"A spooky house tour, unafraid to redefine what board books are capable of achieving." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Peek through doors and windows to explore a mysterious house in this innovative shaped novelty book for young readers who relish the lightly spooky, from the Caldecott Medal–winning and New York Times bestselling Jon Klassen, creator of I Want My Hat Back and The Skull.

Here are the things in this house: a chair, a clock on the wall, a stool, a lamp. And more. What’s missing from this house? Somebody. This is the house with nobody in it. Well, there might be something . . .

Designed as a sturdy keepsake to read, play with, and treasure, The House with Nobody in It takes readers through a recognizable, cozy house, while layered die-cut doors and windows throughout introduce a hint of intrigue. This is the house with nobody in it—or is it?

Pairing the familiar with a touch of mystery, Jon Klassen proves once again to be a master of breaking the mold, playing with expectations . . . and delighting even the youngest of readers.

Details

ISBN13: 9781536248289
Format: Board book
Number of Pages: 18
Edition:
Publication Date:
Publisher: Candlewick Press,U.S.
Publication City, Country: Massachusetts, United States
Dimensions (cm): 22.1(H)x20.5(L)x1.6(W)397
Weight (gm): 397

Author Biography

Jon Klassen is the creator of the #1 New York Times bestselling I Want My Hat Back, which received a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor, and its companions, This Is Not My Hat, which won a Caldecott Medal and a Kate Greenaway Medal, and We Found a Hat, named a Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Book of the Year. He is also the creator of the Your Places and Your Things board book series, as well as the picture books The Rock from the Sky and The Skull. He is the illustrator of How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?, Extra Yarn, Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, and the Shapes Trilogy, all by Mac Barnett. For his contributions to children’s literature, Jon Klassen is a member of the Order of Canada and was named the 2026 recipient of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. Originally from Niagara Falls, Ontario, Jon Klassen now lives in Los Angeles.

Reviews

Preschoolers, get ready for your first official ghost story. . . . To set the mood, Klassen relies heavily on color; the first few rooms are brightly lit in the sun’s rays, but the home grows dimmer as readers proceed. Treating the book itself as a physical location begging to be explored (it’s even shaped like a house), Klassen extends the format beyond its usual limitations, allowing a short story of surprising depth to emerge. A spooky house tour, unafraid to redefine what board books are capable of achieving.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

[A] gently eerie board book ghost story. . . . Giving youngest readers ample space to contemplate their own perceptions, Klassen again displays a remarkable knack for creating lingering, fully realized works through the sparsest storytelling.
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Klassen’s (Your Truck, rev. 1/26) house-shaped novelty board book is a slightly spooky, ­fun-to-explore existential journey that challenges our notions of what board books can offer. . . . Toddlers will enjoy turning the sturdy pages, pointing out the house’s contents, and wondering (amused, unnerved, or a bit of both) about the ghost’s presence.
—The Horn Book (starred review)