• Age: 8 to 12
• Grade: 3 to 7

Inspired by Hansel and Gretel, this spooky ghost story and touching debut investigates the gingerbread houses that we trap ourselves in when we don’t learn to love ourselves as we are, perfect for fans of Ghost Squad and The Girl and the Ghost.

Bee wanted to spend the summer reading Betsy Chillers books and exploring the new spooky theme park with her best friend. Instead, she’s spending the summer trapped at Storm Lake with her too loud, too thrifty, and too Indian family.

Luckily, Bee finds a place to escape her embarrassment—a magical house across the lake that transforms her into the cool girl she always wanted to be. Maybe cottage life isn’t so bad after all! But strange dreams are haunting Bee, and there’s a chill in her bones she just can’t shake.

Bee follows her hunch—and the scent of gingerbread—to Lucas, the dorky boy next door. He thinks there are ghosts in the forest, but new friend Alina tells her what Bee has feared all along: There’s a witch at Storm Lake. And she’s coming for Bee.

Dr. Emi Pinto is a Canadian author who loves to write about cute ghosts, awkward witches, and food from her mixed South Asian and Franco-Ontarian heritage (masala poutine, anyone?). When she’s not getting lost on forest trails with her family, you can find Emi traveling the world, researching, and advising on international assistance programs. She lives in Ottawa, Ontario.

Emi Pinto's profile page

"Full of twists, genuine scares, and satisfying reveals, this debut is sure to please readers in search of a thrill. Gingerbread is plentiful in this spooky “Hansel and Gretel” retelling, but the lessons about friendship are sweeter still." — Kirkus Reviews

"Debut author Pinto’s homage to “Hansel and Gretel” is cleverly updated with mischievous loons, peach pickles, and ghost-seeing goggles." — School Library Journal

"Part fairy-tale retelling, part ghost story, part haunted house Bee Bakshi and the Gingerbread Sisters adds up to one magical thing: A story that is all heart. A fun adventure with a loveable cast of characters that reminds you the only way to fit in is to just be yourself. That is the true gingerbread magic." — Ally Malinenko, author of Ghost Girl and This Appearing House

"Bee Bakshi and the Gingerbread Sisters is one of the rare books that can take readers across a full journey of emotions, from heart-pounding fear to laugh out loud humor. The mystery at the heart of this adventure is so well developed that I never could have predicted how all the pieces fell together, which is a testament to Emi Pinto’s storytelling skill. This book will scare and certainly excite you, but the important lesson readers take away is just as sweet as the cookie in the title suggests." — George Jreije, author of the Shad Hadid series