Monster VS. Boy is a heartfelt story of accepting yourself for all your uniqueness, finding family and a place to call home. This novel is great for middle schoolers who are ready for an adventure of self-discovery.
~ Momma Braga
Synopsis
On the edge of town, a boy named Dawz lives with his sister and their uncle-turned-adoptive-father, Pop. No one in their ramshackle house knows that a monster—who is smaller than a bear cub—lives in Dawz’s bedroom closet. She calls herself Mim.
When a series of events forces Mim to leave her closet, she sets out on a quest to unlock the magic of books, but will Dawz be willing to help her?
The story of a monster who desperately wants to be seen and the reluctant boy who wishes he weren’t the only one who could, this exploration of found family, fear and mental health, and intergenerational trauma begs the question: What if the monsters that haunt us aren’t monsters at all?
#MelAndNikkiReview
Monster VS. Boy is a middle grade novel that shows us the importance of finding ourselves within our family and community. It was neat to see the bond that Dawz and Mim created as their differences is what made them the same.
Both were trying to find their place and embrace their uniqueness. It is lovely to see that they both finally find what they have been looking for.
For this #MelAndNikkiReview, we give this book 5 tomatoes out of 5! Why tomatoes, you ask? You will need to read the book to find the connection! 😉 I loved reading this novel as the message within is empowering. Learning to love and accept yourself is the best message a book can convey to young readers. Dawz and Mim managed to bond and create a beautiful friendship that shows not all monsters are really monsters.
If you would like to purchase this novel, click here.
About the Author
Karen Krossing wrote comics and poetry as a kid and dreamed of becoming a published writer. Today, she’s the author of many books for kids and teens, including picture books One Tiny Bubble and Sour Cakes, and novels Punch Like a Girl, Bog, and Cut the Lights. She won the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award for Canada in 2015 and 2023 and has been a finalist for the Ontario Library Association White Pine Award and the Joan F. Kaywell Books Save Lives Award, among other honors. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts, and she’s on faculty at Whale Rock Literary Workshops. Watch for her upcoming middle-grade novel Monster vs. Boy with Charlesbridge Publishing in 2023.
Karen nurtures new writers through writing workshops for kids, teens, and adults. She also offers readings and book talks, where she talks about her work and the writing process.
As a freelance writer and editor, Karen writes and edits for business and educational clients. She also mentors writers for kids and teens.
Karen lives with her family in Toronto, on the traditional territory of the Wendat, Haudenosaunee, and Anishinabeg and the treaty lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit.
Until next time…Happy Parenting!
~ Momma Braga
*Please note that this novel was provided in exchange of an honest review. All opinions expressed are our own.
Thanks for reviewing Monster vs. Boy!
Thank YOU for writing it! It was a fantastic read!