What do you think?
Rate this book
The Monsters of Morley Manor: A Madcap Adventure
About the AuthorWith over 15 million books in print, Bruce Coville (I WAS A SIXTH GRADE ALIEN, THE SKULL OF TRUTH, SONG OF THE WANDERER) is one of America's most popular writers of books for young readers.
220 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2001
30 people are currently reading
590 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
June 10, 2009
Yet another that I edited, this was a considerable rewrite and expansion of five stories Bruce wrote by-the-seat-of-his-pants as a serial novel for his Bruce Coville's Book of [fill-in-the-blank:] series of anthologies. So much fun, and one that was especially fun to write jacket copy for, because it is a kitchen sink novel (a la Tim Powers' The Anubis Gates). So simply listing the elements in the right way makes for the perfect tease for the book.
Fun!
Fun!
October 31, 2019
This book is the epitome of “let’s put all the monsters in a book and oh can we add aliens too?”
Adult rating: 2.5 stars
Kid rating: 3-4 stars
This book does have a linear plot but man is it a TRIP to get to it. There are so many unique aspects to it and so many strange things and they were all put together and it’s like, wwwwwhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaattttt just happened?
So yeah.
Kid pries open a box that has some 5” toys in it that are actual people that were frozen and shrunk! Once resized and unfrozen you’re find out that yes, they were human but now they’re a 6’ tall lizard, vampire, and a Medusa. They also have a charming lab assistant and a cocker spaniel that’s a werehuman. Yeah, the dog turns part human on a full moon. Eventually the aliens show up and more weird thing happens.
It is exciting, some cool things happen, but seriously, there’s so much in this. I think kids would definitely enjoy the fantastical elements, the family dynamics, and craziness.
Adult rating: 2.5 stars
Kid rating: 3-4 stars
This book does have a linear plot but man is it a TRIP to get to it. There are so many unique aspects to it and so many strange things and they were all put together and it’s like, wwwwwhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaattttt just happened?
So yeah.
Kid pries open a box that has some 5” toys in it that are actual people that were frozen and shrunk! Once resized and unfrozen you’re find out that yes, they were human but now they’re a 6’ tall lizard, vampire, and a Medusa. They also have a charming lab assistant and a cocker spaniel that’s a werehuman. Yeah, the dog turns part human on a full moon. Eventually the aliens show up and more weird thing happens.
It is exciting, some cool things happen, but seriously, there’s so much in this. I think kids would definitely enjoy the fantastical elements, the family dynamics, and craziness.
March 8, 2013
"The Monsters of Morley Manor", by Bruce Coville is an interesting book. I chose this book because of the fact we ran out of time in the library and i needed to choose a book. This story is about a boy, Anthony and his sister Sarah regular kids who happen to go to a yard sale. The boy stumbles across a small box and decides to buy it. When he gets home he realizes the box is very hard to open. When he finally gets it open he finds toys inside, which when he later gets water on one they come to life. The boy and his sister must now go on a adventure to save earth from aliens who are trying to take it over. My favorite quote was when Anthony was first talking about when the water was added to the toys. He said, "I picked up the figurine and stared at it. To my horror, its fingers began to move." I like this quote because it explains how shocked Anthony was when he realized these were not just regular figures. The author wrote this story as a first person point of view from the main protagonist, Anthony. I like the authors writing style a lot and think he is very entertaining. I loved the plot of this book and it was an outstandingly fun book to read. I would recommend this book to anyone just looking for a easy, entertaining story. I love these types of books personally and find them very enjoyable. Great book, 4 out of 5 stars!
June 7, 2023
"There are no gardens in the land of the dead."
Every summer when I was a kid, we drove out to visit my relatives in Iowa. And every year, without fail, we would get the audiobook version of The Monsters of Morley Manor to listen to on the drive out. This summer, as part of a reading challenge, I picked it up again to fulfill the "Reread a favorite childhood book" category. And it was just as good today, two decades later, as it was when I first listened to it.
There is something very different about coming back to this book now, however. This book is about grief in a way I couldn't have understood when I was 10. It was still a "madcap adventure" as the subtitle says, but there is a bittersweetness to it that I would not have understood until now. If you, or someone you know, are looking for a wonderful middle grade book that's great at all ages, I cannot recommend any title more highly than this one.
Every summer when I was a kid, we drove out to visit my relatives in Iowa. And every year, without fail, we would get the audiobook version of The Monsters of Morley Manor to listen to on the drive out. This summer, as part of a reading challenge, I picked it up again to fulfill the "Reread a favorite childhood book" category. And it was just as good today, two decades later, as it was when I first listened to it.
