A LitHub Most Anticipated Children’s Book of 2025

“A book that captures the dance of unlikely bonds and a way to move from a place of acceptance.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A solitary child and her rule-breaking ghost roommate learn the value of compromise in this cheeky picture book. —Shelf Awareness (starred review)

From Matthew Forsythe, the creator of the acclaimed and beloved Pokko and the Drum, comes a “subtle, sweet” (Booklist, starred review) picture book about rules. And sharing. And an epic game of tic-tac-toe.

Aggie is very excited to live on her own—until she finds out her new house is haunted. But no fear, the situation is nothing that can’t be fixed with a carefully considered list of rules: No haunting after dark. No stealing socks. No eating all the food.

But the ghost doesn’t like playing by the rules and challenges Aggie to an epic game of tic-tac-toe—winner gets the house.