A Monster Calls

A Monster Calls follows Conor, a young boy living with his mother’s terminal illness, who is visited by a towering yew tree monster that tells him stories and demands a truth in return. As Conor struggles with fear, anger, and guilt, the monster’s tales challenge simple ideas of right and wrong, pushing him to confront emotions he has tried to suppress while waiting for an inevitable loss.

Blending realism with dark, myth-like storytelling, the novel explores anticipatory grief and the emotional weight of loving someone who is dying. The monster serves as both guide and confrontation, insisting on honesty rather than comfort and acknowledging that grief can include frightening and contradictory feelings.

Written by Patrick Ness and inspired by an original idea from Siobhan Dowd, A Monster Calls is an emotionally intense illustrated novel that invites readers to sit with difficult truths about loss, love, and acceptance rather than offering easy resolution.

• Individual Reading & Reflection:
Best suited for teen readers processing complex emotions related to illness, fear, anger, and loss. The story invites private reflection and emotional honesty rather than problem-solving, and may be most effective when read at a reader’s own pace. Due to its emotional intensity and moral complexity, some younger or more concrete thinkers may find the content overwhelming and benefit from gentle caregiver check-ins or opportunities to talk through questions or reactions.

• Guided Discussion :
Can support thoughtful conversation when read alongside a trusted adult, educator, or counselor. Discussion may focus on emotional truth, moral complexity, and the ways grief can include contradictory or uncomfortable feelings.