A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Pages: 205
Intended Audience: Teens and tweens
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Fantasy
Notes for Parents: Includes discussions about terminal illness and death

The Back Cover

The monster showed up after midnight. As they do. But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting, the one from the nightmare he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming…
This monster is something different, something ancient, something wild. And it wants the truth.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

The story was inspired by an idea from the late author Siobhan Dowd who had already developed the characters, written a detailed premise and the beginning. Unfortunately she died of breast cancer before the book was finished. Ness was asked by their mutual publisher to write the story.

What’s good?

This is a wonderfully crafted story about fear, anger, and grief made palpable by hauntingly beautiful illustrations. The plot is simple and is powered by the raw emotions of a young boy with a dying mother who is haunted by a creature that seems to have stepped out of his nightmares. Although we don’t get to know a lot about each of the characters, we learn enough to feel their pain and experience their loss.
Best Part: The yew tree.

What isn’t good?

The story is short, so there’s not a lot of background or character development. However, in this instance, the lack of information allows the reader to fill in the blanks and imagine what it would be like to walk in the shoes of these people who are experiencing the worst moments of their life.
Worst part:  There’s nothing I didn’t like.

Recommendation þþþþo

Told like a fable, it’s the kind of story that makes you want to wrap up the young protagonist in your arms and never let him go. This heart-wrench tale about letting go is a work of art. Highly recommended.

Ness, Patrick. A Monster Calls. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, 2011.

Explorer: The Mystery Boxes edited by Kazu Kibuishi

Pages: 127
Intended Audience: Tweens and Teens
Genre: Graphic Novel – Short Stories
Notes for Parents: Some mildly scary scenes.

The Back Cover

What’s in the box?
Funny, fantastic, spooky, and suspenseful, each of these seven unique graphic stories revolves around a central theme: a mysterious box and the marvels – or mayhem – inside.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is a collection of seven short stories in graphic novel style by a variety of writers and illustrators.

What’s good?

Ranging from clever and creepy to bold and colourful, these easy-to-read short stories are a sampling of some of the industries best graphic novelists. Each story is centered around the idea of a box and its contents. While some stories are dark, like Under the Floorboards and The Soldier’s Daughter, others are light and funny, like Spring Cleaning and Whatzit.
Best Part: Whatzit.

What isn’t good?

While not all of the stories were to my liking, it was still fun to experience the different storytelling and illustrating styles.
Worst part:  The Soldier’s Daughter was a bit too melodramatic.

Recommendation þþþþo

This is a fantastic introduction to eight graphic novels written and illustrated in eight different ways about one common idea – a box. If you’ve never read a graphic novel before, or you’re looking for new graphic novelists to read, this is a book for you. It was a super quick read and thoroughly enjoyable. Recommended.

Kibuishi, Kazu, ed. Explorer: The Mystery Boxes. New York: Amulet, 2012.