Book Review - A Monster Calls

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness from an original idea by Siobhan Dowd and illustrated by Jim Kay (Walker Books, 2011)

A Monster Calls is destined not to be a normal book. Its illustrations and subject matter set it apart as something else. Then there is the fact that it was spun from the final literary idea of Siobhan Dowd before she died, and then written by Patrick Ness.

The idea is simple:
A monster is knocking at Connor O’Malley’s door
And it wants something deadly.
It wants the truth.

This is a amazing book. To put it simply. It has won 5 awards, including the Clip Carnegie Medal. The artist, Jim Kay, and the authors, Patrick Ness and Siobhan Dowd, all won the highest medals you can get in their profession.

WARNING: This is not a macho, war, murder, fighting story. You will find that most books I review will not be. It is a life story. And a death story. It is tells the tale of Connor O’Malley, who is battling inner demons, while he deals with the fact that his mother has cancer.

The illustrations are much better than any movie adaptation will be. They represent the crux of the book perfectly; dangerous, beautiful and heartbreaking.

Nick, 11, Canberra