The House with Chicken Legs

Twelve-year-old Marinka lives in a magical house with chicken legs that moves across the globe. She shares the house with her grandmother Baba, who guides the spirits of the dead into their next life as part of her role as a yaga. The house moves at will, keeping Marinka isolated from the world of the living. Each night, she helps her grandmother welcome spirits and build protective bone fences, but she dreams of a different life with real friends her own age. When Marinka's grandmother disappears after guiding a spirit, Marinka must face challenges and make difficult choices to find her way forward. This middle-grade novel draws from Slavic folklore to explore universal themes of belonging, destiny, and the eternal struggle between duty and personal desire.

Readers describe this book as a unique take on Slavic folklore that handles grief and death in a way that's accessible to middle-grade audiences. The story resonates with both children and adults. Readers appreciated: - The emotional depth and handling of loss - The house's personality and movements - Integration of Baba Yaga mythology - Cultural details and food descriptions - Sophie Anderson's lyrical writing style Common criticisms: - Slow pacing in the middle sections - Some confusion about the rules of the magical world - A few readers found the protagonist's choices frustrating Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (14,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (1,300+ ratings) Book Depository: 4.5/5 (200+ ratings) Notable reader comments: "Perfect balance of whimsy and serious themes" - Goodreads reviewer "Makes death less scary for young readers" - Amazon review "The house steals the show" - Barnes & Noble review

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🏠 The walking house in the story is inspired by Baba Yaga's hut from Slavic mythology, which traditionally moves through the forest on giant chicken legs. 🌟 Author Sophie Anderson drew from her own Russian heritage and childhood stories told by her Prussian grandmother to create this magical tale. 🦴 In Slavic folklore, Baba Yaga's fence is made of human bones and skulls, but Anderson adapted this element to make it more appropriate for young readers. 🌍 The book has been translated into 14 languages and won multiple awards, including the Wales Book of the Year Children's Prize and the Calderdale Children's Book of the Year. 🎨 The original UK edition features stunning illustrations by Elisa Paganelli, who spent time studying Russian folk art to create authentic decorative elements for the book.