Sam (white) and Asha (Indian American), both autistic, are best friends until Sam is accepted to Castleton Academy for seventh grade. At Castleton, Sam is bullied until popular girl Prestyn takes a sudden interest in him. She invites him to her home: a mansion called Donnybrooke. Asha is surprised to learn that Sam is hanging out with “Prestyn the Intestine” and envious that Sam is spending time at Donnybrooke. An architectural oddity, the mansion is Asha’s very favorite building, but she’s been banned from setting foot there ever since an incident that took place at Prestyn’s birthday party years ago. Chapters alternate between the third-person perspectives of Asha, who worries about Sam despite herself; Sam, who doesn’t realize that Prestyn actually delights in playing cruel tricks on him; and Donnybrooke itself, which wants to be appreciated and loved, especially by its own family—just as Prestyn herself longs to be. When one of Prestyn’s pranks puts Sam in danger, he finally reaches out to Asha, the one person he can trust. Throughout it all, Sam and Asha navigate complex social situations and learn to advocate for themselves around people who fail to truly see and appreciate them, while Donnybrooke’s distinctive voice provides levity and insight.  (Ages 8-12)

Part thriller, part friendship story, part real estate listing, this witty and inventive debut explores the nature of friendship and home.

Sam and Asha. Asha and Sam. Their friendship is so long established, they take it for granted. Just as Asha takes for granted that Donnybrooke, the mansion that sits on the highest hill in Coreville, is the best house in town. But when Sam is accepted into snobbish Castleton Academy as an autistic “Miracle Boy,” he leaves Asha, who is also autistic, to navigate middle school alone. He also leaves her wondering if she can take anything for granted anymore. Because soon Sam is spending time with Prestyn, Asha’s nemesis, whose family owns Donnybrooke and, since a housewarming party gone wrong, has forbidden Asha to set foot inside. Who is Asha without Sam? And who will she be when it becomes clear that Prestyn’s interest in her friend isn’t so friendly? Told from the points of view of Asha, Sam, and Donnybrooke itself, this suspenseful and highly original debut explores issues of ableism and classism as it delves into the mysteries of what makes a person a friend and a house a home.