What’s The House With Chicken Legs About?

The House with Chicken Legs is the debut novel written by Sophie Anderson. This story is told by Marinka with Slavic folklore and stories of the Baba Yaga interwoven into the story to tell a remarkable story of a house that, two or three times a year, stands up and walks away from where Marinka and her family have been living. All Marinka wants is for her house to stay in one place long enough for her to make some friends. Unfortunately, the house has other ideas and the only people that Marinka gets to know are the dead. Her Grandmother, Baba Yaga guides the dead through The Gate between this world and the next. With warnings against venturing too far in to the world of the living, and a destiny to become a Yaga, Guardian of The Gate, like her Grandmother, Marinka’s frustration could lead to her risking it all for the chance to make friendships that last more than one night. This intriguing new story is a fantastic debut for Sophie and wonderfully combines coming of age themes and frustrations that are entirely relatable, with the supernatural and a developed interpretation of the Baba Yaga stories. This story is great for those reading 9+ books and will be released on the 3rd May. Sophie Anderson’s book has also been read by one of our experts and our Reader Review Panel.

What the LoveReading4Kids Reader Review Panel Thought

Grace Phelan, age 10 - 'Wow-just wow! What an enchanting read that was! Seren Daly, age 11 - 'This book was really good, and I enjoyed it a lot...It is about finding your own destiny and never giving up.' Ellen Cox, age 11 - 'This is one of the best books I've ever read. The House with Chicken Legs is one of my favourite stores now and I hope Sophie Anderson writes more stories like this.'

What our LoveReading Expert Thought

Joanne Owen - ‘This sparkling debut weaves the captivating folklore of Baba Yaga with the thrills of a classic venturing-out-into-the-world quest, replete with primal conflicts, tantalising twists and an unforgettable protagonist that readers will truly root for […] ideal for fans of Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book. Older readers might also enjoy Circus of the Unseen, which offers an alternate re-working of Baba Yaga’s infinitely enthralling Slavic folklore. Radiant with wonder and wisdom, this is an exceptional debut.’