A (Dead) Thing Like Me
“A gorgeously creative debut, weaving life, grief, and the spirit of friendship into a tour-de-force.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Meet Hot Dog, a teenage ghost in love with life — especially junk food. When a grieving, 18-year-old artist accidentally summons her via Ouija board, Hot Dog thinks she has her chance to become a real, living human girl. But she isn’t the only creature haunting the teen’s house, whose secret room can barely contain an entity that threatens to unmake them both.
Industry Reviews
“This spectacular story straddles a surreal, almost mystical, line before dropping readers into the terrifying challenges of facing the ghost-eaters that can rip people’s souls from their bodies. The throughline anchoring this highly original narrative is the fierce power of love. A gorgeously creative debut, weaving life, grief, and the spirit of friendship into a tour-de-force.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Hot Dog is an unlikely and sympathetic protagonist in this quirky paranormal story that deals with friendship, trauma, and finding your own voice. The voice of Hot Dog is haunting and longing, and readers will enjoy the structure of the book, as well as how the author plays with language and genre.” —School Library Journal
“Sensory and strange, Young’s surreal debut wafts through planes of existence and consciousness, following Hot Dog’s evolving understanding of herself and her relationship to the living world. . . . Hot Dog is serving love and weirdness in a way that will have A. S. King fans lining up.” —Booklist
“Clever humor … makes for an engaging read, and the protagonist—dubbed Hot Dog by Logan once that obsession becomes evident—with her palpable yearning for all aspects of being alive is easy to root for …. Versions of the afterlife abound in recent YA novels; this weird, inventive entry offers plenty to relish.” —The Horn Book
Illustration of Hot Dog by Kiwadiki Art
Book Synopsis
One hot dog with banana peppers. That’s all Hot Dog wants. An invisible teenage ghost, she haunts a food cart outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Until one night, she’s accidentally summoned via Ouija board to a house party in Florida . . . where finally finally finally, people can see her.
All the party guests scatter, except for Logan: the cool artist girl who doesn’t just see Hot Dog, she actually wants to talk to her. Logan, who isn’t scared of Hot Dog’s stitched mouth or chattering dress. Logan, who’s grieving her own dead BFF—and called Hot Dog by mistake.
Hot Dog wants to prove it’s not a mistake.
She can be Logan’s new best friend. She can go to Logan’s Halloween party. She can eat snacks, have sleepovers, and hang out. She can definitely smile without scaring people. Exactly like a real, human girl.
There’s one problem: Hog Dog’s not a real, living human girl, and something in Logan’s sprawling house knows it. It scratches like rats in the walls. It opens a secret door in Logan’s attic. It wants to drag Hot Dog into the nothingness where dead things go. And unless Hot Dog can confront the dark truth of how she died, it will unmake Logan too.
What’s Your Oracle?
If you’ve come to any of my events (or snagged preorder swag), you might have gotten one of these themed Oracle cards based on characters in the book. Click through the cards below to find which one fits you best! (Fingers crossed you’re a Hot Dog.)
The Vibes of the Book
Mystical and surreal
Darkly funny
Coming-of-age from beyond the grave
Teen ghost POV
Will make you crave hot dogs
Themes of friendship + healing
For fans of teen paranormal like Wednesday and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Will make you laugh and cry in public
Scariest chapter is a blank page
Lyrical prose + a healthy dose of camp