Hungry Bones

by Louise Hung

A chilling middle grade novel about a girl haunted by a hungry ghost.

Molly Teng sees things no one else can.

By touching the belongings of people who have died, she gets brief glimpses into the lives they lived. Sometimes the "zaps" are funny or random, but often they leave her feeling sad, drained, and lonely.

The last thing Jade remembers from life is dying. That was over one hundred years ago. Ever since then she's been trapped in the same house watching people move in and out. She's a 'hungry ghost' reliant on the livings' food scraps to survive. To most people she is only a shadow, a ghost story, a superstition.

Molly is not most people. When she moves into Jade's house, nothing will ever be the same-for either of them. After over a century alone, Jade might finally have someone who can help her uncover the secrets of her past, and maybe even find a way out of the house-before her hunger destroys them both.

Genres: Middle Grade, Horror, Paranormal, Fantasy, Supernatural, Ghosts, Death

Audible Audio

First published October 1, 2024

Reviews

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

If the cover doesn’t immediately grab all your attention, then the first couple pages will! I admit I am not much of a horror girly… the smallest things can scare me for days(even kid like horror lol), but Louise Hung crafted this story in a way that kept pulling me in for the mystery despite my brain wanting to stop because the haunting/ghost. The lighthearted and funny moments Hung weaved throughout really balanced the ghostly parts. I especially loved the different perspectives on the “haunting”, the pizza crust and coughing scene was seriously too good! 😂

What I love about this book is that it's more than meets the eye. When they say, 'don't judge a book by its cover,' I really think they're referring to books like this, books that may seem unassuming, 'just short middle-grade stories,' but are genuinely eye-opening. While reading, I came to the realization that I am ignorant to a lot of the topics discussed throughout this story. The way Hung incorporated the Chinese Exclusion Act and the history of Chinese immigrants in Texas was pretty powerful, in my opinion. I found myself asking, "Why doesn’t Molly just look up records?" early on in the story, only to realize how many Chinese immigrants were deliberately erased, given fake names, denied identity, and treated like no one. It was eye-opening, especially as a teacher, and a huge reminder of how much history is left untold.

Hungry Bones comes out October 1, 2024, and is the perfect fall and spooky read! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for providing me with an e-arc! All opinions shared are mine and mine alone.

[Mai H.]

ANHPI TBR

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic Press

[Patti Calkosz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an intriguing and moving Middle Grade friendship/ghost story that explores Chinese-American history. Molly’s “fun” mom constantly moves them across the country. In each new home Molly unwillingly receives information on the lives of the deceased former inhabitants, merely by touching objects. Upset to be uprooted from Maine—the one place she didn't have to deal with all that spookiness and could more or less blend in with the other kids—Molly is not looking forward to sticking out for being Asian in small-town Texas. Then Jade, a ghost with scant memories of her life, insists on making contact with Molly, even as Molly struggles to ignore her. Eventually the two bond, becoming not only best friends, but partners in a quest to uncover Jade's lost history. The clock is ticking down the time Jade has left before she disappears completely, but what she asks of Molly would unnerve even the most kind-hearted soul.

The story is super-compelling, and the friendship between outsiders Molly and Jade develops beautifully. Molly learns to stand up for herself and others, and her relationship with her mother deepens. The exploration of Chinese-American discrimination and exploitation, both in the past and how it affects the present-day characters, is incredibly poignant. The writing is lovely and often funny. I absolutely loved this and highly recommend it.

Thank you to the author for the ARC!

[spying_sc4rz · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was kind of buns, but in a tolerable way. Favorite character is probably Bobbie even after she got introduced in the last couple of chapters. I teared up JUSTTTT a little bit near the end with the whole Jade being freed from the monster thing, but otherwise wasn't too upset. The chapters are short, and sometimes page or sentence long, which is why it has 66 chapters. The writing felt inconsistent, but that might've just been me. Otherwise it's a good book, and I loved seeing the Teng(???) family work through everything, secrets and all. I love Rose and Hazel and would like to live in their restaurant for free food.

[Clara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was kind of slow, and I often couldn't bring myself to read it, which is why it took me so long to finish it. It is one of those books where the plot and idea for the story are good, but the writing isn't fit for it.

[emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

sorry

[Chance Brown · Rating 1 out of 5]

Plot was very slow. Felt most of the book went around in circles and really slowed the pace of the book dramatically.

[Carli · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5 for this paranormal story of family and history. Molly and her mom move around a lot, and she is not happy to end up in Texas. Her mom signed this weird lease on their house, and Molly, who can feel ghosts (it’s kind of her thing), can definitely tell that the house is haunted. She slowly realizes that the spirit in the house is hungry - literally eats their leftovers - and befriends her. Together, they set out to uncover Jade’s (the ghost) past, to see if they can set her free once and for all. Good for fans of City of Ghosts, so this will be a good one for me to book talk for middle school. Recommended for grades 5-7. #mglit #librarian #librariansofmiddleschool #middleschoollibrarian

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really liked the premise and the characters, but found it didn't really come together for me as a reader.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

an important story. plus, ghosts!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet little story, and more complex than I had anticipated for a middle grades book. The characters and relationships felt believable and multi-dimensional, the family dynamics were relatable, and the cultural discussions were handled very well.

I loved the depth of character, the descriptions of food, and the emotional sincerity of the young characters. I would have loved some more depth to the adult relationships, but I also understand that's not the point of the book.

All in all, a good story.

[Shana Targosz · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALL THE STARS! I've just finished reading an advanced copy of this stunning book, and thank goodness I had a box of tissues ready because the tears would not stop (in a GOOD way!). My heart is full, and I am now a forever fan of Louise Hung's writing.
Full review to come!

[Katie Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgallery and Scholastic for an early release copy of Hungry Bones by Louise Hung.

Hunger Bones follows the story between two young girls one human with psychic abilities (the zaps) and one ghost who doesn’t remember what has happened to her but has a insatiable hunger, the relationship that grows between Molly and Jade is cute, you can tell that both of these girls really care for one another. When we learn what is going on with Jades situation the writing really makes you feel for these characters. There are plenty of emotional and hard hitting scenes in here, the genuine way in which the character react and interact with each other during them feel real and really add to the scene.

Some of my favorite scenes have to be the one where Jade interacts with the baby, acting out little scenes in books, the other have to be the emotional scenes in general in Hunger Bones. I could really feel for Jades situation and I’m happy with the way the story plays.

I did however have a problem with the pacing here, it’s slow as the main characters don’t even meet until one hundred pages in. I know it’s more of a build up to get you more intrigued with the mystery surrounding the ghost while also trying to let you know Molly but even after Molly meets Jade I feel the story dragged on just a little too much. I liked the short chapters and flipped perspectives but some chapters feel like they ended a little abrupt. The little flowers illustrated at the top of the chapters were a cute addition, I also really love this cover art!

[Lizzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

(+) I like how there are so few characters in the book. We get to delve deeper into them and their relationships as a result.
(+) I'm grateful that this takes place during summer vacation. For once, we're not bogged down with school drama.
(+) As someone who also considers food their love language, I deeply appreciate how it's utilized here.
(+) Unpologetically Asian..

(-) But the dialogue feels like a history lecture as a result.
(-) The characters aren't very memorable, and the dialogue isn't great.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Molly Teng is not happy to be moving from Bell Harbor, Maine to Buckeye Creek, Texas with her mother Dot. Her mother moves them frequently, and this latest move was even worse because Bell Harbor was the only place that Molly didn't constantly have ghosts apprearing to her. Her mother downplays this strange ability, and even moves the two into a very old house, which has a lot more objects from which Molly gets disturbing vibes. Even worse, Molly feels the presence of a ghost. We also see the events of the book through the ghost's eyes; Jade has been trapped in the house for about 120 years, but doesn't know much about who she was or why she is trapped. Molly is also uncomfortable in Texas because there are not many people who look like her. She does meet a neighbor girl, Eleanor, who is part Black and part Latine, and does feel very comforted when she visits a Chinese restaurant that her mother has as a publicity client. She eventually makes contact with Jade, and learns a bit about her existence. Jade is always hungry, and feels that this is somehow punishment for something she had done in her life. It's a little better when Mollly leaves food for her, since Jade can only eat food that is left behind or offered to her. Molly witnesses a disturbing moment when Jade's monstrous side comes out, and learns from the women at the restaurant that Jade must be a hungry ghost, one whom no one remembers or honor. Molly tries to help Jade find out more about her history, and even is shown Jade's bones that are in a box in the attic. When Dot's sister Bobbie finally comes to visit (Dot has moved to Texas to reconnect with her sister), Molly realizes that Bobbie can also see Jade, and her aunt helps her to figure out how Jade's spirit can be put to rest. Will Molly and her aunt be able to figure out the past, and will their future be one they can share?
Strengths: This was a well constructed mystery that wove systemic racism, cultural identity, and family dynamics into a complex story with a rich historical background AND some creepy ghosts. Also, the food descriptions in this were so vivid that I really wanted to get some dim sum! Dot and her mother have a difficult relationship, in part because her mother knows that Molly can see ghosts but doesn't want to address this fact; this will resonate with so many tween readers who don't feel seen and understood by their parents! This would be great for strong upper elementary readers who can't really hand super scary ghost stories.
Weaknesses: This is rather long, and would probably be more successful with readers who like historical fiction rather than horror fans. It's not really scary at all, and was more interesting once I stopped waiting for scary things to happen and started to enjoy the historical aspects. The cover reminds me of 1980s covers, so this will be hard to place with readers in my library.
What I really think: This is a great choice for readers who enjoyed Urban's Almost There And Almost Not, Royce's The Creepening of Dogwood House, or Oh's Spirit Hunters.

[Marsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ghosts are often hungry. Even in the best of stories about them, they seek more than what they have. They’re rarely content simply to flit about talking to other specters.

There are notable exceptions. The cemetery spirits of Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book have spent centuries talking to and about each other. They don’t connect with human beings because human beings can’t see or hear them. They accept this and keep their distance.

But other eidolons crave things. They want to re-connect with the living world, cling to their treasures, contact living relatives, solve their murders, avenge their own deaths or simply feed off the energy, the life of the living. The latter are particularly cruel and dangerous—not that they pose an immediate threat. They may appear charming, helpful, even benign. But their presence invariably eats away at any humans foolish or unfortunate enough to come within their orbit.

Such is the dead Jade. A ghost who lingers in the old house where she died, she literally eats any food scraps left by the transient human inhabitants. She’s over the moon when she meets Molly, who can actually see and hear her. But her ignorance about her previous human life and her own demise means that she has questions she’s certain only Molly can answer. She starts getting demanding, even as Molly protests the limits of her own exhausted human frame.

(If there’s something that irked me, it was Molly’s insistence on relying on her own supernatural powers to help Jade. Hello? Why not use the Internet? The house she’s in is over a century old. Surely there must be records online about the place along with offline, hard copy she could look up in the local library. That’s what Molly (huh, another one) does in Wait Till Helen Comes. But Molly Teng doesn’t take that route.

Then again, the main characters in Hungry Bones are constantly driving home the fact that Chinese immigrants were seen as insignificant, alien and unwanted (unless it was for cheap labor). Their names were often forgotten, ignored or Americanized. In some records, thousands of Chinese names were written down as Ah Sing or Ah Ching, the names deliberately scrubbed out of the record. So looking for poor Jade in an electronic record would have been a futile effort. My annoyance was that Molly doesn’t even try.)

However, the author’s decision to make this a human-based effort draws a circle of Chinese kin around Molly Teng, showing her a side of her mother and her own people that she didn’t know. The story becomes one of warmth, tenderness and sympathy for the dead and the departed living. It’s a YA novel that skirts the boundaries of horror and leads us on a historical journey and a current tale of familial connection.

[Teenage Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel is full of middle-grade spooky vibes, following Molly as she’s moved yet again to a new town with her carefree mother, Dot, who proudly calls them Team Tengo. I really loved the mother–daughter relationship; Hung does a great job showing their genuine love and care for one another, while also capturing Molly’s growing frustration with Dot’s constant uprooting of their lives. Since this is a middle-grade novel, Hung doesn’t dive too deeply into those emotions, but it was still nice to see them explored in that early-teen angst kind of way.
The cover alone gives off spooky energy, and when Team Tengo moves into a large, cheap house in the middle of Texas, you know something strange is waiting inside. Enter Jade, the house’s friendly ghost, who has been lingering there for 120 years without knowing why. Like any good ghost story, Jade needs someone to interact with—and Molly fills that role perfectly. Molly can communicate with the dead and see fragments of their lives by touching old objects, getting “zapped” into their memories.
With dual perspectives, it’s interesting to see the initial wariness Jade and Molly feel toward each other and how quickly that evolves into a genuine friendship as they work together to uncover what happened to Jade. As the new “weird kid,” even during summer break, Molly worries about making friends, so watching her bond with Jade is comforting and makes you feel like she’s going to be okay.
Hung keeps the cast intentionally small. Beyond Dot, the Lou sisters, and Bobbie—who appears fairly late in the story—the novel mostly focuses on Molly and Jade acting as supernatural detectives. This works incredibly well. They have great chemistry and build a beautiful friendship, which makes the climax of the novel genuinely tense because you care so much about both of them.
One thing I wish Hung had explored more, especially near the ending but also throughout the novel, was the experience of Molly and Dot being Chinese in such a traditionally Southern setting (Texas counts… I think). I would have liked to see Molly as the only Chinese student at school and experience more moments of discomfort or exclusion, beyond the single instance Hung includes. Because this is a middle-grade novel, I wanted the message to be a bit more explicit. Expanding on this theme could have strengthened the moral of the story and given it even more emotional weight for younger readers.

