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The haunted house project

Tricia Clasen - Author

Andie’s staged haunting is a response to family hardship and her wish for reassurance after her mother’s death. The story brings bereavement together with money problems, absent adults and the strain on her sister.

More about this book

"Since her mom died, Andie's family has crumbled. Instead of working, her dad gambles away insurance money, while her sister, Paige, has put her future on hold in order to pick up extra waitressing shifts. Andie's afraid of what will happen if people find out just how bad things are. She's not sure how long she can hide the fact that there's no food or money in the house...or adults, for that matter. When her science partner suggests they study paranormal activity, Andie gets an idea. She wants a sign from her mom--anything to tell her it's going to be okay. Maybe the rest of her family does too. So she starts a project of her own. Pretending to be her mother's ghost, Andie sprays perfume, changes TV channels, and moves pictures. Haunting her house is Andie's last hope to bring her family back into the land of the living."--From publisher's website.

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Book Analysis

At a Glance

Discover

Paranormal activity· ExplainedFamily· ExplainedHope· Explained

Consider

Grief and lossFamily disruptionBereavement

Personalised Fit

Beyond the Cover

paranormal activityfamilyhope

FictionNovel

Themes in Context

A staged haunting as a family project

After a science partner suggests studying paranormal activity, Andie pretends to be her mother’s ghost, using small disturbances around the house as part of her project.Exploratory / explanatory

How the book presents it: The haunting is something Andie stages, linking her wish for reassurance with her hope of changing her family’s circumstances.

Talk about: If Andie’s family responds to the signs, what might they understand about why she created them?

Why It May Be Worth Reading

The paranormal project gives Andie a way to act on her hope that her family can feel reassured and come together. It may prompt conversation about how children respond when adults are struggling.

What Deserves Attention

Bereavement and hardship are central: the family faces gambling with insurance money, food and money shortages, and a lack of adults at home. These difficulties may feel heavy for some readers.

A Conversation Worth Having

What does Andie seem to hope her project will change for her family, and whether it does so?

Reading Approach

Consider reading together or checking in as the family’s practical difficulties emerge. Let the child set the pace for talking about loss, and ask what support Andie or her sister might need.

Confidence & Basis

Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.

What remains unconfirmed

A staged haunting as a family project: The outcome of the project and the family’s response are not established.

The Haunted House Project - Tricia Clasen - Google Books

Limited information

Checked: 1 October 2026.

Relevant to: A staged haunting as a family project

The haunted house project by Tricia Clasen | Open Library