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Monsterland
In a middle grade adventure full of humor, heart and cinematic storytelling, a boy takes off on a once-in-a-lifetime journey through a mysterious land, with the help of some monster friends
It’s Halloween, and everyone in Charlie’s small town is excited for this year’s festivities. Charlie’s grandfather, Old Joe, is famous for his holiday haunts, and his pumpkin patch is the center of the town’s zealous celebrations. But for Charlie, Halloween’s just one more reminder that his cousin Billy isn’t around anymore. Charlie plans to keep to himself this year, hanging out in the haunted barn with his trusty dog Ringo.
But when Charlie runs into some neighborhood bullies who are after his candy, he heads off into the woods to escape. He quickly gets lost, but spots a kid who he thinks is Billy. As Charlie chases after him deeper and deeper into the woods, he finds himself entering Monsterland—a mysterious place where werewolves live amongst trolls and goblins. Here he meets the Prime Minister, a vampire who tells Charlie he may be able to see his cousin again in this strange new land. Accompanied by a hulking monster chaperone, Charlie’s determined to find out just what happened to his cousin, and sets off to explore the secrets hiding in this uncharted territory.
It’s Halloween, and everyone in Charlie’s small town is excited for this year’s festivities. Charlie’s grandfather, Old Joe, is famous for his holiday haunts, and his pumpkin patch is the center of the town’s zealous celebrations. But for Charlie, Halloween’s just one more reminder that his cousin Billy isn’t around anymore. Charlie plans to keep to himself this year, hanging out in the haunted barn with his trusty dog Ringo.
But when Charlie runs into some neighborhood bullies who are after his candy, he heads off into the woods to escape. He quickly gets lost, but spots a kid who he thinks is Billy. As Charlie chases after him deeper and deeper into the woods, he finds himself entering Monsterland—a mysterious place where werewolves live amongst trolls and goblins. Here he meets the Prime Minister, a vampire who tells Charlie he may be able to see his cousin again in this strange new land. Accompanied by a hulking monster chaperone, Charlie’s determined to find out just what happened to his cousin, and sets off to explore the secrets hiding in this uncharted territory.
384 pages, Hardcover
Published August 15, 2017
20 people are currently reading
592 people want to read
About the author
James Crowley
2 books8 followersJames Crowley is a writer and filmmaker.
He lives in Austin, Texas.
He lives in Austin, Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
September 20, 2024
We found his cousin, he did for sure die but main boy Charlie missed him so much his spirit couldn’t leave, sobbing, and his dog made it, if he didn’t I just might’ve seen the ride track much closer then normal
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2019
The whole package.
This book gave me the spookiness that I wanted but also told a fantastic story filled with complex characters.
Good book for people who want to get in the spirit of Halloween/Things that go bump in the night without the gore and guts.
This book gave me the spookiness that I wanted but also told a fantastic story filled with complex characters.
Good book for people who want to get in the spirit of Halloween/Things that go bump in the night without the gore and guts.
July 30, 2017
What a pleasure it was to accompany Charlie on his journey into Monsterland. The ability of Crowley to describe, in vivid detail, Charlie's struggle allows the reader to build sympathy for him quickly and continue to cheer for him throughout his quest. Throughout his journey, we get to see this young man tackle physical/emotional challenges, meet new friends (and foes), and discovery he is a lot stronger than he believes. I really enjoyed the new characters that came to life throughout and the updated incorporation of classic characters that were portrayed with a humanitarian side while assisting Charlie, but still possessed their true nature. Many allusions to works of literature, music, and culture also keep the novel exciting and entertaining.
September 23, 2019
I really, really, really wish that I enjoyed this novel more.
The beginning has so much potential. It’s bursting with Halloween energy: we have pumpkins, plastic fangs and werewolves masks, haunted barns, fights over candy, a mysterious graveyard in the wood that leads to a land of monsters ... How could this not be a rollicking, spooky, kid-crazy Halloween tale?
Well, for starters, the protagonist falls asleep for much of Halloween night. In all honesty, I forgave this move when I first read the novel, as I assumed that the character’s travels in the mythic ‘Monsterland’ would be infused with that ‘It’s-Halloween-Every-Day’ feel. In addition, the protagonist finds the entrance to this monster world late on Halloween night — I thought perhaps we might find out that the whole journey, magically, mysteriously, happened in one night — our own Hallows Eve.
Wrong on both accounts.
The monster world feels more like a Western than spooky ‘Halloweentown’ environment. We have horses and deserts and rangers and guns and making fires and looking for water in the mud. While the land is technically populated with witches and vampires, we never really feel the threat or creep factor of these creatures — most are friendly, and they’re all more concerned with traveling on horseback or mapping out undiscovered terrain (Wild, Wild West, guys) than traditional haunting behavior.
Perhaps I could attempt to overlook the lack of Halloween spookiness if the story had been a successful adventure tale. Unfortunately, in my opinion, the plot dragged: much of it consists of the characters meandering on horseback, easily and quickly overcoming threats, and instead focusing on things like gathering firewood. The antagonists feel more ‘noisy’ than threatening, having no deeper motivation than greed and being easily overthrown by the protagonist’s protector figure. The biggest threat, in fact, comes from a mummy ‘villain’ who only surfaces once in the novel and gives a few weak words about wanting more land. Without any danger or personal connection, he feels flat — an empty roadblock.
We could also discuss the fact that the two girls on this journey, Abigail and Zalika, are ‘damsel’ figures in the most traditional sense. They do not do much beyond being kidnapped and expressing gratitude over being saved. Rather disheartening in a (I believe) reasonably modern book.
Then, finally, we have the protagonist’s protector, Franklin: the author made a bold move when he asserted that Mary Shelly’s ‘Frankenstein’ novel was not actually fiction, and she modeled her story off of a ‘real’ monster. Initially, I was intrigued — until I discovered that the novel had no intention of exploring the Monster’s backstory or how his life diverged from Shelly’s version. Certainly, the novel goes out of its way to assert that Shelly’s iteration is not entirely accurate and that the Monster has enough horrors in his past to scream in the night — but we never find out anymore than this. That dangling plotline is particularly frustrating, like a story only half-finished.
And can we talk about the fact that Monsterland is not a magically concealed world — but simply an unmapped plot of land that no one’s ever bothered to explore before? Seriously? Only a few stragglers have discovered a whole country of monsters and vampires — and no one has bothered to tell anyone about it?
Overall, potential in the premise, but not nearly spooky or exciting enough.
The beginning has so much potential. It’s bursting with Halloween energy: we have pumpkins, plastic fangs and werewolves masks, haunted barns, fights over candy, a mysterious graveyard in the wood that leads to a land of monsters ... How could this not be a rollicking, spooky, kid-crazy Halloween tale?
Well, for starters, the protagonist falls asleep for much of Halloween night. In all honesty, I forgave this move when I first read the novel, as I assumed that the character’s travels in the mythic ‘Monsterland’ would be infused with that ‘It’s-Halloween-Every-Day’ feel. In addition, the protagonist finds the entrance to this monster world late on Halloween night — I thought perhaps we might find out that the whole journey, magically, mysteriously, happened in one night — our own Hallows Eve.
Wrong on both accounts.
The monster world feels more like a Western than spooky ‘Halloweentown’ environment. We have horses and deserts and rangers and guns and making fires and looking for water in the mud. While the land is technically populated with witches and vampires, we never really feel the threat or creep factor of these creatures — most are friendly, and they’re all more concerned with traveling on horseback or mapping out undiscovered terrain (Wild, Wild West, guys) than traditional haunting behavior.
Perhaps I could attempt to overlook the lack of Halloween spookiness if the story had been a successful adventure tale. Unfortunately, in my opinion, the plot dragged: much of it consists of the characters meandering on horseback, easily and quickly overcoming threats, and instead focusing on things like gathering firewood. The antagonists feel more ‘noisy’ than threatening, having no deeper motivation than greed and being easily overthrown by the protagonist’s protector figure. The biggest threat, in fact, comes from a mummy ‘villain’ who only surfaces once in the novel and gives a few weak words about wanting more land. Without any danger or personal connection, he feels flat — an empty roadblock.
We could also discuss the fact that the two girls on this journey, Abigail and Zalika, are ‘damsel’ figures in the most traditional sense. They do not do much beyond being kidnapped and expressing gratitude over being saved. Rather disheartening in a (I believe) reasonably modern book.
Then, finally, we have the protagonist’s protector, Franklin: the author made a bold move when he asserted that Mary Shelly’s ‘Frankenstein’ novel was not actually fiction, and she modeled her story off of a ‘real’ monster. Initially, I was intrigued — until I discovered that the novel had no intention of exploring the Monster’s backstory or how his life diverged from Shelly’s version. Certainly, the novel goes out of its way to assert that Shelly’s iteration is not entirely accurate and that the Monster has enough horrors in his past to scream in the night — but we never find out anymore than this. That dangling plotline is particularly frustrating, like a story only half-finished.
And can we talk about the fact that Monsterland is not a magically concealed world — but simply an unmapped plot of land that no one’s ever bothered to explore before? Seriously? Only a few stragglers have discovered a whole country of monsters and vampires — and no one has bothered to tell anyone about it?
Overall, potential in the premise, but not nearly spooky or exciting enough.
October 19, 2018
It was just okay. A mild fantasy quest through a mildly monstrous world that ever so slightly dragged along. The description makes you feel like there will definitely be some Halloween mixed into this book, but the story may as well have started on any other day of the year. I had hoped for a spookier read in the run up to Halloween, but the main character sleeps through Halloween entirely before the adventure even begins, so I was a bit disappointed.
There are all the usual elements of a fantasy quest - everyone still has antiquated weapons, wielding swords and battle axes even though everyone was locked away after WWII (presumably someone brought along a revolver??), eating out of wooden bowls, and wearing old fashioned clothing. There's the obligatory pass through multiple locales - the valley, the forest, up through the mountains à la The Hobbit (trolls included), down through the desert and on to the Sea. There are Rangers and nasty taverns, and a lot of characters smoking pipes, and though a werewolf joins the gang from time to time, it stays true to its genre.
I felt like some parts weren't really thought through - the mummies for instance, or as they're called in this book "Mumiya". Franklin/The Monster explains that since more royals than peasants were ever mummified, the vast majority of the Mumiya don't want to work as it's below their station (and they've no idea how to either) and have constant arguments about who is higher than who. But they somehow have enough willing to work that they have massive fields sown with corn and wheat - yet not enough to harvest. And they have pyramids for some reason? Why would they be building pyramids?? Everyone is already dead, and there most certainly aren't enough mummies to have built multiple pyramids if they can't even harvest a field!
It just felt so slow and rather dull. There were too many sections where we were just told something happened - Charlie discovers that the Prime Minister really was a great conversationalist, just as he had been told, but we don't discover it with him; Charlie has a fascinating conversation with Franklin/The Monster, we're told; other characters have a great time with each other, we're told, but we don't share those moments with them. The lessons and morals to draw from the story are outright stated, someone saying it to another or Charlie musing loudly to himself about these things he's learning along the way. I'm not fond of authors beating their readers over the head with the things they're supposed to learn from their books, even in children's books - kids pick up a good deal more than people generally expect.
On to the next!
There are all the usual elements of a fantasy quest - everyone still has antiquated weapons, wielding swords and battle axes even though everyone was locked away after WWII (presumably someone brought along a revolver??), eating out of wooden bowls, and wearing old fashioned clothing. There's the obligatory pass through multiple locales - the valley, the forest, up through the mountains à la The Hobbit (trolls included), down through the desert and on to the Sea. There are Rangers and nasty taverns, and a lot of characters smoking pipes, and though a werewolf joins the gang from time to time, it stays true to its genre.
I felt like some parts weren't really thought through - the mummies for instance, or as they're called in this book "Mumiya". Franklin/The Monster explains that since more royals than peasants were ever mummified, the vast majority of the Mumiya don't want to work as it's below their station (and they've no idea how to either) and have constant arguments about who is higher than who. But they somehow have enough willing to work that they have massive fields sown with corn and wheat - yet not enough to harvest. And they have pyramids for some reason? Why would they be building pyramids?? Everyone is already dead, and there most certainly aren't enough mummies to have built multiple pyramids if they can't even harvest a field!
It just felt so slow and rather dull. There were too many sections where we were just told something happened - Charlie discovers that the Prime Minister really was a great conversationalist, just as he had been told, but we don't discover it with him; Charlie has a fascinating conversation with Franklin/The Monster, we're told; other characters have a great time with each other, we're told, but we don't share those moments with them. The lessons and morals to draw from the story are outright stated, someone saying it to another or Charlie musing loudly to himself about these things he's learning along the way. I'm not fond of authors beating their readers over the head with the things they're supposed to learn from their books, even in children's books - kids pick up a good deal more than people generally expect.
On to the next!
February 18, 2018
I picked up this book hoping it might be a bit like Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book, and it did not disappoint. It's the story of Charlie, a boy who loves Halloween and lives in a time and place where the holiday can still be celebrated. His grandfather, Old Joe, sets up a haunted barn that has become an annual event for the entire community. But Charlie is not in the mood to celebrate since his cousin Billy disappeared. On Halloween night, Charlie stumbles upon an amazing land hidden behind an abandoned military base, a sanctuary for the world's monsters: vampires, ghouls, witches, trolls, ghosts, and werewolves. He meets the Prime Minister, a vampire who is trying to unite the warring factions of his domain. The Prime Minister believes he might know where Billy is, and he offers Charlie the chance to travel to a far region of Monsterland to search for his cousin. This involves traveling with Frankenstein's Monster, a gruff traveling companion and reluctant diplomat who is not happy about his mission or the added inconvenience of protecting a human boy. The two strike up a friendship as they face many dangers on the road.
This is an adventure reminiscent of the best quest stories. James Crowley uses archetypal characters from folklore and literature to spin a yarn that is full of action, friendship, and bravery.
This is an adventure reminiscent of the best quest stories. James Crowley uses archetypal characters from folklore and literature to spin a yarn that is full of action, friendship, and bravery.
July 13, 2017
Monsterland by James Crowley is a fantastic young adult novel and will be enjoyed at any age. The author has taken characters and beings that have existed in our collective imagination for generations and given them new life. The story is engrossing, entertaining and unique. The world created here and the quest the young protagonist undertakes reminded me how I felt when I first read the Narnia Chronicles, myself a young boy around Charlie's age. I hope that, like that series, we have many more books to enjoy these characters and more chances to explore Monsterland.
August 30, 2017
My name is Charlie. I should have done more when Billy disappeared underwater, and he's been gone for over a year. However, I could have sworn I saw him on Halloween, and I followed the vampire costume into the graveyard. I was surprised to discover it was actually the Prime Minister of Vampyreishtat, or Monsterland, and this place is where monsters were sent after World War II. The Prime Minister thinks Billy might be found in uncharted regions of this world, where horrific monsters roam wild. Franklin Prometheus reluctantly agreed to go with me, and he's already saved my life more than once. He's on a peace-keeping mission to avert a brewing war between the kingdoms of rival siblings. Franklin keeps saying he should take me back before it gets too dangerous, and I'm not ready to admit that he might be right. I must find Billy, and ogres, witches, mummies, werewolves, and war won't stop me.
At first glance, this book appeared to be a cutesy story about monsters, but it became more than that. I mean, a boy and his dog were lost in a strange world with many of the traditional eerie creatures like vampires, werewolves, and ogres. However, the dangers and attacks were a step up from cute, and there were serious conflicts going on in this world. The wild region was teeming with thieves and kidnappers looking to score large ransoms. Charlie's character was the main focus of the plot, but Franklin was the star. He was based on the Frankenstein monster, but he was much more graceful and intelligent than you would expect. He had the familiar size, strength, and stitches, but he had the honor, courage, and compassion of his former Ranger status. In many ways, I found myself comparing him to Halt in the Ranger's Apprentice series. Despite coming to Charlie's rescue on numerous occasions, Franklin had his own personal demons. He would go off alone to pray or roar out his rage as a way to soothe his soul. This book could probably stand alone, but it seems like a sequel might be on the way.
At first glance, this book appeared to be a cutesy story about monsters, but it became more than that. I mean, a boy and his dog were lost in a strange world with many of the traditional eerie creatures like vampires, werewolves, and ogres. However, the dangers and attacks were a step up from cute, and there were serious conflicts going on in this world. The wild region was teeming with thieves and kidnappers looking to score large ransoms. Charlie's character was the main focus of the plot, but Franklin was the star. He was based on the Frankenstein monster, but he was much more graceful and intelligent than you would expect. He had the familiar size, strength, and stitches, but he had the honor, courage, and compassion of his former Ranger status. In many ways, I found myself comparing him to Halt in the Ranger's Apprentice series. Despite coming to Charlie's rescue on numerous occasions, Franklin had his own personal demons. He would go off alone to pray or roar out his rage as a way to soothe his soul. This book could probably stand alone, but it seems like a sequel might be on the way.
May 30, 2019
This book Chronicles the story of Charlie, a kid suffering in grief after the death of his cousin, Billy. Charlie thinks he sees his cousin Billy in the woods by his grandpa's pumpkin patch, and ends up in Monsterland.
I know this book is about coming to terms with the loss of loved one, but that's not what I got out of it. I enjoyed the coping concept of the book, but felt like it was more of an adventure novel with all the traveling and the fighting. I had a really hard time slogging through this book despite its adventure-y feel. I liked the characters-- especially Franklin and Faust-- and I liked the situations the group had to navigate through, but I didn't feel like the book really had a well defined purpose-- the main story didn't match the theme of the book. Which is likely why I didn't much care for it.
The plot also felt a little empty because the whole point was for Charlie to find Billy, but you have all this extra "Mcguffin" plot that just dead-ends into nothing. What about the Rangers? What about all the monsters Charlie met on his adventures? It seems like these storylines were more to keep the story moving along then actually contributing to the plot-- like the author thought "Hhmm. Charlie has to get from A to B, so what happens along the way?" There was a lot of wasted character development because nothing tied together. The characters facilitated the journey, but not the story... and were kinda tossed out at the end. The book had no climax.
I wasn't a big fan of this book, but I wouldn't rule it out as a potential read because, despite the disjointed plot, it still had a good story. I think the author could have dropped the Billy quest, and written a better story if he had just dropped Charlie in the middle of Monsterland, and made the journey one of self-discovery on the trek home. So much potential to weave a web with the ranger plotlines that just wasn't used.
The story itself was anti-climactic. It just kind of ended and there was no real resolution or purpose into the Renegade monster battle....
Meh.
I know this book is about coming to terms with the loss of loved one, but that's not what I got out of it. I enjoyed the coping concept of the book, but felt like it was more of an adventure novel with all the traveling and the fighting. I had a really hard time slogging through this book despite its adventure-y feel. I liked the characters-- especially Franklin and Faust-- and I liked the situations the group had to navigate through, but I didn't feel like the book really had a well defined purpose-- the main story didn't match the theme of the book. Which is likely why I didn't much care for it.
The plot also felt a little empty because the whole point was for Charlie to find Billy, but you have all this extra "Mcguffin" plot that just dead-ends into nothing. What about the Rangers? What about all the monsters Charlie met on his adventures? It seems like these storylines were more to keep the story moving along then actually contributing to the plot-- like the author thought "Hhmm. Charlie has to get from A to B, so what happens along the way?" There was a lot of wasted character development because nothing tied together. The characters facilitated the journey, but not the story... and were kinda tossed out at the end. The book had no climax.
I wasn't a big fan of this book, but I wouldn't rule it out as a potential read because, despite the disjointed plot, it still had a good story. I think the author could have dropped the Billy quest, and written a better story if he had just dropped Charlie in the middle of Monsterland, and made the journey one of self-discovery on the trek home. So much potential to weave a web with the ranger plotlines that just wasn't used.
The story itself was anti-climactic. It just kind of ended and there was no real resolution or purpose into the Renegade monster battle....
Meh.
June 16, 2018
Charlie Cooper is still grieving for his beloved cousin Billy. On Halloween night, Charlie sees a figure that reminds him of Billy. Charlie follows the figure and he is led along an unfamiliar path deep into a neighboring mountain valley. But when Charlie catches up with the figure, he’s shocked when he sees a hideous vampire. The vampire, known as the Prime Minister, governs a monster sanctuary called Vampyreishtat or Monsterland. The Prime Minister asks Charlie about why he followed him, so Charlie tells him about Billy. In Monsterland there is an island where lost souls reside and the living can see them again. The Prime Minister says that Charlie can go there because one of his trusted associates is journeying that way. That associate is the monster created by Dr. Frankenstein. Charlie joins the monster’s expedition and together they encounter many dangers along the way.
Monsterland is a fantastic coming-of-age story about finding the courage within oneself while overcoming grief. Charlie keenly misses Billy and feels somewhat responsible for his cousin’s death. So when the Prime Minster gives Charlie a chance to see Billy again, Charlie is more than willing to encounter any hardship just so he can find peace with himself. The reason why Charlie prospers in Vampryeishtat is because of his grief. Charlie can look past any monsters’ grotesque facades and see that many are grieving in their own ways. With this special perspective, Charlie is able to sympathize and connect with them. What makes Crowley’s story so rich and helps Charlie’s character to beautifully develop, is the clever, solid world Crowley has created. Crowley takes the monsters of old horror stories and turns them into relatable, flawed characters who just want to live as normal of an existence as they can. Any fans of Brandon Mull or Jennifer Nielsen will thoroughly enjoy this adventure through Monsterland. For ages 12 and up.
(Review found on Children’s Compass Chronicle: childrenscompasschronicle.blogspot.com)
Monsterland is a fantastic coming-of-age story about finding the courage within oneself while overcoming grief. Charlie keenly misses Billy and feels somewhat responsible for his cousin’s death. So when the Prime Minster gives Charlie a chance to see Billy again, Charlie is more than willing to encounter any hardship just so he can find peace with himself. The reason why Charlie prospers in Vampryeishtat is because of his grief. Charlie can look past any monsters’ grotesque facades and see that many are grieving in their own ways. With this special perspective, Charlie is able to sympathize and connect with them. What makes Crowley’s story so rich and helps Charlie’s character to beautifully develop, is the clever, solid world Crowley has created. Crowley takes the monsters of old horror stories and turns them into relatable, flawed characters who just want to live as normal of an existence as they can. Any fans of Brandon Mull or Jennifer Nielsen will thoroughly enjoy this adventure through Monsterland. For ages 12 and up.
(Review found on Children’s Compass Chronicle: childrenscompasschronicle.blogspot.com)
May 9, 2024
An imaginative Junior Fiction book that delves into the topic of death, loss, and grief while exploring the vast world of classic monsters.
Three things I liked: 1. The world of "Monsterland" is rich in character and environment and draws from all the old stories plus many that your average kid is not going to be familiar with. There are vampires, but it's the vampire of Nosferatu. Sea wolves make an appearance. Frankenstein, of course, as the truly tragic character. 2. The main story follows Charlie's struggle to accept his cousin's death, and it truly tugs on your heartstrings. Accepting death is not a common theme, at least not like this, and it felt well handled. 3. The ending took me by surprise, and it was really good! Truly touching and heartwarming.
Three things I did not like: 1. I found Charlie to be a difficult character to relate to. For much of the book, it felt like he was just there as a vessel for the reader instead of his own character. This can work well, and some people like characters like that, but I wasn't a fan. 2. Some of the writing, particularly the dialogue, can get repetitive. I lost count of how many times Charlie said "I don't understand," sometimes back to back. 3. The human world didn't feel very fleshed out, and most of it felt like temporary set dressing. It wasn't bad, per se, but it makes sense why Charlie never seems to want to go home. (I could be misremembering, but I don't think he even mentions missing home or wanting to go back in over a month?)
It is a solid little junior fiction book that I enjoyed, and I have no doubt that a lot of people will love it, but it missed a few marks for me. Its greatest moment came at the end with how it wrapped up the Charlie/Billy issue.
Three things I liked: 1. The world of "Monsterland" is rich in character and environment and draws from all the old stories plus many that your average kid is not going to be familiar with. There are vampires, but it's the vampire of Nosferatu. Sea wolves make an appearance. Frankenstein, of course, as the truly tragic character. 2. The main story follows Charlie's struggle to accept his cousin's death, and it truly tugs on your heartstrings. Accepting death is not a common theme, at least not like this, and it felt well handled. 3. The ending took me by surprise, and it was really good! Truly touching and heartwarming.
Three things I did not like: 1. I found Charlie to be a difficult character to relate to. For much of the book, it felt like he was just there as a vessel for the reader instead of his own character. This can work well, and some people like characters like that, but I wasn't a fan. 2. Some of the writing, particularly the dialogue, can get repetitive. I lost count of how many times Charlie said "I don't understand," sometimes back to back. 3. The human world didn't feel very fleshed out, and most of it felt like temporary set dressing. It wasn't bad, per se, but it makes sense why Charlie never seems to want to go home. (I could be misremembering, but I don't think he even mentions missing home or wanting to go back in over a month?)
It is a solid little junior fiction book that I enjoyed, and I have no doubt that a lot of people will love it, but it missed a few marks for me. Its greatest moment came at the end with how it wrapped up the Charlie/Billy issue.
February 24, 2019
Monsterland by James Crowley, 373 pages. G.P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin), 2017, $17.
Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence PG
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Charlie is a fifth grader facing Halloween without his close cousin, Billy. Charlie keeps dreaming of Billy and feels like he needs to find him. When he tries to avoid bullies on Halloween, Charlie ends up in Monsterland, a land inhabited by monsters of all types that is off the grid. He is taken in by the Prime Minister, who sends him off with the Monster of all Monsters, to go on a diplomatic and highly dangerous mission where Charlie can also search for Billy.
This book was well written and I enjoyed the themes of friendship, loyalty and loss. This is a journey story for Charlie as he learns about life and himself. The characters were well rounded and sympathetic.
Michelle in the Middle, Teacher
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence PG
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Charlie is a fifth grader facing Halloween without his close cousin, Billy. Charlie keeps dreaming of Billy and feels like he needs to find him. When he tries to avoid bullies on Halloween, Charlie ends up in Monsterland, a land inhabited by monsters of all types that is off the grid. He is taken in by the Prime Minister, who sends him off with the Monster of all Monsters, to go on a diplomatic and highly dangerous mission where Charlie can also search for Billy.
This book was well written and I enjoyed the themes of friendship, loyalty and loss. This is a journey story for Charlie as he learns about life and himself. The characters were well rounded and sympathetic.
Michelle in the Middle, Teacher
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
September 2, 2017
I happened upon this book due to an event at BookPeople here in Austin. The author was holding a reading and signing for Monsterland, and all around the book store, I could see the excitement among both children and adults alike that seemed to be uncontainable.
I grew up reading Harry Potter, and book store events like this brought back those memories. For a story to bring this much thrill and excitement, it must have been a worthwhile read. I have to say it brought back almost every feeling I had while reading Harry Potter. I fell in love with the characters, I learned along with Charlie during his journey and I am sad to say goodbye to them.
I feel that James Crowley has written something that is timeless. Even though this seems to be a standalone of Charlie and Franklin's adventure, I really do hope that the author will bring us back to Monsterland.
I grew up reading Harry Potter, and book store events like this brought back those memories. For a story to bring this much thrill and excitement, it must have been a worthwhile read. I have to say it brought back almost every feeling I had while reading Harry Potter. I fell in love with the characters, I learned along with Charlie during his journey and I am sad to say goodbye to them.
I feel that James Crowley has written something that is timeless. Even though this seems to be a standalone of Charlie and Franklin's adventure, I really do hope that the author will bring us back to Monsterland.
March 28, 2020
I really enjoyed the storyline and the characters, however, most of the book feels majorly underdeveloped. I didn't find the pace of the book to be suitable, and the most simple parts of the story dragged. The only other problem I have is that it was rather difficult to relate, to get to know the characters. There was no connection between the reader and the characters, or even between the characters. I found that this made the story to be rather bland. Yet, the storyline and plot were still rather interesting, and I quite enjoyed how the story finished.
August 16, 2017
As Charlie embarks on an unforgettable adventure, you can't help but to feel the urge to follow the young protagonists footsteps on his quest to find missing pieces of his past. Meeting many infamous monsters on his way, he discovers that not all are as bad as they are painted to be, but not all are necessarily good.
A brilliant, page turning novel, Monsterland is an excellent fantasy for young adults! I loved it and can't wait to read more of James Crowley's work!
A brilliant, page turning novel, Monsterland is an excellent fantasy for young adults! I loved it and can't wait to read more of James Crowley's work!
December 23, 2020
This was actually pretty adorable! I bought it on a whim when I saw it on sale for just a couple dollars, and didn’t expect much outside a cool cover but I was pleasantly surprised.
This was a cute adventure tale, loved the different characters and the uniqueness of monster land. And everything wrapped up nicely for me too.
The only thing I knocked of a star for was Abigail’s storyline. I felt it needed a lot more detail than it had to be worth being part of the book honestly.
This was a cute adventure tale, loved the different characters and the uniqueness of monster land. And everything wrapped up nicely for me too.
The only thing I knocked of a star for was Abigail’s storyline. I felt it needed a lot more detail than it had to be worth being part of the book honestly.
September 15, 2017
A quest book at its best! This book was fun, the characters were interesting and full, with both good and bad qualities. I liked how the author chose do deal with the death of a loved one, and how to come to terms with it. The world building was fun if a little vague, and kept the action moving along really well. Overall a fun fast paced fantasy!
November 2, 2017
What a fantastic adventure. I loved the monster Franklin, he made the book for me. I enjoyed every minute, I think it's 4 stars because I was pretty sure if I had to read the passage about his dream with his cousin one more time I was gonna throw the book across the room. Like we get it, but it felt like I read about his dream 100 times. Other than that I loved every bit.
June 14, 2018
This book felt really loooong to me.
This book would be good for young readers at a high reading level. It is an adventure book, full of action, where Charlie meets lots of monsters who guide him through Monsterland.
My favorite part was about the Mummies. It was amusing that they had no labor force because most mummies were royalty!
This book would be good for young readers at a high reading level. It is an adventure book, full of action, where Charlie meets lots of monsters who guide him through Monsterland.
My favorite part was about the Mummies. It was amusing that they had no labor force because most mummies were royalty!
October 16, 2025
Cute enough middle grade novel that I might've enjoyed more when I was 13/14. The pacing was pretty slow in the middle, and somehow the "real world" had more spooky, Halloween vibes than Monsterland did. As another review here put it, the middle chunk of the book feels more like a Western, with all the travel on horseback and talk of making camp.
Love the cover illustration, though!
Love the cover illustration, though!
October 25, 2017
I loved the beginning & ending of this book. The middle tended to drag a bit for me, and I think it could have been trimmed down a bit, but many might find Charlie's harrowing adventures exciting. This book was very reminiscent to me of The Halloween Tree.
October 29, 2017
Hmm. This was definitely a solid work of middle grade fiction, but it just didn't do much for me... Maybe I'm just burned out on the whole "monsters aren't as bad as they look" angle right now. I also never felt like I got to know Charlie as a character beyond his sadness over Billy's loss.
January 29, 2018
I've tagged this as fantasy as there are monsters involved.
As you can tell by the star rating I really enjoyed this book. I think any child who enjoys reading and monsters will like this book.
I'm glad that the ending wasn't how it could have turned out.
As you can tell by the star rating I really enjoyed this book. I think any child who enjoys reading and monsters will like this book.
I'm glad that the ending wasn't how it could have turned out.
September 5, 2019
I love when I read a book that I can't wait to share with my littles! This story took a non traditional twist on the timeless scary story characters. Inventive story with sonne gray imagery and sentiment.
May 11, 2020
Epic adventure perfect for middle grade boys who might be interested in beasts and battles. Reminded me of Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop, although with more than double the length and more violence, I would give Monsterland to a more mature reader.
August 4, 2017
We're definitely not in Kansas here! This quest adventure is a great twin to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz except with monsters (Franklin Prometheus! Dwight!). The sense of fun with the genre is evident and this is a great addition to the October scary/haunted/monster story display.
August 26, 2017
Great story
I loved the story of Charlie and his travels. I liked the characters and was rooting for Charlie to find peace.
I loved the story of Charlie and his travels. I liked the characters and was rooting for Charlie to find peace.
October 30, 2017
Perfect for Halloween season. Beautifully described love and friendship and when to let go and know your limits.
January 20, 2021
Loved it.
September 12, 2021
One of the best books I've ever read
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