Starred Review When young Prince Lev Lvov receives an invitation to the noble Falcon House, he knows he must leave his country home, his cat, Woolly, and his mother behind. It's not until after three days of train travel that Lev arrives at the dark and decrepit manor where strange things are afoot; Lev's aunt, Olga Lvovna, is ashen and stern, and a gaggle of jittery servants om she repeatedly refers to as "villains" rch at her every word. What's more, Lev, the spitting image of his late grandfather, is expected to uphold that grandfather's hard-nosed legacy. Isolated in an ancient study, Lev is lonesome, homesick, and utterly fearful. Or so he is until he meets Vanyousha, a sheepish d mysterious rvant boy, and the two bond over their love of art, as well as their solitude. Inspired by a peculiar bundle of illustrations "discovered" by a young Yelchin (Newbery Honor Book Breaking Stalin's Nose, 2011), the novel's 56 minichapters are interspersed with beguiling ink sketches of everything from star-soaked skies and stark graves to pitchforks and dozing kittens. The narrative itself companied by useful footnotes for obscure phrases like lorgnette and Corps des Pages by turns wide-eyed, inquisitive, and earnest. This is a haunting tale at its very best.

In late-nineteenth-century imperial Russia, Prince Lev Lvov arrives at Falcon House to assume his noble duties. In his late grandfather's study, Lev is befuddled by episodes during which his hand seems to be taken over by a spirit, creating curious drawings. Short chapters, an eerie setting, and a surprising twist make this faux memoir a compelling read for historical-fiction and ghost-story fans alike.

Yelchin (Arcady's Goal) sets his imaginative, layered mystery-prefaced by a tongue-in-cheek opening note on the story's purported origins-in late-19th-century Saint Petersburg. Twelve-year-old Prince Lev Lvov, who loves drawing and his mother in equal measure, has been called by his paternal aunt to take up his "noble duties" at the family's Falcon House. On his journey he has an unsettling experience: the face of an unknown boy replaces his image in the dark train window. At Falcon House, events unroll with an odd mix of creepiness and comedy: Aunt Olga and her servants are all broad characters who would be at home in a Dahl novel, while the mysterious boy comes and goes with disconcerting speed. As Lev begins to question the tradition of serfdom and his role as master of Falcon House, he also undergoes strange spells of uncontrollable sketching. Finally revealing Lev as an unreliable narrator, Yelchin leaves his fate open to speculation. Offbeat, smudged sketches play a peculiar yet effective counterpoint to the evocative language, and helpful historical notes are included. Ages 9-12. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (June)

Gr 5-8 When called to live in his family's ancestral home in St. Petersburg, Russia, 12-year-old Prince Lev is apprehensive. Becoming heir to a foreboding estate that he's never seen is daunting enough, and it is his first time leaving his mother. Add an aunt who can be harsh to say the least, the misrepresented memories of his glorified grandfather, and a night in a haunted study, and it's no surprise that Prince Lev is slightly anxious. But he soon develops a friendship with a mysterious boy who is hardly what he seems. Through a cast of thoroughly quirky characters (with often conflicting accounts), Lev learns the truth about his not-so-honorable grandfather, uncovering some unsettling family secrets and freeing the household from possession along the way. Yelchin introduces czarist Russia to young readers through the use of endnotes and footnotes, a novel albeit uncommon method for this readership. While enlightening, much of the historical content will be missed by children unfamiliar with this technique. Readers will enjoy the budding friendship, and the ghost story/mystery is compelling. Absolutely nothing is overlookedfrom plot similarities in the author's introduction to the haunting illustrations, which appear to be drawn by the protagonist. Certainly a different sort of book, this is one that takes time to digest and fully appreciate. VERDICT A unique historical mystery from a celebrated children's writer and illustrator; a great option for classroom discussion and a jumping-off point for further exploration of Russian history. Rebecca Gueorguiev, New York Public Library