Vendor
	Mohrbooks Literary Agency Annelie Geissler
Categories
Children’s, Teenage & Educational

MONSTER TREE

Sarah Allen

Linus used to be an artist, like his dad. Then his father died, and Linus's mom moved them to the other side of the city, hoping for a fresh start. Maybe Linus will even start drawing again.

But there's something wrong with the tree in their unusual new neighbor Maude's backyard. At night Linus sees it moving, changing, growing. When increasingly bizarre events plague the neighborhood from massive claw marks to missing pets and sightings of a red-eyed creature Linus suspects Maude and her tree are to blame, even if his mom doesn't quite believe him. With the neighborhood in peril, Linus teams up with his goofy best friend Spencer and no-nonsense neighbor Abby to unearth whatever sinister seeds have been planted next door. even as something truly monstrous is taking root. Sarah Allen is the author of The Nightmare House, What Stars are Made Of, and Breathing Underwater. Born and raised in Utah, she received an MFA in creative writing from Brigham Young University, and now calls Florida home. She spends her non-writing time watching David Attenborough documentaries and blasting show tunes. Find her online @sarahallenbooks.

Available products
Book Published 2024-09-03 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Comments

The scares ratchet up unrelentingly in a page-turning frenzy as Linus fights to save himself, his town, and his family . . . A searing exploration of the intersection of grief and horror.

There is a palpable sense of grief in Linus' home as he mourns his father, but with some help from his loving mother and friends, Linus learns to find joy in not only his art but in his relationships . . . Enough scares to entice horror lovers and the right amount of heart and a happy ending to help those who are new to the genre.

Allen crafts a heartfelt tale about finding the power within to confront grief. Family and friendship form the center of this spooky yet moving story which will captivate young readers.

Allen capably captures the roiling feelings Linus tries to keep a handle on in the wake of his father's death, especially as he considers returning to making artsomething he and his dad had always done together. Readers looking for inventive monsters or those who appreciate a dynamic emotional arc will find something to like here.