A Monster Calls

A thirteen-year-old boy named Conor struggles to cope with his mother's terminal illness while dealing with bullies at school and a difficult relationship with his grandmother. Each night at 12:07, he receives visits from a giant monster who takes the form of a yew tree and tells him stories. The monster's stories challenge Conor's understanding of truth, morality, and human nature. Through these encounters, Conor faces his deepest fears and emotions about his mother's condition and his place in the world. The novel combines elements of magical realism with raw emotional storytelling to explore grief, loss, and the complexity of human relationships. It addresses universal questions about love, truth-telling, and the power of stories to help us confront painful realities.

Readers describe A Monster Calls as an emotional story about grief, loss, and coming to terms with difficult truths. The book resonates particularly with those who have experienced family illness or loss. Readers appreciated: - The realistic portrayal of a child processing grief - Integration of illustrations with the narrative - Direct handling of complex emotions - The monster's role as both frightening and comforting Common criticisms: - Too dark/heavy for younger readers - Pacing feels slow in the middle sections - Some found the ending predictable Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 4.35/5 (from 223,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (from 4,800+ ratings) Barnes & Noble: 4.7/5 (from 900+ ratings) Reader quote: "This book put into words feelings I've never been able to express about losing my mother" - Goodreads reviewer Parents often note the book works best for ages 12+ due to mature themes.

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When a Monster Calls by Lauren Oliver Through supernatural encounters, a young girl processes the terminal illness of her brother and learns to face difficult truths.

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🌳 The original concept for "A Monster Calls" came from Siobhan Dowd, who was terminally ill with cancer. After her death, Patrick Ness was asked to write the story, making it a unique collaboration between two authors. 📚 The book has won unprecedented dual medals - both the Carnegie Medal for writing and the Kate Greenaway Medal for illustration in 2012, the first time one book won both prestigious awards. 🎨 The striking black and white illustrations by Jim Kay were created using everything from beetles to breadboards to make textures, and he completed them all in his garden shed. 🌿 The yew tree monster in the story has deep roots in Celtic mythology, where yew trees were considered sacred and often planted in churchyards. They were also traditionally used to make medicine, including some modern cancer treatments. 🎬 The 2016 film adaptation starred Liam Neeson as the voice of the Monster, and Sigourney Weaver as the grandmother. The film used a combination of practical effects and CGI to bring the Monster to life.