The House on the Gulf

• A Junior Library Guild Selection, 2004
• PSLA Fiction List
• SSLI Book Award Honor Book

When Britt’s older brother, Bran, lands a summer job house-sitting for the Marquises, an elderly couple, it seems like a great opportunity. Britt and Bran have moved to Florida so their mother can finish college, and the house-sitting income will allow their mom to quit her job and take classes full-time. Having never lived in a real house before, Britt is thrilled. There’s only one problem: Britt starts to suspect her family isn’t supposed to be there.

She’s been noticing that Bran is acting weird and defensive–he hides the Marquises’ mail, won’t let anyone touch the thermostat, and discourages Britt from meeting any of the neighbors. Determined to get to the bottom of things, Britt starts investigating and makes a startling discovery–the Marquises aren’t who Bran has led her and their mom to believe. So whose house are they staying in, and why has Bran brought them there?

“Like the books in Haddix’s Shadow Children series, this story propels readers along on a strong current of narrative and jolts them with unexpected twists… Britt’s first-person narrative makes riveting reading.”
—Booklist

FAQs Discussion Guide