The House That Lou Built

April 23, 2018
Lou, almost 13, lives with her mother and grandmother in San Francisco near their close-knit clan of Filipino relatives, who are always in and out of the house. Lou’s father, who was white, died before Lou was born, and Lou has inherited the patch of land just outside of the city that her father’s family owned. Lou loves building things and longs for a space that is purely hers, and she has big plans for the land: to build a tiny house on it. When Lou’s mother receives a job offer in Washington State, Lou hopes to persuade her to stay by building the house quickly. She rallies her friends and shop teacher to help, but when back taxes threaten to take the land away, the pressure mounts. In her debut novel, Respicio organically weaves details of Filipino culture into the narrative. Lou, with her devotion to her dream for more independence, is a sympathetic character, and her relationship with her family is the heart of this warm exploration of what home truly means. Ages 8–12. Agent: Sarah Davies, Greenhouse Literary.