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The Hungry Forest
- Author
- Kaela Rivera
- Narrator
- André Santana
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing
- Publish Date
- 18 August 2026
- Run Time
- 5 hours 49 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
In this fast-paced middle grade horror for fans of SMALL SPACES, a boy must confront his grief and save his younger brother from a cursed forest.
Ryan’s dad had a lot of rules:
Never let others see you cry.
Never let people outside of the family hear you speaking Spanish.
But the most important rule of all? Never go into the hungry forest.
Since his father’s death, Ryan has worked extra hard to follow his father’s rules and be the kind of man his father would be proud of. But Ryan's anger is getting out of control, and he can't seem to stop taking it out on his younger brother Teddy.
When Teddy and Ryan think they hear their father calling them from The Hungry Forest, Ryan ventures in. Teddy was supposed to wait outside, but he didn't listen, and is quickly captured by a terrifying, masked monster.
With no sign of Dad and monsters closing in, one thing is clear: The forest is as cursed as the legends say. If Ryan can't find his brother and escape the woods before sunrise, they'll be trapped there forever. Ryan and Teddy will have to face their fears—and each other—to make it out alive.
Critics Review
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Kaela Rivera's The Hungry Forest is a deeply imaginative, spooky story that is rooted in real family dynamics and authentic emotions. Young readers will connect with and root for Ryan and Teddy as they fight to survive an impossible forest and its weird inhabitants (and maybe make some friends along the way). The Hungry Forest belongs in schools and libraries and on the shelves of young readers who love a sometimes-scary, heartfelt adventure. I'll be handing this one to my own kids.
Lora Senf, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Clackity
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The best horror stories don't just scare you. They heal you. Not only does The Hungry Forest get that—it does that.
Josh Allen, critically-acclaimed author of Out to Get You and Only If You Dare
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I love this book. The monsters in The Hungry Forest rock. Spooks and scares with a classic feel, plus a story brimming with real heart and hope. I'll be seeing these monsters and thinking about Ryan and Teddy for a long, long time.
Sarah Allen, author of The Nightmare House and Monster Tree
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Lyrical and immersive, The Hungry Forest hooks you from the first page. Rivera masterfully balances horror and heart in this high-stakes, fast-paced story of two brothers navigating unprocessed grief and learning that it’s okay to be vulnerable.
Shakirah Bourne, author of Nightmare Island and Josephine Against the Sea
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Kaela Rivera delivers a chilling, fast-paced tale that pulses with real emotional depth. The Hungry Forest is as terrifying as it is tender, grappling with grief, brotherhood, and the dangerous lessons boys inherit about what it means to be “strong.” Readers will race through its haunted shadows, rooting for Ryan and Teddy every step of the way. With nuanced Latinx representation and unforgettable scares, this novel lingers long after the final page. A gripping, resonant read.
David Bowles, award-winning author of They Call Me Güero and the 13th Street series
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The Hungry Forest is a spooky middle grade that serves up equal parts horror, heart, and hair-raising moments. Readers will devour it in one gulp.
Marina Cohen, author of The Inn Between and The Doll's Eye
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Beautifully written, heartwarming, and spooky. With characters you can’t help but root for, The Hungry Forest kept me engaged from cover to cover. Once you start reading you won’t be able to stop!
Daka Hermon, author of Hide and Seeker and Nightmare King
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Rivera has masterfully crafted a story that delivers a thrilling narrative while also offering important insight into the experiences of Mexican immigrants living in the United States. This novel is perfect for those seeking to dip their toes into horror and explore fear as an essential part of the human experience.
School Library Journal, starred review
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[A] cinematic middle-grade treat that pulses with action, horror, and humanity.
Shelf Awareness, starred review
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Reader Santana does well keeping character voices distinguished and pacing the story in a way that middle-graders will find easy to digest.
Booklist
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Melds scary thrills with heartfelt emotional insights.
Kirkus Reviews
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This family-focused tale is an ideal entry point to horror for young readers.
Publishers Weekly
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Rivera tackles themes of masculinity, mourning, and the immortal bonds of family in this gripping, atmospheric, and utterly eerie tale.
Booklist
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Kaela Rivera
- Narrator
- André Santana
- Duration
- 5 hours 49 minutes
- Release Date
- 18 August 2026
- ISBN
- 9781547619542
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing
- Genre
- Children’s / Teenage fiction: Horror and ghost stories, chillers, or other scary supernatural stories
Synopsis
Bloomsbury presents The Hungry Forest by Kaela Rivera, read by André SantanaIn this fast-paced middle grade horror for fans of SMALL SPACES, a boy must confront his grief and save his younger brother from a cursed forest.Ryan’s dad had a lot of rules: Never let others see you cry. Never let people outside of the family hear you speaking Spanish. But the most important rule of all? Never go into the hungry forest. Since his father’s death, Ryan has worked extra hard to follow his father’s rules and be the kind of man his father would be proud of. But Ryan's anger is getting out of control, and he can't seem to stop taking it out on his younger brother Teddy.When Teddy and Ryan think they hear their father calling them from The Hungry Forest, Ryan ventures in. Teddy was supposed to wait outside, but he didn't listen, and is quickly captured by a terrifying, masked monster. With no sign of Dad and monsters closing in, one thing is clear: The forest is as cursed as the legends say. If Ryan can't find his brother and escape the woods before sunrise, they'll be trapped there forever. Ryan and Teddy will have to face their fears—and each other—to make it out alive.
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