Twin brothers discover their new home is also a portal to a parallel dimension in this spine-chilling middle-grade adventure, perfect for fans of The Mysterious Benedict Society--now available in paperback! Twelve-year-old twins Colm and Mal might look identical, but they’re different in just about every other way. The one thing they can agree on is that neither brother wants to move to Chicago for a fresh start with their mom two years after their dad’s death.
The boys soon discover that their new apartment building, Brunhild Tower, is full of strange quirks: a mysterious Princess who warns them not to wander the building at midday, eerie sounds coming from the walls, and an elevator that’s missing a button for the thirteenth floor. Then one afternoon, that button appears, catapulting the brothers and their inquisitive new neighbor, Tamika, into a parallel dimension and a twin building stuck in time, where the spirits of all the former residents of Brunhild Tower live on, trapped by an ancient curse. Now, Colm, Mal, and Tamika must race against time to solve the mystery of the phantom tower—or risk spending an eternity as ghosts themselves.
Twin brothers discover their new home is also a portal--for an hour a day--to a parallel dimension in this rollicking middle-grade adventure, perfect for fans of The Mysterious Benedict Society
Colm and Mal are twins so identical their own mom can't tell them apart, but they're different in just about every other way. Mal's a pragmatist while Colm's a dreamer, and they bicker and battle constantly. Neither brother is excited to be moving to Chicago for a fresh start with their mom just after their dad's death. But nothing cures homesickness like intrigue--and their new home, Brunhild Tower, has plenty of it: mysterious elderly neighbors who warn against wandering the building at midday, strange sounds in the walls, and an elevator missing a button for the thirteenth floor.
One day, that button appears--and when the doors open on the missing floor, the boys are greeted by the strangest puzzle yet: a twin building that is stuck in time and bustling with activity. All of Brunhild Tower's former residents live on in this phantom tower, where the rules of the real world don't apply. But when the brothers and their newfound friends discover they're all trapped by an ancient curse, they must band together to set everyone free before it's too late.
Praise for The Phantom Tower:
A Chicago Tribune Best Children's Book of 2018
"Goose bump-inducing fun."—
Kirkus Reviews
"[A] nail-biting adventure. . . . Hand to fans of Eoin Colfer’s 'Artemis Fowl' novels, Roland Smith’s 'IQ' series, or Mac Barnett’s 'The Brixton Brothers.'"—
School Library Journal
"Exciting action, a creepy curse and well-drawn characters make for supremely cozy reading on a cold winter’s night."—
Chicago Tribune
Praise for The Matchstick Castle:
"Fast-paced, anarchic fun for reluctant and avid readers alike."—
Kirkus Reviews
“This quirky novel is reminiscent of a Wes Anderson movie for the tweenage set. . . . For those who enjoy a bit of absurdist humor with their realism.”—
School Library Journal “A zippy, adventurous romp in the woods complete with fierce animals and buried treasure.”
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"What makes this book special is the way Graff evokes the excitement of new vistas . . . . a compelling reminder that it's a great big world out there, just waiting for the next generation of dreamers and explorers."—
Chicago Tribune"A whimsical adventure with a large dose of humor? Yes, please! This story spoke to my inner child, who suffered too many boring summer vacations and longed to discover something magical and exciting in my own backyard."—Jennifer Chambliss Bertman,
New York Times bestselling author of
Book Scavenger and
The Unbreakable Code
"For boys and girls alike, this story sings.”—Blue Balliett, award-winning author of
Chasing Vermeer“A towering tale filled with astonishing action, amazing characters, and two very daring adventurers.”—David Lubar, author of the Monsterrific Tales series, the Weenies series, and
Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie 