[Jamie Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Molly Teng is not happy when her mother, Dot, once again, decides they are moving. This time from Maine to Texas. Molly doesn't want to be the new, weird girl and deal with being Asian American and the perjudices that come with it. It doesn't help their rental house is haunted by Jade, a Chinese girl who died in the house over a 100 years ago. When Molly touches a door handle and gets a 'zap' - her paranormal sense of the unknown - she begins to learn about jade, Chinese and American history dealing with Asians, and that Jade is not just a ghost, but a hungry ghost that must feed or turn into a monster, based on Buddist mythology. The friendship that grows between Molly and Jade - as Molly is the only other Asian Jade has ever met besides her mother - holds Jade back from Molly touching something very personal to her, knowing the toll the zaps take on Molly. Without that information, Molly might not learn how to help Jade, to keep her from becoming ravenous and a true monster, but she cannot force Jade to change her mind. The horror is interlaced with humor and friendship, not letting either overylayer the emotions and ambiance of a creepy story. The look at long held prejudices is handled honestly, but doesn't overpower the ghost story of Jade. An intresting booke to give to fans of What Happened to Anna, Small Spaces, and The Clackity.

[Glenna Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Molly Teng's mother, Dot, moves them yet again, and this time from Maine to Texas, Molly is more upset than usual. Even though she was the only student in her school in Maine who had Asian heritage, she still felt more at home than in Texas. Besides, Mom moved them there for Mom's need to reconnect with her older sister Bobbie, not for Molly's needs. Not only that, but living in an old house like this one in Buckeye Creek was bound to trip her up given her propensity for being zapped by old things and having unwanted memories take over. Then there is the presence that Molly senses, which turns into a full-on ghost sighting. A young girl, Jade, just like Molly has been trapped in the attic for more than 100 years. When Jade begs Molly to help her uncover her history, to see her and give her a place, how can Molly say no? Filled with interesting connections to the Chinese Hungry Ghost festival and to the missing history of generations of Asians, particularly Chinese Asians who went unrecorded and dishonored through much of the history of the United States, this book is an engrossing read, with just enough spookiness to keep a fraidy cat like me reading. I had a hard time putting the book down.

[SOYAMRG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hungry Bones by Louise Hung is a cultural ghost story.

Molly and her mom arrive in Buckeye Creek, Texas after multiple moves across the country. Molly has always had a dramatic physical reaction whenever she touches objects with historical connections. Of course, Molly connects with Jade, the resident ghost, who is always hungry, and the girl and the ghost collaborate on discovering Jade’s history. Molly and Jade are Chinese, and the hungry bones in the attic are culturally relevant to the story. Wikipedia explains that hungry ghosts arise from people whose deaths have been violent or unhappy and emerge from neglect or desertion of ancestors.

While Hung shares information about the Chinese Exclusion Act along with the racist treatment of Jade and her mother who were servants in the home, she fails to clearly explain the hungry bones with teeth marks that Jade protects. Eventually, Auntie Bobbie arrives, and the family secret about the connection to the dead is revealed. The positive balance of cultural information outweighs the lack of cultural information to explain the hungry bones.

I recommend the book for purchase with reservation for girls between sixth and eighth grades. My reservation is only based on unsettling death discussion.

