Full of scary scenes, THE HUNGRY FOREST will appeal to those who love a creepy good monster story.
Ryan and Teddy lost their dad after he disappeared into the hungry forest, never to be seen again. He had warned them never to set foot in there themselves. Now that Dad is gone, Ryan has vowed to be the man of the family and tries to be that way with Teddy, despite his embarrassing behavior of always holding onto a teddy bear. Ryan’s anger and grief though is always directed at Teddy and he feels like a failure.
One day they hear a voice coming out of the forest and that voice belongs to Dad. Ryan goes in and warns his brother to stay put. Instead, Teddy sneaks in and is captured by a masked monster. Ryan soon learns they only have until sunrise or they will both be trapped in the hungry forest forever. From there it is one gripping scene after another as they will need to put aside their differences to stay alive.
The 37 chapters are full of tense moments and always end urging one to keep reading. Each turn of the page is a surprise you never expected. The third person narration works flawlessly to drive the story forward. The concluding scenes wrap up all plot points. No hint at a sequel but one would certainly be welcome for fans of this type of creepy tale.
BOOK BIRTHDAY: August 18, 2026 PAGES: 256
FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: THE HUNGRY FOREST by Kaela Rivera
- Perdida is a young girl who has been trapped in the forest for over 40 years. She hasn’t aged at all since then but a permanent mask is the mark she must wear after being captured. The boys make friends with her but their relationship is often at odds, especially with Ryan. Her inclusion adds real depth to the plot.
- The world building and creepiness of the monsters made this place all too real!
- The different personalities of Teddy and Ryan will be familiar to readers with siblings. Ryan is athletic and a runner while a much less active 8-year-old Teddy stays to himself and his stuffed bear. Their relationship changes in ways never expected.
- The grief and healing process of losing a family member was handled superbly.
- A good read aloud for the classroom or parent and child. Always nice to have support from others during scary scenes
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kaela Rivera is the multi-award-winning author of the Cece Rios trilogy, LEGO DREAMZzz: Dream Chasers and the Riddle-Spokens, and The Hungry Forest (coming Aug 18, 2026). She grew up reading the folktales of her Mexican-American and British parents in the forests of Tennessee, but now she writes about them from the soaring mountains of Utah. When not weaving together stories, she works in marketing, watches anime, or busies herself illustrating new adventures. She believes in the power of hope and aims to write adventures that heal. Sign up for her newsletter at kaelarivera.com.
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