The Monsters of Rookhaven

By Pádraig Kenny and Edward Bettison

Nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2022
Waterstones Children's Book of the Month for October 2021
Winner of the Honour Award for Fiction, KPMG Irish Children's Book Awards 2021

'A magnificent, shadowy, gothic adventure full of heart' – Emma Carroll, author of Frost Hollow Hall.

A thought-provoking, chilling and beautifully written novel, Pádraig Kenny's The Monsters of Rookhhaven, stunningly illustrated by Edward Bettison, explores difference and empathy through the eyes of characters you won't want to let go.

Sometimes the monsters take us. Sometimes we become the monsters.

Mirabelle has always known she is a monster. When the glamour protecting her unusual family from the human world is torn and an orphaned brother and sister stumble upon Rookhaven, Mirabelle soon discovers that friendship can be found in the outside world.

But as something far more sinister comes to threaten them all, it quickly becomes clear that the true monsters aren't necessarily the ones you can see.

'A stunning book . . . a brand new take on the monster story' – Eoin Colfer

'A wildly imaginative story . . . a triumph' – Irish Examiner

'Kenny is a thrilling writer and knows how to chill his readers' – Telegraph

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Release date: Sep 17, 2020
• ISBN: 9781529031492

Pádraig Kenny

Pádraig Kenny is an Irish writer from County Kildare, now living in Limerick. Previously an arts journalist, a teacher and a librarian's assistant, he now writes full-time. His first novel Tin was a Waterstones Book of the Month and was nominated for the Carnegie, as well as being shortlisted for the Irish Book Award and several regional awards. He is married with four children. The Monsters of Rookhaven and The Shadows of Rookhaven are both novels for Macmillan Children's Books.

Reviews for The Monsters of Rookhaven

[bibliovermis · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A complex story for the age group, about a monstrous but loving family and its dealings with the outside world. The "monsters" are in a way a reflection of the town in which they are hidden—the townspeople see their own fears in the family living in Rookhaven, but also their own humanity. A diabolical enemy working to stoke bad feeling in the town, for its own nefarious purposes, adds excitement to the tale. The ending is wrapped up a little too neatly and sweetly, but it's a very good story.

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Into a family of monsters come two teens running from the world when the veil between the house and the world breaks, one of the family find that friendship can come from outside. But when an evil appears hunting the monsters the village and the people have to do something about it and create a new future. Set in post-war England this is an interesting read.When I picked this up I didn't realise that it was a children's book and this is one of those that straddles adult and children. Some of the people and the situations are a little simplified and rushed but I've read less insightful books written for adults. The illustrations add to the book and are fabulous and it was a very satisfying read.