Monster Movie! by Chuck Wendig

What worked:

Many book characters suffer from anxiety or phobias but Ethan takes it to the extreme. The opening chapter finds his mind spiraling out of control as he thinks about how a squirrel might have rabies, or maybe a weird human-hybrid squirrel disease, or maybe The Plague, or maybe… He’s also terrified of being around classmates because he doesn’t know how to behave around them (of course they also carry diseases and infections). Much of the first fourth of the book builds tension as Ethan insists he’s not going to a movie even though all of his classmates will be attending. His best friends try pressuring him into going and the author shares his obsessive thoughts about why that won’t be happening. Kids say people became hysterical and died watching the movie!

Luckily, Ethan has two best friends, Olivia and Harley. Olivia is cool and calm and she’s the one who helps Ethan navigate his panic attacks. She’s also the one who tries using Ethan’s own fear, like the fear of missing out, to convince him about going to the movie. Harley adds humor to the story as he’s goofy and free-spirited. Ethan says Harley always thinks things will work out, no matter what, which leads him to do wacky things, like having a squirrel leave his cellphone on a tree branch. Much of the levity readers will experience comes from Ethan’s vivid imagination and the extreme scenarios his mind comes up with.

The dramatic build-up in the early chapters eventually reveals the malevolent movie monster, a television coming to life. The author conjures strange scenes and events as the monster movie emerges. The whole idea of a movie becoming a monster is very creative and bizarre all on its own. The way it attacks its victims is surprising and a little disturbing. The plot takes an unexpected turn in the later chapters when Ethan finally decides to face the monster and his fears. This twist leads to new characters with a separate, but related, conflict of their own. Ethan knows he must solve this problem if he’s ever going to save his friends and family.

What didn’t work as well:

Ethan freaking out becomes redundant as the plot develops further into the book. Anxiety and panic control much of his behavior and decisions but there are only so many ways the author can describe it. Emphasizing his fears is important in showing how brave people move on despite their fears.

The final verdict:

This book tells a charming tale of an anxiety-filled boy overcoming his fears to become a hero. The entertaining, humorous plot leads readers through spooky confrontations and surprising twists. It will appeal to monster lovers and I recommend you give it a shot.