Making Friends With Monsters

Title:

Making Friends With Monsters

Author:

Rostirolla, Sandra L.

Subject:

Emotions & Feelings

Death, Grief, Bereavement

Depression

Social Themes

Young Adult Fiction

Description:

"Why does everything have to be so complicated? Why? Monsters! That's why! They stick their scungy little noses into everything!" In this gripping tale, twelve-year-old Sam's innocent quest to help his troubled older brother, quickly spirals into a battle with his own inner monster. After a life-altering accident awakens Sam's beast, his once well-intentioned actions wreak havoc on his relationships, including with the girl he loves. When he uncovers the family secret that triggered his brother's downward spiral, Sam realizes someone else also has a monster and the hideous beast did something really bad. With his world spiraling out of control, Sam struggles to find balance and along the way discovers hidden strengths and the power of compassion. In this thrilling book, the stakes are high as Sam confront the truth about himself and those around him. Full of heart-pounding suspense and emotional depth, "Making Friends With Monsters" is a powerful story of self-discovery, resilience, and the transformative power of friendship. Readers of all ages will be captivated by Sam's harrowing journey as he grapples with the complexities of life and finds the courage to confront the monstrous shadows that haunt us all. Themes include: Suicidal ideas, death of a family member, animal death, family dysfunction, and severe bodily trauma.

Publisher:

Pinkus Books

Date:

2023-04-04

Digital Format:

HOOPLA E BOOK

Summary

"An urgent, unflinching YA novel about the "monsters" of depression and family dysfunction." -Booklife, Editor's PickWhy does everything have to be so complicated?Why?Monsters! That's why!They stick their scungy little noses into everything.Twelve-year-old Sam learns this lesson the hard way. His fact-finding mission about Monsters starts off with the best of intensions. He just wants to help his older brother, Ben.After a terrible accident awakens his own Monster, Sam's behaviour starts causing problems with everyone, including the girl he loves.He discovers the family secret that caused Ben's downward spiral and realizes that someone else also has a Monster. And the hideous beast did something really bad.If Sam is to get through this mess, he needs to find a way to make friends with his Monster before the ravenous beast turns around and swallows him whole.Themes include: Mental health, suicide, and family dysfunction.

Reviews (1)

Kirkus Review

A tween comes to grips with the darkness in himself and others. In this harsh but heartfelt middle-grade novel, it seems as if nothing can go right for 12-year-old Sam Nolen and his family. Their rural Australian sheep farm is suffering after six years of drought; money is tight; and Sam's older brother Ben's moodiness has progressed to outright anger. Later, there is news of a neighbor's suicide; Sam loses his arm helping out on another farm; his father hijacks a water truck; and Ben dies under confusing circumstances. As Sam struggles to make sense of the problems in his family and community, adjust to the loss of a limb, and understand his own emotions, he decides that people have a "Monster" within them, shaping their behavior for good and ill. He sets out to understand the rules concerning these Monsters, including "Most people don't know they exist." Despite its Grapes of Wrath--esque grimness--the story includes a variety of tragedies, intentional and unintentional deaths, and maimings; and if things can get worse for Sam's family, they nearly always will--the book is utterly engaging and rewarding. It is suitably funny at times, with Sam's perfect blend of earnestness and cynicism bringing the narrative voice to life. There is an element of mystery, as Sam uncovers what happened to Ben, that fits seamlessly into the coming-of-age plot. The ending is redemptive, and Sam draws conclusions about human behavior from his study of Monsters, but it never feels forced, moralizing, or inauthentic. A strong cast of secondary characters--especially Cliff, a biker gang leader who becomes Sam's mentor in amputee life--adds to the book's layers. Readers who are unfamiliar with Australian life will have little trouble making sense of the story's regionalisms, and a wealth of details, like the hierarchy of uses and reuses for the limited supply of water, makes the setting feel both desperate and real. Rostirolla balances evoking readers' sympathies with avoiding maudlin emotions, successfully turning a novel about stark and painful topics into an enjoyable read. A rich, compelling tale that deftly explores bleak themes for young readers. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.