C.S.
Ret. Teacher

[Corinne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Molly, Jade, and author Louise Hung hit it out of the park from page one in this page-turner of a novel. The narrator is trapped in a box with--a skull? By Chapter One, I was totally hooked as Molly and her mom move into a big old Victorian-style house with an attic. Creaks and groans follow, with a ghostly meeting, mother-daughter conflicts, delicious-sounding Chinese meals, and Molly's struggle being a modern girl with an ancient "power."

As we learn about Jade, we also learn about how Chinese immigrants were treated in the late 19th and early 20th century. The book is skillfully written, so the history is important to the story and not at all an info dump. I thought I was well-versed on this topic, but I learned many new things. My favorite characters are restaurant-owners Hazel and Rose Loh, who know their history and how to nurture a teenage girl.

I'm retired now from teaching, but when I was teaching 7th grade English, I would have been thrilled to use this book for book club groups. Kids will love reading it!

[LS Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm NOT a fan of horror....so this 5-star rating comes even as a surprise to me. I would add it includes the sub-genres of Paranormal horror (spectral and ghostly encounters) and Social Horror (elements of suspense and horror to contextualize societal biases). And these were done while also highlighting family dynamics and history, and dealing with separation (moving away from friends). Molly is a believable, curious character and I liked watching her develop into someone who could speak up for herself and Jade.

[MG · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up. There were a lot of interesting ideas in this book, but it didn't really gel as much as I would've liked it to. The story somehow managed to be both fast and slow at the same time.

I liked the characters though and thought the themes, some of which were heavier than I'd expected, were handled in an age-appropriate way. I think middle grade readers will find the book appealing, especially if they like ghost stories.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

[Louise Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hungry Bones was my favourite read of 2024 and an instant favourite I'll return to again and again. It's a sweet story of friendship, chosen family and the importance of community. Central themes of spirituality, death culture and complex family dynamics are set against the historical backdrop of systemic racism. Louise writes with such warmth that you can't help but feel enveloped by these characters and this story. She perfectly balances humour, nostalgia and nuance to create a truly magical book.

[Amber Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good for a kids’ book. I really enjoyed the exploration of Chinese culture and hungry ghosts. I most enjoyed the true life bits of Chinese American history and how they contributed to the story—how the names of these people weren’t worth recording to many whites, how Jade lost her name then found it again.
As an adult, once in a while I thought occasional plot points were a little thin, but overall I really enjoyed the story even though I’m for sure not the target audience!
Excellent read.

[Iris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story. I may not be a Chinese-American but I am a Filipino-American that is intrigued and so grateful for the information that is bestowed in this book!!! It was brought in a way that was so heartfelt and sincere. Molly is a great character and I appreciate her pragmatic but also open-minded personality. Maybe it’s the mommy issues but my favorite parts were Molly and Dot’s heart-to-hearts. Healthy communication. Jade’s story is tear jerking and written so well. Amazing book overall.

[Angela Sandoval · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did think the book got off to a slow start and although I wasn't bored, I still thought the first quarter of the book could've been pared down considerably. However, once we got into the meat of the story, the friendship between Molly and Jade and their working together to figure out Jade's story (I do love a good ghost story!); the family dynamics between Molly, her mom, and her aunt; and the Chinese American history that played a notable part in this tale, I was hooked. I think our middle school students will enjoy this one and I will highly recommend it.

[Deidra Chamberlain · Rating 3 out of 5]

My 3 year old picked this off the library shelf, and I started out reading it to her. Then she lost interest, but mine was still piqued. I did a speed read, but it still felt long in parts. I didn’t like that the cover feels so inaccurate for what is inside. I liked the historical content. I didn’t like that the non-Asian characters were almost all the same person. I liked that it was a summer vacation book. I liked all the food.

[Deborah]

DNF @ 40%

This had a lot of potential, but the driving external factors were powerfully referenced and never portrayed. As a result, the book feels like it's written to carefully omit its conflict. It would've been fine if I were 2/3 of the way through, but when I realized it wasn't even half...

[cal ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

what i liked:
- historical fiction!! was pleasantly surprised to learn more about the chinese exclusion act
-molly the MC felt like a real 13 y/o. i relate to her grief and anger and longing deeply
- rose and hazel 🩵🩵
-i enjoyed the pacing !!
- the cliffhanger 👀
- sooo many family dynamics to navigate but they’re all so interesting. these characters felt incredibly real
•
what i didn’t like:
-because im not familiar with this specific story of folklore some things werent ‘connecting’ until i began researching for this review. otherwise,,, i loved it !