Reading Recs

Its amazing from start to finish and truly scary. – Gabbi Brewer, Class of '18

While not a "scary" monster story, this book has captivated my imagination since it was read to me in fourth grade. I love the world Dahl creates with "whizzpoppers" and "titchy little snapperwhippers"! There is a movie based on the book, but it doesn't quite capture the same magic Dahl's words do. I highly suggest this for children and adults alike who enjoy maybe a less frightening Halloween option! – Randyn Heisserer-Miller, Kent Library

Absolutely! If you've ever wanted to read about SWAT teams battling witches, werewolves, and other monsters, this is the book for you! – David Schauer, English

In some myths and stories, Circe, a goddess and a witch, could be considered a monster who lives on a secluded island and turns sailors to pigs. When a sea god Circe loves prefers Scylla, a nymph, Circe turns her into a monster, who kills sailors who come through her strait. The novel is from Circe's perspective with the main characters of other tellings, Odysseus for example, are her side characters. – Katlyn Griffin, Kent Library

Shori wakes up not remembering who she is. But she knows she is hungry. She is a vampire, feared by humans as a monster. Yet some other vampires also think she is a monster and want her dead. Shori has to figure out her past while building relationships with those who would support and love her. Butler put together a unique spin on the vampire story that examines power dynamics, fear, and prejudice in ways that may leave you feeling uncomfortable at times. – Carl Hess, Kent Library

I highly recommend this book because the author keeps you in suspense throughout the entire book with plot twists and cliff hangers that keep you coming back for more. The main antagonist is a monster in her own right with how she manipulates others to commit suicide. It's a twist to be able to read from not only the antagonist's point of view, but of one of the victim's as well. This book will keep you up at night! – Rach Teasdale, Kent Library

The protagonist, Nobody Owens, is a child raised by ghosts. He spends much of his time evading murder by Jack, the assassin sent to kill his whole family by an international order of monsters who seem to be well-respected gentlemen. The novel's language is charming, as are the ghosts in the titular graveyard and the illustrations by Dave McKean in the most widely circulated trade paperback. There's also an excellent graphic novel adaptation done by Chris Riddel. Here's the first line: "There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife." Spooky, right? It gets better from there. – Sandra Cox, English

Eldritch terror lurks in the end pages of this foreboding tome in the form of some unnamed hideous monstrosity. Grover pleads with you not to continue turning pages, lest you unleash annihilating horror upon an unsuspecting earth. Will you heed his warnings? Or will his pleas, Cassandra-like, go unheard as you recklessly speed toward certain doom!? – Karl Suhr, Kent Library

The scariest monsters are those we have to face when we are at our weakest. The unrelenting monsters that come with day-to-day life require extraordinary courage. A Monster Calls shows how our thoughts can grow into monsters and those monsters can grow in power if left unchallenged. – Sally Carter, Testing Services

It is a book about a modernization of the Greek Mythology. As such, it has many monsters and the unique thing is that they are depicted in a way that fits today's world. A lot of the characters in the book go up against many different monsters. Overall, it's a great read! – Puvithren Muniandi, Class of '22

Not a "monster" per se, but the character is often described as one. I read it in the context of one child-psychopathology course in which the Professor proposed bringing the short autobiographical novel's dramatic, relational, hurtful, difficult, and also funny/adventurous moments to a discussion about familial transactions, the importance of primary relationships, and the personal/human resolutions that are somehow imposed to and shouldered by unwanted children. – José Miño Lara, Academic Advising

On October 30, 1938, Americans were alarmed to hear that Martians had invaded earth. Although H.G. Well's War of the Worlds broadcast was a spoof, the primary resources in this book document how the stage was set for this story of panic which millions believed to be real. Learn about the broadcast production, aftermath, and fake news in the media. – Stephanie Hallam, Kent Library

At 11 years old, Jaycee Dugard was stolen by a real-life monster, who kept her as a prisoner for 18 years and fathered her two children. Despite having her adolescence — including her education — stolen, Dugard writes with eloquence about the two monsters who took so much from her, and also how she helped save herself from having the rest of her life stolen by the trauma of the event. – Sarah Cavanah, Mass Media