Creepy Kid
Caleb Roehrig
HarperCollins
Published August 25, 2026
About Creepy Kid
A hilariously creepy middle grade novel from award-winning author Caleb Roehrig! Poe has spent his whole life wishing he could meet a ghost, but when he moves into a real-life haunted house, he discovers that communing with the other side might be a little more than he bargained for.
Twelve-year-old Edgar Alden, also known as “Poe,” has always been an outcast. Obsessed with the macabre, he’s never remotely hit it off with other kids. Only Grandma ever really understood his love for the supernatural, but when she dies and his parents move into a dilapidated house on the other side of town, things for Poe quickly go from bad to worse.
You see, Poe has a roommate. A dead one. A 12-year-old ghost named Violet, who’s been stuck haunting Poe’s room for longer than she can remember. Violet is territorial, kind of annoying, and tethered to the human world by her doll, Baby Jessica.
But Poe quickly discovers that Violet isn’t the only spirit haunting his house. There’s a vengeful, violent entity in his basement. And it’s up to Poe to find a way to help them both cross to the other side.
Creepy Kid is a heartfelt but page-turning exploration of grief, moving on, and finding one’s place in the world—sure to make middle grade readers laugh, cry, and wonder about the mysteries that might lie on the other side.
My Review
This is the first middle grade novel by Caleb Roehrig that I’ve ever read. I have enjoyed several of his young adult mysteries, though, so my expectations were pretty high going into this one.
One of the things I think he really captures in this story is Poe’s relationship with his grandma. It’s so clear that her death has thrown him for a loop, and he’s struggling with his grief. She understood and celebrated parts of Poe’s personality that no one else did, and he’s really missing that, especially at his new school.
His connection to ghosts was interesting. I liked how integrated that is into the story as a whole. This isn’t strictly about him helping Violet, though that’s kind of where his ghostly adventures begin. It was also nice to see a story featuring a kid with a really specific temperament that doesn’t resolve with him learning to socialize better. He does grow, especially in understanding himself. But he still remains true to himself, even if that means being an oddball that most people don’t understand.
Poe’s close circle broadens a bit, and the story leaves room for a possible unexpected friendship, which makes for an uplifting ending.
I could see readers who enjoyed Ghoul Summer by Tracy Badua liking this one. It’s a good pick if you are looking for a grumpy narrator who must help ghosts find peace.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.
Romance/Sexual Content
None
Spiritual Content
Some characters are ghosts. Poe learns that he can see and interact with them.
Violent Content
Some descriptions of bullying.
Drug Content
None.
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