The Worlds We Leave Behind
A Booklist Editor's Choice Title for 2023
From acclaimed author and illustrator pair A.F. Harrold and Levi Pinfold comes another powerful and poignant story about friendship, betrayal, and redemption.
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Become an affiliateA. F. Harrold is the author of The Afterwards, The Imaginary, and The Song from Somewhere Else, as well as a poet who writes and performs for adults and children (see, for example, The Book of Not Entirely Useful Advice). He lives in Reading, England, with a podcaster and two cats.
www.afharroldkids.com
www.levipinfold.com
"[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 "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