The Hungry Forest

Rivera (Cece Rios and the Queen of Brujas) spotlights two grieving siblings embarking on a thrilling supernatural adventure. Following their father’s death, 12-year-old Ryan Ramirez feels responsible for his eight-year-old brother, Teddy; Ryan hopes that by looking out for his sibling, he can support their grieving mother. But Ryan’s desire to live a life his father would be proud of chafes against his deteriorating relationship with Teddy. While Ryan tries to hide his grief behind a cool, tough-guy persona, Teddy leans into behaviors that Ryan finds embarrassing, while also taking up their father’s obsession with the nearby forest, where many children have disappeared. When Teddy enters the woods and Ryan gives chase, both boys are drawn further in after hearing their father’s voice echoing through the trees. The siblings soon encounter an ethereal world where powerful beings wearing magical masks carved from the forest’s trees attempt to capture them. Now the brothers must find a way to escape the forest before sunrise, at which point they’ll transform into trees and be trapped in the woods forever. Though a jam-packed plot and dangling plotlines sometimes prove disorienting, readers will nevertheless revel in the Latinx-cued protagonists’ lived-in relationship and touching sequences addressing their shifting dynamic. This family-focused tale is an ideal entry point to horror for young readers. Ages 9–14. Agent: Serene Hakim, Ayesha Pande Literary. (Aug.)