There is something very different about coming back to this book now, however. This book is about grief in a way I couldn't have understood when I was 10. It was still a "madcap adventure" as the subtitle says, but there is a bittersweetness to it that I would not have understood until now. If you, or someone you know, are looking for a wonderful middle grade book that's great at all ages, I cannot recommend any title more highly than this one.
May 9, 2018
Very strange story...
February 24, 2016
Morley Manor is the spookiest house in Owl's Roost, Nebraska and Old Man Morley has passed away. A developer has bought it and is going to tear it down, so all the contents are up for sale to clear it out.
Anthony and his sister Sarah decide to check out the weirdest house and see what they may find. Much of the stuff is either too expensive or gets snatched up by all the folks that came to see. While in the library, Sarah sees an unusual box and points it out to Anthony. It isn't priced so they wind up negotiating for it and get it.
When Anthony later pries it open he finds another box with "Martin Morley's Little Monsters" on it, along with "Open not this box lest my curse fall upon you." Old Man Morley was considered weird and this just seemed to prove it....especially when he saw what was inside - five tiny metal statues of strange looks.
From this point on magic, science and strangeness start and take the kids on the weirdest adventure you can imagine to places you can't. "Werewolves, vampires, wizards, aliens and more populate this wild tale of how two clever kids save the world from an unearthly fate.
A fun read and one that has humour and adventure. Worth the time.
Anthony and his sister Sarah decide to check out the weirdest house and see what they may find. Much of the stuff is either too expensive or gets snatched up by all the folks that came to see. While in the library, Sarah sees an unusual box and points it out to Anthony. It isn't priced so they wind up negotiating for it and get it.
When Anthony later pries it open he finds another box with "Martin Morley's Little Monsters" on it, along with "Open not this box lest my curse fall upon you." Old Man Morley was considered weird and this just seemed to prove it....especially when he saw what was inside - five tiny metal statues of strange looks.
From this point on magic, science and strangeness start and take the kids on the weirdest adventure you can imagine to places you can't. "Werewolves, vampires, wizards, aliens and more populate this wild tale of how two clever kids save the world from an unearthly fate.
A fun read and one that has humour and adventure. Worth the time.
February 1, 2021
This was a fun book. More of a 3.5 than 4 stars. It had twists I hadn’t expected and made use of folk tale figures in creative ways. I liked the implication that the baddies were taught to be terrible, not innately bad. It was a bit of sophistication I hadn’t expected and a warning of how much negative action can have a real impact. The final message, slammed down in the last couple of pages was rather cheesy, even if heartfelt: love and cherish your family and enjoy life thoroughly. Recommended for Bruce Coville fans, fantasy lovers, and readers of (slightly tame) thrillers. Addendum: on further thought, I have decided to lower to 3 stars because it really doesn't match the quality of my other 4 star titles.
June 27, 2011
I loved this book! (insert happy jumping smiley faces here)
It is a fun, fast paced adventure in which Anthony and his sister Sarah, after animating some monster figurines that they bought at a garage sale, who are really humans who had changed their bodies on another planet and were then changed into tiny figurines 50 years ago, visit other planets and the realm of the dead and save the earth from aliens who want to take it over. What more could you ask for? It is totally fun and a great read.
I have enjoyed other books by Bruce Coville that I have read and I think this one is my favorite so far!
It is a fun, fast paced adventure in which Anthony and his sister Sarah, after animating some monster figurines that they bought at a garage sale, who are really humans who had changed their bodies on another planet and were then changed into tiny figurines 50 years ago, visit other planets and the realm of the dead and save the earth from aliens who want to take it over. What more could you ask for? It is totally fun and a great read.
I have enjoyed other books by Bruce Coville that I have read and I think this one is my favorite so far!
December 18, 2008
My kids would surely rate this a 5, and the only reason I don't is that it's just not on the level of Harry Potter, even though it is an action-packed juvie fantasy that deals with death and the afterlife. But even though it's not Harry Potter, it's still really good, with all kinds of unpredictable fantasy elements. Interestingly, it's sort of a mixed genre in that it has fantasy/ghost elements and science fiction/alien elements. I didn't like that at first, but the author pulled it off creditably. A fun read for parents and grade-school kids.
May 28, 2016
My family had the audiobook when I was a kid and I listened to it so many times. I'm finally listening to it again after all these years and I still love it as much as I did then, most parts were still stuck in my memory after all those years. Great book for older kids and young teens; even better audiobook for all ages. Big fan of Bruce Coville's. His books sure did give me a weird childhood.
March 8, 2009
When I was ten, I really liked this book. It's one of those stories that you simply can't put down. The plot is very exciting, and sometimes funny. This is one of the few good books that Bruce Coville has written.
October 6, 2023
At last a book that lives up to it's cover AND back of book blurb! It delivers on every one of the zany characters and situations described AND the illustrations on the cover delightfully portray the monsters as Anthony and his sister Sarah discover them. Also with an intro paragraph like this you KNOW the book is going to be good:
"If Sarah hadn't put the monkey in the bathtub, we might never have had to help the monsters get big. But she did, so we did, which, given the way things worked out, was probably just as well for everyone on the planet - especially the dead people."
And it pretty much goes from 0 to 60 from there, except with perfect pacing, all the details laid out in a straightforward, clearly written style (which sounds simple but is exceeding rare to find these days!) with competent plotting and likeable characters.
In the midst of the madcap adventures, there are also moments of stillness and beauty that Coville does with surprising deftness and softness. Journeying under the water to meet the mother of all frogs in one case:
"I glanced up. The sun catching on the water that rippled overhead made the surface look like some kind of silvery ceiling, with a pattern that changed from moment to moment. I tapped Sarah's shoulder and pointed for her to look. She smiled, then said happily, 'This is the weirdest, coolest thing that's ever happened to us, Anthony."
Or for example, meeting a fallen angel who has vowed to provide solace to the troubled souls in the Land of the Dead:
"If I had a hundred years, I couldn't tell you what it meant to look into those eyes, except to say that it was like drowning in pain and beauty, and I was afraid I might never be able to look at the regular world, at anything else, again.
My mother told me once that the memory of pain fades. She said if it didn't, women would never have more than one baby.
I think that must be true for other things as well, things like beauty and love. If the memory of gazing into those eyes - each of which was a yard wide and several thousand miles deep - had not faded, I doubt I could move in the world today. I would only sit and remember."
Or the final advice from the ghost of his grandpa as he leaves Anthony's body:
"Anthony, all your life people are going to tell you to stop and smell the roses. But they won't usually tell you why. So let me give you one good reason, the one I learned too late. There are no gardens in the Land of the Dead. You have to embrace life now, Anthony - now, while you're still part of it. Grab it to you. See it, feel it, hold it, love it. Don't let it pass you by, boy. Don't shut yourself off from it. Because the truth is, you never know what moment is going to be your last what scent, what sound, what smell will be the last one you experience. Make it good. Make it real."
An almost perfect Halloween read. Docking one star because I wish there were more for the WOMEN to do in this book. The guys get all the action and insights and it gets old after awhile, especially as Coville sprinkles in a few interesting female support characters that could have definitely done more than wear slinky dresses, hiss seductively, long for their lost lovers, or talk about childbirth as a grand metaphor for pain and memory and loss. This is my first Coville so hoping in future books he redeems himself on that front, because I loved the supernatural adventure and writing otherwise.
"If Sarah hadn't put the monkey in the bathtub, we might never have had to help the monsters get big. But she did, so we did, which, given the way things worked out, was probably just as well for everyone on the planet - especially the dead people."
And it pretty much goes from 0 to 60 from there, except with perfect pacing, all the details laid out in a straightforward, clearly written style (which sounds simple but is exceeding rare to find these days!) with competent plotting and likeable characters.
In the midst of the madcap adventures, there are also moments of stillness and beauty that Coville does with surprising deftness and softness. Journeying under the water to meet the mother of all frogs in one case:
"I glanced up. The sun catching on the water that rippled overhead made the surface look like some kind of silvery ceiling, with a pattern that changed from moment to moment. I tapped Sarah's shoulder and pointed for her to look. She smiled, then said happily, 'This is the weirdest, coolest thing that's ever happened to us, Anthony."
Or for example, meeting a fallen angel who has vowed to provide solace to the troubled souls in the Land of the Dead:
"If I had a hundred years, I couldn't tell you what it meant to look into those eyes, except to say that it was like drowning in pain and beauty, and I was afraid I might never be able to look at the regular world, at anything else, again.
My mother told me once that the memory of pain fades. She said if it didn't, women would never have more than one baby.
I think that must be true for other things as well, things like beauty and love. If the memory of gazing into those eyes - each of which was a yard wide and several thousand miles deep - had not faded, I doubt I could move in the world today. I would only sit and remember."
Or the final advice from the ghost of his grandpa as he leaves Anthony's body:
"Anthony, all your life people are going to tell you to stop and smell the roses. But they won't usually tell you why. So let me give you one good reason, the one I learned too late. There are no gardens in the Land of the Dead. You have to embrace life now, Anthony - now, while you're still part of it. Grab it to you. See it, feel it, hold it, love it. Don't let it pass you by, boy. Don't shut yourself off from it. Because the truth is, you never know what moment is going to be your last what scent, what sound, what smell will be the last one you experience. Make it good. Make it real."
An almost perfect Halloween read. Docking one star because I wish there were more for the WOMEN to do in this book. The guys get all the action and insights and it gets old after awhile, especially as Coville sprinkles in a few interesting female support characters that could have definitely done more than wear slinky dresses, hiss seductively, long for their lost lovers, or talk about childbirth as a grand metaphor for pain and memory and loss. This is my first Coville so hoping in future books he redeems himself on that front, because I loved the supernatural adventure and writing otherwise.
April 30, 2021
An excellent introduction to horror, I would think.
This book is very tightly written. Props to both the author and editor, there is not a single word out of place. There is no time to be bored and no fluff. This does result in it being a short book, a fast and exciting read, packed to the brim with ideas, that propels you quickly to the end. It's a great experience.
Love monsters? Enjoy being a little off-beat? Want to think about weird alien worlds and colossal, awe-inspiring beings? This book does them all well.
It's technically "for kids" but I found it just as enjoyable now that I'm grown.
There's something I took from this when I was young, thoughts about found families, finding your own best way of living, and solidarity in the weird. It's a bit silly to say, but this book influenced me to become a better person, I think. It made my little queer heart feel a bit less absolutely unsalvageable. I just had yet to find my people.
This book is very tightly written. Props to both the author and editor, there is not a single word out of place. There is no time to be bored and no fluff. This does result in it being a short book, a fast and exciting read, packed to the brim with ideas, that propels you quickly to the end. It's a great experience.
Love monsters? Enjoy being a little off-beat? Want to think about weird alien worlds and colossal, awe-inspiring beings? This book does them all well.
It's technically "for kids" but I found it just as enjoyable now that I'm grown.
There's something I took from this when I was young, thoughts about found families, finding your own best way of living, and solidarity in the weird. It's a bit silly to say, but this book influenced me to become a better person, I think. It made my little queer heart feel a bit less absolutely unsalvageable. I just had yet to find my people.
April 9, 2018
MONSTERS OF MORLEY MANOR by Bruce Coville is a wonderful adventure, brother and sister working together with monsters . . . er, special people, to save the planet from invaders. Helped by an inter-galactic alliance, despite “the mess we had made on Earth,” the siblings and their grandmother travel through amazing changes and adventures. Having recently watched ALIENS ATE MY HOMEWORK, I found myself thinking this would have wonderful visuals as a drama . . . ;-)
Nuggets of wisdom:
The monsters’ “feelings were . . . not that different from ours.”
“in the big city . . People . . . gossip just as much as small town folk. . . you have to be better known to get gossiped about . . .”
“The world is too vast and strange for any of us to understand all of it.”
“Embrace life . . . Make it good. Make it real.”
Nuggets of wisdom:
The monsters’ “feelings were . . . not that different from ours.”
“in the big city . . People . . . gossip just as much as small town folk. . . you have to be better known to get gossiped about . . .”
“The world is too vast and strange for any of us to understand all of it.”
“Embrace life . . . Make it good. Make it real.”
November 1, 2025
This book is amazing, new five stars, the authors writing is so good and I love how he used first person and really got the details of Anthony’s thoughts/ emotions. I wish I could read this again for the first time, I recommend it because the writing is very clean, if your someone who likes no bad words, little to no romance, this book is for you. I would say it is 9-10 + for violence. Anyone could like this book, mostly who are interested in magic and things that are impossible at this moment. I would say it is a fantasy and fiction book, mostly because of what I just explained (magic and impossible things) such as monsters, vampires, ‘land of the dead’ ect. I would read this again because the ending is honestly heartbreaking and usually books are SO predictable. And if you don’t like predictable books/stories, this is for you. You would love the last chapters! Hope you love it
July 17, 2021
Another win from Bruce Coville. Follow the kids as the take a wild ride to places
unknown, uncharted, and incredible. To solve a mystery decades in the making.
I listened to this and the cast, which includes Bruce, was great and drew me in, kept
me in the edge of my seat. Actually on my toes as I was walking while listening. I had
to remind myself to pay attention least I befall a fate in the real world as I ventured
into the wild imagination of Bruce and the kids that ventures into Morley Manor.
Thank you Mr. Coville.
unknown, uncharted, and incredible. To solve a mystery decades in the making.
I listened to this and the cast, which includes Bruce, was great and drew me in, kept
me in the edge of my seat. Actually on my toes as I was walking while listening. I had
to remind myself to pay attention least I befall a fate in the real world as I ventured
into the wild imagination of Bruce and the kids that ventures into Morley Manor.
Thank you Mr. Coville.
January 24, 2021
It may be due to my childhood love for the My Teacher is an Alien series, and therfore my bias, but I was expecting more from this book.
I was kind of bored. I felt like Coville was missing something in this mash up of a creature feature. Sure it was weird, but not in a "heehee" kind of way. The plot was all over the place and just seemed to be a way of introducing more monsters.
Kids might like it, but what do they know? Its definitely no MTIAA.
I was kind of bored. I felt like Coville was missing something in this mash up of a creature feature. Sure it was weird, but not in a "heehee" kind of way. The plot was all over the place and just seemed to be a way of introducing more monsters.
Kids might like it, but what do they know? Its definitely no MTIAA.
October 2, 2022
This was a nostalgia reread; very fun! A bit too fast-paced for my adult brain, where I felt like I couldn't fully soak in some of the details, & it felt like I was ping ponging from story line to story line at times, but as a kid I think this was a non-issue. Fun, creative, and a great way to kick off spooky season. Bruce Coville was my favorite author as a kid, and I can't wait to re-read more of his books!
April 30, 2023
The Monsters of Morley Manor – A Madcap Adventure – Published 2001 - **** - Coville puts together a ton of monsters and aliens in one book. Morley Manor was the haunted house at the top of the hill in Owl Hoot, Nebraska. Horace and his younger sister, Sarah, bring monsters to life just by adding water and you are off on a mad adventure. What’s not to like? Coville has more imagination in his hair follicles than I have in my entire brain. Another fun weird read from the master.
October 25, 2024
My daughter tried reading a part of this book to me years ago & I thought it was weird then. I didn’t realize how weird until I picked it up & read it in its entirety. Monsters, aliens, magic, spells, other dimensions, the land of the dead, giant frogs and inhabiting other bodies. It could use more character development, but I can see how kids would like it. It’s fast paced & there’s a bit of everything in it.
February 23, 2024
This book was my childhood- I must have listened to it more than a dozen times as a kid and it really does hold up now that I’m an adult.
Everything about it is so fun and refreshing— it’s a wacky, creepy adventure full of ghosts, monsters, aliens and shenanigans. There’s nothing about it to dislike in my opinion.
Everything about it is so fun and refreshing— it’s a wacky, creepy adventure full of ghosts, monsters, aliens and shenanigans. There’s nothing about it to dislike in my opinion.
April 17, 2019
such a funky little story about family - features aliens, intergalactic travel, strange magic, body swapping, and it all wraps up nicely. i expect nothing less from bruce coville, and i'm glad i revisited one of my favorite stories from when i was a kid!
October 9, 2022
I really liked this one! It is one of those books that adults and kinds can both enjoy. It had a lot more depth in the plot than I would've thought and witty observations from the main character. Perfect for October.
October 5, 2024
I wanted to read this for Halloween and because it looked cute. It didn’t disappoint! Such a gripping storyline, characters you can relate to, so many magical beings, and lessons in life, live, and family. Worth the time for kids or adults.
March 3, 2017
This was good! Not surprising as this is one of my favorite authors. My daughters enjoyed this book immensely. Lovely and wonderful and has me missing the Unicorn Chronicles.
October 26, 2017
This is such a fun kids book. I really got a kick out of it as a kid, and still have fun with it now.
May 15, 2020
Amusing even as an adult. Audiobook was quite entertaining. Love the multi-layered, nuanced cast.
Read
June 5, 2021I can now understand and connect to Sanjna’s 5th grade self ✌️it’s a pretty fun book, I could see why 5th grade Sanjna would enjoy it!
October 2, 2021
Cute middle grade spooky book for the season. Follows what fans would expect from a Bruce Coville book!
October 3, 2021
Still holds up 90%. Gaspar is so fucking hot give me that lizard ass.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews