A Monster Calls is a touching piece of work about grief and loss written by Patrick Ness with the late writer Siobhan Dowd’s ideas. This young adult novel talks about English boy Conor, his ill mother and an unexpected guest that leads him along the trial of healing and moving on.

What is the power of stories as suggested by the monster? What is the meaning behind the three different stories? How did the monster teach Conor the importance of truth, and how did it help him deal with the grief that overwhelmed him?

In your opinion, what is the best way to deal with grief? What were some of the ‘monsters’ that helped you face the truth about your feelings?

How did Conor’s guilt manifest itself in the story? How did his internal conflict on holding on and letting go play a role in it? How do you think he learned to come to terms with himself?