www.crackingthecover.com
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    • Home
    • Picture
      • Ages 0-3
      • Ages 2 and up
      • Ages 3 and up
      • Ages 4 and up
      • Ages 5 and up
      • Ages 6 and up
      • Ages 8 and up
      • Author Interviews
      • Bedtime Stories
      • Gift Guide
    • Middle Grade
      • Author Interviews
      • Ages 6 and up
      • Ages 7 and up
      • Ages 8-12
      • Ages 9-12
      • Ages 10 and up
      • Gift Guide
    • YA
      • Author Interviews
      • Reviews
      • Adult Crossover
      • Gift Guide
    • Seasonal
      • Back to School
      • Christmas
      • Earth Day
      • Easter
      • Fall
      • Father’s Day
      • Mother’s Day
      • Gift Guide
      • Halloween
      • Spring
      • Valentine’s Day
      • Winter
    • Diversity
      • Asian American and Pacific Islanders
      • Autism Month
      • Black History
      • Chinese New Year
      • LGBT Pride Month
      • Women’s History
    • Crossover
    • About
      • Review/interview policy
      • About our reviewers
    www.crackingthecover.com

    The Worlds We Leave Behind is fantastic MG horror novel

    0
    By Jessica on February 22, 2023 ages 8-12, Middle Grade
    The Worlds We Leave BehindTHE WORLDS WE LEAVE BEHIND, by A.F. Harrold and Levi Pinfold, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, Feb. 21, 2023, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 8-12)

    The Worlds We Leave Behind, by A.F. Harrold and illustrated by Levi Pinfold, explores how we face down monsters.

    Hex doesn’t know why he does the things he does-why he sometimes stands up in class to look out the window or ask an unrelated question or do a little dance. He also doesn’t know why he threw the rock that day in the woods. He didn’t mean for the girl to fall and break her arm. But he’s blamed anyway.

    Enraged at how unfair life is, Hex runs into the woods and finds himself in a strange clearing — a clearing that can’t possibly exist-where a strange old woman offers him a deal: she’ll rid the world of those who wronged him. All he has to do is accept and they’ll be forgotten, forever. But what Hex doesn’t know is that someone else has been offered the same deal.

    When Hex’s best friend Tommo wakes up the next day, something feels wrong. Half-whispered memories tug at his brain, making him think that something-or someone-is missing from his life. Can Tommo put the world back the way it was? Or can he find a way to make a new world that could be better for them all? —Synopsis provided by Bloomsbury Children’s Books

    The Worlds We Leave Behind is one of those books that makes you think — in a good way. It’s masterfully crafted by A.F. Harrold and illustrated by Levi Pinfold.

    In The Worlds We Leave Behind, Harrold has created a creepy tale where things feel off from the start, but you’re not sure why. As the story progresses, though, you realize just how horrific it is.

    But this isn’t a blood-and-guts-type horror story. Instead, it’s a nuanced story of friendship, social nuances, betrayal and eventually vindication. There’s magic, mystery and things that lurk in the dark.

    As much as Harrold sets the tone with his words, Pinfold’s stunning black-and-white illustrations take it over the top. Scattered throughout, these images bring the characters and settings to life. They add to the overall sense of unease, making each turn of the page a nail-biter.

    The Worlds We Leave Behind is a fantastic middle-grade novel that would make for a great classroom or individual read.

     

    Copyright © 2023 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Jessica
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    Jessica Harrison is the main reviewer behind Cracking the Cover. Prior to creating Cracking the Cover, Jessica worked as the in-house book critic for the Deseret News, a daily newspaper in Salt Lake City. Jessica also worked as a copy editor and general features writer for the paper. Following that, Jessica spent two years with an international company as a social media specialist. She is currently a freelance writer/editor. She is passionate about reading and giving people the tools to make informed decisions in their own book choices.

    Related Posts

    Beowulf gets modern update in delightfully silly graphic novel Bea Wolf

    Learn power of equal access in sports in Matt Tavares’ Hoops

    Black Death takes center stage in Diane Zahler’s excellent Wild Bird

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    • facebook
    • twitter
    • instagram
    • goodreads
    • amazon
    • bloglovin
    • mail
    Subscribe by email
    Follow
    Recent Posts
    March 23, 2023

    Art and Life of Hilma AF Klint is fascinating picture book biography

    March 22, 2023

    Beowulf gets modern update in delightfully silly graphic novel Bea Wolf

    March 21, 2023

    Learn power of equal access in sports in Matt Tavares’ Hoops

    March 20, 2023

    Black Death takes center stage in Diane Zahler’s excellent Wild Bird

    March 20, 2023

    Tessa Barbosa draws from Filipino traditions in The Moonlight Blade

    Archives
    Categories
    On Writing

    “The dance with words and the way the hair on the back of my neck raises when it works right is what I live for.”

    —Gary Paulsen

    “I write because I exist. Because I read. Because I breathe.”

    —Lindsay Eager

    “Books are kind of like the sense of smell: inhale one page and memories come rushing back.”

    —Keir Graff

    Cracking the Cover is a website dedicated to picture, middle-grade and young adult books. It features reviews, author interviews and other book news. PLEASE NOTE: We are not currently accepting self published books for review.

    Copyright © 2010-2022 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

    Reviews Published Professional Reader 2016 NetGalley Challenge 100 Book Reviews

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.