About the Author

Patrick Ness is the author of the critically-acclaimed and bestselling Chaos Walking trilogy. He has won numerous awards including the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, the Booktrust Teenage Prize, the Costa Children's Book Award and the Carnegie Medal. He lives in Los Angeles, USA. Siobhan Dowd was the widely-loved, prize-winning author of four books, two of which were published after her death from cancer, aged 47. In 2009, she became the first author ever posthumously awarded the Carnegie Medal.

Jim Kay studied illustration and worked in the archives of the Tate Gallery and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, two experiences that heavily influence his work. His images for A Monster Calls use everything from beetles to bread boards to create interesting marks and textures. He lives in Kettering, Northamptonshire.

Reviews

Moving and compelling . . . outstanding writing * The East Anglian Times * A haunting narrative dominated by symbol and atmosphere -- Robert Dunbar * Irish Times * Incredibly thought-provoking and emotional . . . a complete stunner of a book which I couldn't rate anything below five out of five stars. I loved it! * UKYA * Dark and dangerous, beautifully illustrated and even a bit hopeful. * Charlie Fletcher, author of the Stoneheart trilogy * emotionally powerful * Daily Express * "It is a novel that does not shy away from the harsh realities that we all have to face from time to time. As such, it is sometimes uncomfortable, often heart-breaking and always true. [...] A Monster Calls teaches us about the importance of confronting the truth - no matter how unpleasant or monstrous it may seem." * Buckinghamshire Life * Ness creates vivid characters: Conor's absent, well-meaning father, a non-traditional grandmother and the storytelling Monster, as sketched in gothic chiaroscuro by illustrator Jim Kay. * Children's Books Ireland - Mind Yourself * Drawing on themes of love, loss and hope, teenagers will hopefully find the rage and raw pain within the pages resonates with them. * The Independent *

Moving and compelling . . . outstanding writing * The East Anglian Times * A haunting narrative dominated by symbol and atmosphere -- Robert Dunbar * Irish Times * Incredibly thought-provoking and emotional . . . a complete stunner of a book which I couldn't rate anything below five out of five stars. I loved it! * UKYA * Dark and dangerous, beautifully illustrated and even a bit hopeful. * Charlie Fletcher, author of the Stoneheart trilogy * emotionally powerful * Daily Express * "It is a novel that does not shy away from the harsh realities that we all have to face from time to time. As such, it is sometimes uncomfortable, often heart-breaking and always true. [...] A Monster Calls teaches us about the importance of confronting the truth - no matter how unpleasant or monstrous it may seem." * Buckinghamshire Life * Ness creates vivid characters: Conor's absent, well-meaning father, a non-traditional grandmother and the storytelling Monster, as sketched in gothic chiaroscuro by illustrator Jim Kay. * Children's Books Ireland - Mind Yourself * Drawing on themes of love, loss and hope, teenagers will hopefully find the rage and raw pain within the pages resonates with them. * The Independent *