The Monsters of Rookhaven, Reviewed

This book is about a mansion called Rookhaven that has monsters inside.

Everyone in the house has their own ability apart from Mirabelle, the main character. For example, Odd can teleport, Enoch can turn into a monster and Bertram can turn into a bear.

Two characters living in the outside world notice that there is a small hole where, inside there, is Rookhaven. Jem and Tom go inside the hole and when they are walking to the mansion to get some food, water and shelter they are attacked by some living flowers sworn to protect the mansion.

Bertram in his bear form saves them from the savage flowers and brings them inside but not before Tom is badly hurt and is knocked out. Mirabelle greets them and brings them to their room, where they will be staying.

I won’t tell you the whole story but the important message in the book is that the real monster in the book isn’t one in the house.

I liked all the characters and with all the descriptions and illustrations I could imagine the scenes around me. However, I felt that the book dragged on a bit and it could have been a bit shorter.

There are so many different characters to choose from but if I had to pick a favourite it would probably be Jem because of her loyalty towards her brother and her friend.

I would recommend this book to fans of The Addams Family and Encanto. The Addams Family because of all the monsters, and Encanto because they have similarities such as the main characters’ names and the fact that everyone else in the house has a gift apart from her.

The Monsters of Rookhaven was written by Pádraig Kenny, illustrated by Edward Bettison, and meant for readers aged 9 to 12.