Published by Walker Books on 27 Sep 2011
Goodreads | Amazon
At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting. He's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he's had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments. The monster in his backyard is different. It's ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth.
The monster that appeared was not the monster Conor expected. Throughout the book, Conor tries to understand why the monster is here and battles with his own truth.
The answer is that it does not matter what you think, because your mind will contradict itself a hundred times each day... Your mind will believe comforting lies while also knowing the painful truths that make those lies necessary. And your mind will punish you for believing both.
I found myself in Conor's shoes, confused in this tumultuous time in his life, wondering what the monster wanted, what the monster was, what Conor's truth was, and what he was afraid of. Although this book dealt with heavy topics like cancer and grief, it was easy to read (and illustrated! if you get that version of the book) -- the beautiful storytelling leading me on a quest, taking me straight along this child's adventure.
Stories are wild creatures. When you let them loose, who knows what havoc they might wreak?
This story didn't hit me as hard as it hit most people, but keep a tissue box around for yourself just in case!
To anyone who needs to hear it: There is no one right way to grieve or feel. The only thing you can do is speak your truth.
A story for all ages.
