Bloomsbury ISBN 9781408894316 £12.99
Remarkably powerful friendships are becoming a trademark of A.F. Harrold. For those who enjoyed The Imaginary, here is another very different tale of loyalty: comical, moving, yet darkly disturbing by turns. Ember and Ness are best friends who lark about and share everything- then Ness dies suddenly and Ember is utterly bereft. When, through the disturbed behaviour of her Uncle Graham she finds herself in the Afterworld, Ember determines to rescue her friend who is fading fast. Enter one extraordinary cat, the irksome Mrs Todd, a colourless Afterworld and something lurking in the front room of a house. This is an unsettling book, despite the warm and witty illustrations by Gravett. Written for children aged 8/9 upwards, it is, in parts, really scary. It tackles deep loss and at times, the protagonist puts herself at great risk. The behaviour of some of the adult characters is profoundly unnerving, so thank goodness for the cat! Don’t forget to re-read the fabulously illustrated prologue at the end.
Sue Barrett, retired teacher and lecturer