A Monster Calls

The nightmares began after Connor’s mother started her treatments. Night after night Connor dreams that his mother is on the edge of a cliff. Below her in the ravine is a grotesque monster clawing his way up the cliff wall to get her. Only Connor’s grasp on his mother’s hands keeps her from falling into the abyss until she slips from his grip and tumbles down …

Not that his waking hours are much better – school features a trio of recess bullies and friends who no longer seem to see him and the cancer treatments that were supposed to heal his mother seem only to be making her worse. But one night at 7 minutes after midnight a new Monster calls Connor. The Monster wants to tell Connor three stories. But in return, he demands that Connor tell him the fourth story.

Each night the Monster tells his stories of murder, destruction, and trickery, and Connor wakes the next day to confront his reality with the help of the Monster until the final night when Connor is forced to tell the Monster his devastating secret.

Patrick Ness is one of my favorite authors (I love his Chaos Walking series) and his storytelling really shines in this book. The illustrations by Jim Kay are brilliant. Although the book cover and title might make you think this is a horror book, it’s not. It’s a fable with a powerful sad/happy ending. How can it be both happy and sad? It just is.