The Monster (Troubletwisters Series #2)

by Garth Nix, Sean Williams

Overview

New York Times–Bestselling Authors: “This gripping fantasy for the middle-grade set delivers magic and delightful dollops of ick.” —Kirkus Reviews

Ever since they moved to the town of Portland, many bizarre things have happened to Jaide and Jack Shield. The twins have discovered their own magical powers—and have seen how they can go horribly wrong. They have met cats who talk and humans who keep silent about deep, dark secrets. And they have begun their fight against a deadly force known only as The Evil.

Still, Jaide and Jack have yet to meet the strangest resident of Portland. It’s a creature that only comes out at night, a beast that defies human description. Jaide and Jack have never seen it . . . but they’re about to. And when they do, destruction and disaster won’t be too far away . . .

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545469487
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	08/17/2022
Series:	Troubletwisters Series , #2
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	309
Sales rank:	551,892
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Sean Williams lives in Adelaide, South Australia. He is the author of over 6- published short stories and 22 novels, and has written several novels in the Star Wars universe.
Garth Nix is the New York Times bestselling author of the Old Kingdom series, a modern classic of fantasy literature that includes the novels Sabriel, Lireal, Abhorsen, and Clariel. He is also the author of The Keys to the Kingdom series, Shade's Children, A Confusion of Princes, Newt's Emerald, and (with Sean Williams) the Troubletwisters series, among other novels. You can find out a whole lot more about him at garthnix.com.
Sean Williams writes for children, young adults, and adults. He is the author of forty novels, ninety short stories, and the odd odd poem, and has also written in universes created by other people, such as those of Star Wars and Doctor Who. His work has won awards, debuted at number one on the New York Times bestseller list, and been translated into numerous languages. His latest novel is Twinmaker, the first in a new series that takes his love affair with the matter transmitter to a whole new level (he just received a PhD on the subject, so don’t get him started).

Editorial Reviews

Gr 4–6—Twins Jack and Jaide have magical gifts that they will someday put to use to keep The Evil from creeping into the world. In this installment in the series, they attempt to learn how to develop and govern their talents. Many mishaps occur along the way, which is the reason the siblings are called "troubletwisters." Against their grandmother's wishes, they continue to investigate whether The Evil is once again walking around their small town. Having been caught by it in the last book, Jack is particularly sensitive and fears being consumed by it. The best part of the book is the description of how The Evil manifests itself. Swarms of insects and possessed humans with white eyeballs add to the fear factor. There is more of the same in The Monster, with moths that blanket themselves over the main characters and larger-than-life worms tormenting the town. Readers who like Brandon Mull's "Fablehaven" tales (Shadow Mountain), Suzanne Collins's "Gregor the Overlander" series (Scholastic), and Joseph Delaney's "Last Apprentice" books (HarperCollins) will enjoy this series.—Kathleen Meulen Ellison, Sakai Intermediate School, Bainbridge Island, WA

School Library Journal

Praise for the Troubletwisters series

"[An] enjoyable romp." - Publishers Weekly

"Full of adventure and the unexpected, the first book in Nix and Williams's new series is delightfully twisted. The pacing is perfect, the setting is eerily dark, the faceless Evil rings true, and the resolution is satisfying." -Booklist

"This gripping fantasy for the middle-grade set delivers magic and delightful dollops of ick." -Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

Beginning where Troubletwisters (2011) left off, twins Jaide and Jack Shield struggle to harness their magical powers while tracking a rat-regurgitating monster and battling dark forces. Staying with Grandma X, the twins have joined the Wardens, a worldwide group of guardians against The Evil, and are studying ways to control and understand their magic. Their powers are unwieldy and continue to flummox Jack and Jaide. The twins forge a new friendship with Tara as the town begins to buzz with rumors of a roaming monster. Grandma X has started acting strangely, and something foul is afoot at the old sawmill. The twins are determined to find this monster, but there are so many intricately tangled secrets that they often become sidetracked. Pace rules, as event piles on event. The intensity and bizarreness ramp up when insects flock to Jack and a clowder of cats becomes possessed. The climax involves an awesome spectacle of powerful forces, as The Evil, preying on the twins' still-malleable souls, strives to take advantage of their self-doubts and possess their gifts. As good and wicked battle, Jack and Jaide come to understand that knowing themselves is their wellspring of power, wisdom that will no doubt come in handy in the next installment. This gripping fantasy for the middle-grade set delivers magic and delightful dollops of ick. (Urban fantasy. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews