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Delilah Versus the Ghastly Grim: An Epic Adventure About a Young Girl's Destiny in a Dark and Mysterious World
Winner of the Children's Book International Award for Fantasy and 5-Star Readers' Favorite Recipient—an epic middle-grade fantasy about courage, friendship, and self-discovery.
After a life-threatening seizure opens an indigo door in Delilah Jay Monroe's mind and lands her in the mysterious realm of Othersphere, she discovers she is “the traveler from the stories of old,” the only one who can defeat the evil Ghastly Grim.
With the help of a wise kangaroo council member named Viticus and a sassy ladybug named Sir Nellid, Delilah must embark on a dangerous quest to obtain the Book of Truth, crack codes, save a dragon, and uncover the hidden powers of her disorder before Othersphere is lost to the shadow and mist.
With her body lying unconscious in a hospital bed back on Earth, and the fate of Othersphere hanging in the balance, Delilah will need to find a way past her insecurities and solve a seemingly impossible riddle, or she may just lose everything. Will she survive the Ghastly Grim and his monstrous horde to get back home, or will the darkness prevail?
This award-winning middle-grade fantasy is perfect for children with special needs, parents, educators, and anyone who has ever felt they didn’t fit in.
Inspired by a real girl with a seizure disorder, Delilah Versus the Ghastly Grim is a heartfelt story of empowerment, self-acceptance, and hope.
After a life-threatening seizure opens an indigo door in Delilah Jay Monroe's mind and lands her in the mysterious realm of Othersphere, she discovers she is “the traveler from the stories of old,” the only one who can defeat the evil Ghastly Grim.
With the help of a wise kangaroo council member named Viticus and a sassy ladybug named Sir Nellid, Delilah must embark on a dangerous quest to obtain the Book of Truth, crack codes, save a dragon, and uncover the hidden powers of her disorder before Othersphere is lost to the shadow and mist.
With her body lying unconscious in a hospital bed back on Earth, and the fate of Othersphere hanging in the balance, Delilah will need to find a way past her insecurities and solve a seemingly impossible riddle, or she may just lose everything. Will she survive the Ghastly Grim and his monstrous horde to get back home, or will the darkness prevail?
This award-winning middle-grade fantasy is perfect for children with special needs, parents, educators, and anyone who has ever felt they didn’t fit in.
Inspired by a real girl with a seizure disorder, Delilah Versus the Ghastly Grim is a heartfelt story of empowerment, self-acceptance, and hope.
203 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 11, 2025
3 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
About the author
T. L. McCoy
1 book6 followersT.L. McCoy is an award-winning children's author, nurse, former school director, and proud U.S. military veteran. More importantly, she is the grandmother of a child diagnosed with Dravet Syndrome, a rare and sometimes catastrophic seizure disorder. Through her high-concept, intricately crafted work, McCoy is on a mission to increase inclusivity in children's literature and empower young readers who are all too often left out of the stories they read.
Her middle-grade fantasy adventure, DELILAH VERSUS THE GHASTLY GRIM, is a story of self-acceptance, courage, and hope. It was written out of love for her grandchild but created to be enjoyed by young and old alike.
Her middle-grade fantasy adventure, DELILAH VERSUS THE GHASTLY GRIM, is a story of self-acceptance, courage, and hope. It was written out of love for her grandchild but created to be enjoyed by young and old alike.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 21, 2025
Delilah Versus the Ghastly Grim is a warm and heartfelt middle-grade novel about a brave girl with dangerous seizures, and her adventures in the Othersphere.
From the moment an unfamiliar creature starts asking her if she’s the promised traveler all the way to her encounters with the scary Ghastly Grim, Delilah must make sense of this world and its new rules. In the Othersphere, Delilah meets strange creatures as she tries to make her way home, and often has to use her bravery and quick wits to get out of confusing or dangerous situations.
The novel includes disability representation as part of Delilah’s character. Her seizures aren’t added as a limitation, but as another aspect of who she is. This is a developed character — she has her own interests and hobbies, plus an annoying brother, a crush, mean kids at school, etc., and her seizures are depicted as another part of her middle-school life.
The author, T.L.McCoy, was inspired by her real-life granddaughter’s experiences with Dravet Syndrome, which causes the same seizures as Delilah in the novel. McCoy discovered that children’s books including a character with a disability are rare. Only 3.4% of children’s books include a character with a disability, while the CDC estimates that about 26% of Americans live with a disability.
In addition to the obvious affection in this novel, the book’s pacing is quick and the zany characters are fun. Alternate worlds and magical realms are popular in middle-grades fiction, and for good reason. These worlds can introduce our protagonists to mystery, hidden rules, secret entrances, and strange creatures. When it’s done well, it’s a page-turning exploration story and even a hero’s journey! Readers will want to discover more about the inhabitants of the Othersphere, and see how Delilah will get home again.
This type of fiction is particularly relatable and fun for middle schoolers, who are beginning to define themselves as individuals and learning to face setbacks. These adventure stories often include protagonists who discover hidden strengths or unique traits when they’re tested by dangers and tricks of the magical world, which can relate to the reader’s own self-discovery. Here, Delilah discovers her strengths and makes friends, which will be important when she faces the Ghastly Grim, a dark enemy who’s much more dangerous than the jerk classmate who calls her a faker and attention-seeker.
Look, I’m just going to spoil the ending for you: Delilah doesn’t get a magical cure. It’s not that kind of fantasy novel. Instead, she goes back to our everyday world, which means balancing doctor’s appointments with school, but after her journey, she has all the knowledge and friendships of her magical adventure, too.
From the moment an unfamiliar creature starts asking her if she’s the promised traveler all the way to her encounters with the scary Ghastly Grim, Delilah must make sense of this world and its new rules. In the Othersphere, Delilah meets strange creatures as she tries to make her way home, and often has to use her bravery and quick wits to get out of confusing or dangerous situations.
The novel includes disability representation as part of Delilah’s character. Her seizures aren’t added as a limitation, but as another aspect of who she is. This is a developed character — she has her own interests and hobbies, plus an annoying brother, a crush, mean kids at school, etc., and her seizures are depicted as another part of her middle-school life.
The author, T.L.McCoy, was inspired by her real-life granddaughter’s experiences with Dravet Syndrome, which causes the same seizures as Delilah in the novel. McCoy discovered that children’s books including a character with a disability are rare. Only 3.4% of children’s books include a character with a disability, while the CDC estimates that about 26% of Americans live with a disability.
In addition to the obvious affection in this novel, the book’s pacing is quick and the zany characters are fun. Alternate worlds and magical realms are popular in middle-grades fiction, and for good reason. These worlds can introduce our protagonists to mystery, hidden rules, secret entrances, and strange creatures. When it’s done well, it’s a page-turning exploration story and even a hero’s journey! Readers will want to discover more about the inhabitants of the Othersphere, and see how Delilah will get home again.
This type of fiction is particularly relatable and fun for middle schoolers, who are beginning to define themselves as individuals and learning to face setbacks. These adventure stories often include protagonists who discover hidden strengths or unique traits when they’re tested by dangers and tricks of the magical world, which can relate to the reader’s own self-discovery. Here, Delilah discovers her strengths and makes friends, which will be important when she faces the Ghastly Grim, a dark enemy who’s much more dangerous than the jerk classmate who calls her a faker and attention-seeker.
Look, I’m just going to spoil the ending for you: Delilah doesn’t get a magical cure. It’s not that kind of fantasy novel. Instead, she goes back to our everyday world, which means balancing doctor’s appointments with school, but after her journey, she has all the knowledge and friendships of her magical adventure, too.
May 31, 2025
Delilah versus Ghastly Grim is Book 1 in the Delilah Monroe Chronicles by T L McCoy. I thought that it was great that the main character has a medical condition, seizures. Delilah goes into a different place while having a seizure.. She battles evil and meets some interesting characters such as a ladybug, Sir Theodril Ansford Nelled. I think middle school and maybe high school students will enjoy this fantasy. The only thing that I did not especially like was the author always referred to Delilah's parents as Mr and Mrs Monroe except when referring to their children. I thought the book was an interesting fantasy. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.
December 27, 2025
Disclosure: I did get an ARC copy for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. .
I read the book before encouraging Zeva to read it. It gave me a feeling reminiscent of both "Harry Potter" and "Alice in Wonderland." Although I haven't read those books in a long time, I'm not quite sure why this book reminds me of them, but it does.
In her daily life, she endures a significant amount of torment from her classmates, who unleash their relentless teasing without a second thought. At home, her relationship with her parents is characterized by formality, marked by a lack of warmth and open communication. Adding to her challenges, her brother delights in mocking her, further amplifying her feelings of isolation. Each day feels like a battle as she navigates the unrelenting pressures from both school and family.
I love how the author makes Delilah so strong and able to tackle whatever she endures. The Othersphere is an intriguing world full of adventure for Delilah. It features interesting, well-developed characters.
I've found that truly finding books that entertain Zeva has become quite the journey. She has made it clear that she enjoys spooky and fantasy-style reads. And after her having seizures, this was a book that she could relate to more.
Overall Thoughts:
This book is ideal for middle schoolers or others who enjoy reading books about adventures. I also think it's suitable for anyone who deals with seizures, bullying, and so many other things. This was a fun read, even for me as an adult.
I read the book before encouraging Zeva to read it. It gave me a feeling reminiscent of both "Harry Potter" and "Alice in Wonderland." Although I haven't read those books in a long time, I'm not quite sure why this book reminds me of them, but it does.
In her daily life, she endures a significant amount of torment from her classmates, who unleash their relentless teasing without a second thought. At home, her relationship with her parents is characterized by formality, marked by a lack of warmth and open communication. Adding to her challenges, her brother delights in mocking her, further amplifying her feelings of isolation. Each day feels like a battle as she navigates the unrelenting pressures from both school and family.
I love how the author makes Delilah so strong and able to tackle whatever she endures. The Othersphere is an intriguing world full of adventure for Delilah. It features interesting, well-developed characters.
I've found that truly finding books that entertain Zeva has become quite the journey. She has made it clear that she enjoys spooky and fantasy-style reads. And after her having seizures, this was a book that she could relate to more.
Overall Thoughts:
This book is ideal for middle schoolers or others who enjoy reading books about adventures. I also think it's suitable for anyone who deals with seizures, bullying, and so many other things. This was a fun read, even for me as an adult.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews