Illustrated by Elisa Paganelli.

Cover art by Melissa Castrillón.

Published by Usborne, 2026.

What a treat to once more be whisked away on an adventure with Marinka and her house with chicken legs! For me, it was even better than the first book (and that’s no mean feat).

All Marinka’s life, she has lived in her house with chicken legs, a Yaga house, a place where dead souls come to celebrate their lives before being guided to the stars in a beautiful, comforting ceremony. Running across the world on magical adventures, Marinka knows how her house is feeling and it listens to her too. But something is wrong. And before anyone can stop it, the house has pulled itself apart and run away.

With her friend Benjamin and jackdaw Jack, Marinka races after the house to find answers. Travelling across far-distant lands, through new realms and magical places, Marinka must face up to her fears to save her friends.

I love Sophie Anderson’s multi-layered story telling which draws on her Slavic heritage and the Russian folk character of Baba Yaga and combines it with fairy-tale magic and adventure. Also, beautifully woven into the story are the big philosophical questions surrounding life and death. The book is stunningly illustrated too and I loved poring over all the intricate details in each of the sumptuous illustrations.

The story is really exciting; it’s fast-paced and full of action and there’s hardly any let-up in the tension and drama. Marinka and her friends hurtle from one perilous situation to another and must use all their resourcefulness and courage to survive.

The powerful themes of family and friendship are a driving force of the plot. It’s this strong emotional core which makes the book so moving and explains why Marinka’s story resonates with so many readers. The book explores grief and loss, regret and guilt, self-love and self-acceptance – fundamental aspects of the human condition – in a thoughtful and poignant way. I found many of the book’s final scenes to be deeply touching.

This is exceptional story-telling with marvellous characters, not least the larger-than-life character of the house itself.

Rating: 💙💙💙💙💙

Suitable for children aged 9+

Buy book Click on the link to buy The House With Chicken Legs Runs Away from Bookshop.org.

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Thank you to Usborne for sending me this book to review. 

Usborne are running a UK-only pre-order campaign for The House with Chicken Legs Runs Away where you can get your hands on a limited-edition badge pack and stunning artwork print, with foiled signatures from Sophie Anderson and Elisa Paganelli. All you have to do is pre-order The House with Chicken Legs Runs Away before the 8^th April and email proof to Usborne’s marketing department (marketing@usborne.co.uk).