The House in the Woods

Bridget, 14, her mute brother Morgan and their twin sisters spend the summer at a lakeside cottage with their father and new nanny, Ingrid. Morgan and Bridget keep to themselves: Morgan senses that their father cannot accept him as he is, and Bridget, because she is adopted, feels as though she is not part of the family. Her father and Ingrid further alienate Bridget with constant nagging about her weight. Often she fades into a world of her own where she can feel loved and beautiful. When Bridget and Morgan discover an old, weathered house hidden in the forest, the girl is strangely drawn to it and becomes determined to unlock its secrets. When she does, her entire life begins to change. Holland's enticing narration and pithy dialogue breathe compelling life into her story; readers will empathize with Bridget's struggle to find self-worth and inner peace. However, the story provides no clear sense of time, and the pacing changes dramatically in the final three chapters. Despite these flaws, the unfolding of the mystery is absorbing. Ages 12-up. (May)