The Worlds We Leave Behind

Previous collaborators Harrold and Pinfold (The Song from Somewhere Else) probe the morality of vengeance in a multi-timeline fantasy with Twilight Zone vibes. When impulsive Hex Patel injures much younger Sascha, who inadvertently knocked him over on a swing, his disappointed best friend, Tommo, alerts Sascha's family, and her older sister, Maria, retaliates with her fists. Enraged and facing parental consequences, Hex retreats to the woods, finding a cottage where an old woman offers to exact revenge on his behalf by "excising" Maria from the world. But "he hadn't been made the only offer," and Maria acts first, eliminating Hex from life and memory. When the old timeline's events reoccur at Tommo's hands, and the revenge cycle begins anew, Tommo's conscience and Maria's memories of Hex may not be enough to stop it. Cohesive, folkloric worldbuilding provides balance to off-kilter timelines, the otherworldly ambiance enhanced by Pinfold's hazy, elongated figures and realistic landscapes. Harrold's staccato third-person narration captures myriad physiological experiences, including anger, embarrassment, freedom, and guilt, while exploring reactions' sometimes emotional roots. Most characters are described as having pale skin. Ages 8-12. (Feb.)

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

[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