A Monster Calls- October 12


Grade: A

Patrick Ness (Chaos Walking trilogy) continues to be one of our favorites. In A Monster Calls, Ness pays tribute to one of his favorite authors, Siobhan Dowd, who passed away before her time.

An ancient, wild monster comes for Conor at seven minutes past midnight- and it wants something. After weeks of terrible nightmares, filled with visions of losing his mother, Conor prepares for the worst. The monster strikes a bargain with Conor, he will save his mother if Conor will give him the truth. Each day Conor watches and worries as his mother becomes weaker and weaker. Each night the monster returns to show Conor a truth and asks for one in return. As Conor tries to deal with new responsibilities, grief, and loss, the monster waits.

Don't be surprised if you find yourself reaching for the kleenex as you near the end of this one. Ness has crafted a tale that shows the raw emotions of a child, trying to deal with death and knowing that there is nothing they can do to stop it. A Monster Calls packs a powerful punch into a small number of pages.

Next up: The Immortal Rules- Oct. 20th

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