses its inhabitants to build its power.
Somehow, this entity, may be responsible for the death of Roddie's mom.
Idk, the mechanics behind the whole thing was a little vague. But yeah, Roddie has to defeat the evil to protect the remaining family he has left.
It follows a boy named Roddie. He recently lost his mother in a car crash. Which leaves g I'm completely alone. Until his long list aunt shows up to claim him. Roddie has never heard from or about this aunt. But she has a whole set up for him to be raised by her.
She wants to return to the house she and his mom grew up in. But the house is in disrepair and needs a lot of work.
At first, I thought that the aunt was secretly evil, but we soon learned that the house itself was haunted by some evil entity. That uses its inhabitants to build its power.
Somehow, this entity, may be responsible for the death of Roddie's mom.
Idk, the mechanics behind the whole thing was a little vague. But yeah, Roddie has to defeat the evil to protect the remaining family he has left.
November 28, 2024
A really poignant and fun read with age-appropriate but complex discussions of grief, loss, memory, and cultural tradition. Fascinating exploration of Gullah and Hoodoo culture. A real breath of fresh air in a very Christian world. Roddy was smart, kind, empathetic, and a wonderful protagonist for children to see themselves in. As a Jewish person whose Jewish family have all passed, the message of this book really resonated with me. Memory is an active, communal activity. Cultural heritage is, too. And, once the keepers of those traditions are gone, you can feel so lost, orphaned, and ultimately completely disconnected from that heritage. It's so important to take up that mantle when you lose someone and to find others to share it with. That message was so beautifully written in this book. And the writing was top notch.
December 19, 2024
Roddie has waited two months since his mom died in a car accident for his Aunt Angie to come get him from wherever she has been. Angie and her new husband Erik both welcome Roddie to his new family and bring him to the family ancestral home, Dogwood House. Angie and Erik have begun to renovate the house, to bring it back to its former glory after years of being rented to strangers who did not care for the house. Soon, though, Roddie discovers that the foul odors in the house hide a danger, one his mother left home as a teenager to try to stem. Now it is Roddie's turn to save his family and the house, too, as his mother did before him, with hints from one ancestral spirit in particular. The creepening in the title of this story catches up with readers gradually and is truly creepy. I couldn't put it down!
July 29, 2024
It was sad that Roddie lost his mom and wanted to keep her memory alive with his hair. I love how supportive Roddie's aunt and uncle were and that Roddie and his aunt Angie were able to help each other preserve memories and family traditions. I loved learning about the hoodoo practice of hair burning and why it is needed.
I think young readers will thoroughly enjoy this middle-grade horror story.
I think young readers will thoroughly enjoy this middle-grade horror story.
August 29, 2024
This author does a marvelous job of weaving history, mystery and horror in to one book. This book was unique in that Roddie, as the main character, only interacts with 2 other human characters in the book - his aunt and uncle. There are no other child characters so the entire story is focused around his ghostly, haunted experience. Readers who want some mystery and don't mind the suspense of being frightened will enjoy this book.
January 19, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ . Solid read and explanation on grief. Very atmospheric with a solidly creepy villain. I will not be able to look at the hair I shed the same way again. Loved the exploration of Hodoo culture. It is a slow burn novel and while I loved the character development I just wish the spookiness and tense plot was introduced earlier. The villain was so good I wish he had been brought in earlier. But still a good read. My spooky loving kids will enjoy this.
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