"[A] wonderfully crafted, mesmerizing text. . . . This sophisticated novel exists in a delightfully dark place between fairy tale, horror and science fiction, and opens up a fascinating world of what-ifs." - Shelf Awareness, starred review
“An impeccably crafted, cerebral fantasy.” —Booklist, starred review
“This delightfully creepy tale weaves the perfect mix of horror with honesty about the struggles of being human and growing up… Harrold delivers a world as eerie as it is true, as uplifting as it is intense in a triumph of storytelling.” —School Library Journal, starred review
"Harrold's creepy tale takes off with this altered world, uncanny in its innocuous but distressing changes. . . Pinfold's chiaroscuro-esque, surreal illustrations raise the stakes." - The Horn Book
“A cautionary tale of consequences and revenge, but also new possibilities.” —BCCB
“Harrold's staccato third-person narration captures myriad physiological experiences, including anger, embarrassment, freedom, and guilt, while exploring reactions' sometimes emotional roots.” —Publishers Weekly
“Pinfold's fine-lined, chiaroscuro drawings are perfectly in tune with Harrold's reserved, unsettling narrative voice… Compact and disquieting: a horror story with plenty of food for thought.” —Kirkus Reviews
“This gripping middle-grade novel is interspersed with black-and-white illustrations that really help tell this story of forgiveness, friendship, and making choices.” —School Library Connection
“Gravett's full-color illustrations perfectly channel Harrold's narrative . . . Gripping and poignant, a look at what it means to be brave and alive in the face of loss.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review, on THE AFTERWARDS
“A curious, immersive narrative . . . Ember's vibrant personality imbues the book with unfaltering warmth.” —Booklist, starred review, on THE AFTERWARDS
“Aided by Gravett's evocative art, Harrold brings this eerie . . . tale about accepting change, letting go, and love's indissoluble bonds to an affecting finale that is very much grounded in real life.” —Publishers Weekly, on THE AFTERWARDS
“Harrold brings a delectable combination of coziness, sympathy, and menace to this story . . . and Gravett's soft and friendly watercolor and pencil art . . . further ground the adventure, making this an accessible story of controlled shivers and heartfelt compassion.” —BCCB, on THE AFTERWARDS
“Readers of Neil Gaiman or Roald Dahl may find this title particularly appealing . . . Recommended.” —School Library Connection, on THE AFTERWARDS
“Readers of the author/illustrator pair's The Imaginary will find familiar their ability to invent imaginatively creepy magic and use it to explore real-life emotions.” —Horn Book Magazine, on THE AFTERWARDS
“Wonderfully entertaining.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review, on THE IMAGINARY
““A great choice for readers who like fantastic tales with a dose of true scariness.”” —School Library Journal, starred review, on THE IMAGINARY
““Affecting and lovely.”” —The New York Times Book Review on THE IMAGINARY
““[A] winningly whimsical celebration of the imagination, beautifully enhanced by both black-and-white and full-color illustrations.”” —Booklist on THE IMAGINARY
““Masterfully paced and stunningly crafted.”” —Shelf Awareness, starred review, on THE SONG FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE
““Strong characterizations and a good dose of spookiness are standouts.”” —School Library Journal, starred review, on THE SONG FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE
““Captivating.”” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review, on THE SONG FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE
““Incisive [and] poetic.”” —The Horn Book Magazine, starred review, on THE SONG FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE
★ 01/01/2023
Gr 5 Up— It wasn't Hex's fault the little girl followed him and his best friend Tommo into the woods and got herself hurt. Yes, he did throw the rock (Why did he do that? He doesn't know, just like he doesn't know why he does many things), but he doesn't deserve the scorn of his best friend or being attacked by the girl's sister. Just as the injustice of everything overwhelms him, Hex finds himself at a mysterious cottage where an old woman kindly offers him a chance at revenge. He can make the girl who did this to him disappear, erase her from ever existing. But what if Hex isn't the only one who has been given this offer? This delightfully creepy tale weaves the perfect mix of horror with honesty about the struggles of being human and growing up. Everyone makes mistakes, but what are the costs of purposely choosing to wrong another human being? Set in England, there are a several English references sprinkled throughout. Pinfold's stunning black-and-white illustrations bring the characters and settings frighteningly to life throughout each chapter. VERDICT Harrold delivers a world as eerie as it is true, as uplifting as it is intense in a triumph of storytelling. Recommended for purchase in all libraries serving patrons who seek complex tales about growing up.—Emily Beasley
2022-12-14
How do individuals shape the world around them?
Tommo’s friend Hex is the first person to appear in this eerie illustrated tale. Hex is careless, impulsive, cognizant of the ways he often acts without thinking. On Monday, when a younger child tagging after the boys falls out of a tree and breaks an arm, her big sister blames them, especially Hex. She succumbs to the temptation for retribution offered her by an old woman whose cottage mysteriously appears in the ancient forest nearby. The result? Hex is removed from the world entirely. On Wednesday, Tommo leaves his house in the morning with the sense that someone he knew well is simply no longer; it’s as if he’d never existed. Finding his own way to the cottage, Tommo makes the horrific discovery of Hex’s spiderweb-wrapped form. An official looking woman informs him of an Unauthorized Temporal Reweave and arms him with a device to remove the old woman and her timeline interference from this corner of the world—but Tommo must find the courage to use it. Pinfold’s fine-lined, chiaroscuro drawings—stars against the night sky, characters’ elongated faces and hands—are perfectly in tune with Harrold’s reserved, unsettling narrative voice. This original work, unfolding over the course of five weekdays, is reminiscent of William Sleator’s speculative fiction and will appeal to fans of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline. Characters read White.
Compact and disquieting: a horror story with plenty of food for thought. (Fiction. 9-13)