
From the author of the critically acclaimed The Imaginary comes a powerful story about friendship in the vein of Roald Dahl and Neil Gaiman.
A School Library Journal Best Book of 2017
A Wall Street Journal Best Book of 2017
Frank thought her summer couldn't get any worse--until big, weird, smelly Nick Underbridge rescues her from a bully, and she winds up at his house.
A.F. Harrold (1975 - present) is an English poet and children's author. Some of the things he makes (books, poems, faces) are funny, some are strange, some are sad, and many of them involve the privilege of working with amazing illustrators. He often visits schools, reading poems and running workshops and juggling ideas.
He is the owner of many books, a handful of hats, a few good ideas and one beard. He lives in Reading with a stand-up comedian and two cats.""A.F. Harrold's work is masterfully paced and stunningly crafted . . . Levi Pinfold's striking black-and-white illustrations add mood, creating a reading experience similar to Patrick Ness's A Monster Calls with the chills and growing terror of Neil Gaiman's Coraline." --starred review, Shelf Awareness
"Strong characterizations and a good dose of spookiness are standouts in this illustrated novel . . . Hand to fans of Neil Gaiman's Coraline, Holly Black's Doll Bones, and other books that balance scariness and substance." --starred review, School Library Journal "Pinfold's atmospheric illustrations, darkly menacing and mysterious by turns, add to the contemporary folk-tale atmosphere . . . Captivating." --starred review, Kirkus Reviews "Fairy tale, fable, and dream . . . Harrold's incisive, poetic way with words . . . intensifies the vague darkness of his otherworldly imagery. Pinfold's shadowy art deepens the story's air of mystery and threat." --starred review, The Horn Book Magazine "A haunting, sorrowful story tinged with magic and hope." --Wall Street Journal "Friendship, acceptance, trust, and decency weave their magic throughout Harrold's tale . . . Lush black-and-white illustrations by Pinfold enhance the secrecy, wonder, and mood of the story." --Booklist "British poet Harrold writes with an engaging voice rich with character . . . Spot illustrations and immersive double-page black and white drawings are captivating in their intricacy and melancholy, blending perfectly with the poignant tone that resonates through the whole novel." --BCCB "Harrold offers an appealingly childcentric world with hefty doses of scare and malevolence . . . Wonderfully entertaining." --starred review, Kirkus Reviews on THE IMAGINARY "[An] inventive mix of humor and suspense . . . A great choice for readers who like fantastic tales with a dose of true scariness." --starred review, School Library Journal on THE IMAGINARY "Most affecting and lovely when describing powerful relationships." --The New York Times Book Review on THE IMAGINARY "Pinfold's story has a timeless quality . . . A great pick for storytime, bedtime, anytime." --starred review, Kirkus Reviews on BLACK DOG "Fear, fun, and just dripping with beauty." --starred review, School Library Journal on BLACK DOG "Quirky, funny, and often heart-stopping." --starred review, Booklist on BLACK DOG "Pinfold's interiors are crammed with quirky detail." --starred review, Publishers Weekly on BLACK DOG