Today's read heads into a parallel world and explores the myth surrounding yetis...I think. At least, that's the vibe I'm getting from the cover and blurb. I'm hoping this read will be one for those warmer, Spring days...or better nights. Maybe in a tent? On the porch? It's giving off a wonderful, forest atmosphere and screams outdoor adventure. Plus, I love that it's only around 120 pages.
So, let's see if this one is spooky, scary, or simply fun.
(Oh! And this is my first time participating in the MMGM group! I've peeked in on them for years and have always enjoyed the reading suggestions. So, head on over there to discover exciting and interesting middle grade reads every Monday - HERE)
MONSTER MOUNTAIN
by Stacey Bartlett
Monarch Educational Services
Middle Grade Fantasy
121 pages
ages 8 to 12
“There’s mysterious creatures lurking in them there woods…”
Twelve-year-old Nicky is a gamer, and hanging out online with her bestie, Winnie, is her favorite pastime. The only thing she’d love more would be to meet up IRL. The dream comes true when Gram and Gramps invite Nicky, Winnie, and Nicky’s little brother, Ben, to visit them in the North Carolina mountains one summer.
The dream quickly turns into a nightmare, however, when they go hiking at a state park and stumble through a portal into a very strange world. This is no ordinary mountain. It is home to Boojums, Wampus Cats, and other creatures straight out of North Carolina myth and legend. It will take all of the kids’ teamwork and courage to find their way home—or they’ll be trapped on Monster Mountain forever!
Twelve-year-old Nicky is a gamer, and hanging out online with her bestie, Winnie, is her favorite pastime. The only thing she’d love more would be to meet up IRL. The dream comes true when Gram and Gramps invite Nicky, Winnie, and Nicky’s little brother, Ben, to visit them in the North Carolina mountains one summer.
The dream quickly turns into a nightmare, however, when they go hiking at a state park and stumble through a portal into a very strange world. This is no ordinary mountain. It is home to Boojums, Wampus Cats, and other creatures straight out of North Carolina myth and legend. It will take all of the kids’ teamwork and courage to find their way home—or they’ll be trapped on Monster Mountain forever!
MY TIDBITS
The forest holds all sorts of creatures, and some should only exist in nightmares.
Nicky is a gamer through and through, and wishes that she could switch reality for the gaming world. Her best friend shares this opinion...not that Nicky's ever met her in real life. But that's about to change. When Nicky's grandparents agree to let Nicky, her younger brother, and her best friend finally come together at their place in the mountains, there's no doubt that it will be the best time ever. Thanks to the forest and mountains, there are more than a few things to explore. During one of their hikes, Nicky's brother disappears through a crack in a boulder, and the trio discovers an entirely new world. Here, the creatures are as monstrous as the ones in the video games...but here, they are real.
This book reminded me just a little bit of Journey to the Center of the Earth but with middle grade goodness and family wholesomeness woven in. Nicky is a gamer, and her desire to spend every waking moment in the virtual world is something readers will identify with. Her positive personality and interactions with her younger brother make her likeable, and especially her grandfather comes across as someone a reader would like to meet. All of this is built up nicely in the first half of the book, letting readers go on realistic adventures surrounding hikes, clog dancing, and more before the more fantastical side settles in. Once it does, the book shifts into high gear and lets fantasy fly.
Action propels every page forward after the trio (and their cute dog) fall into the other realm. Giant spiders, lava, saw-beak birds, and more give them little time to rest as they try to find their way back to the crack in the boulder. Dialogue drives the tale forward, allowing the personalities of the characters to shine and keeping longer scene descriptions at bay. Yet, the author builds exciting surroundings and horrible creatures vividly enough to easily picture each one. The trio learns not only to work together but has to improvise in ways, which grab back to their gaming knowledge and force them to innovate enough to meld it into real life.
It's an exciting story, especially when the other realm appears. There are messages surrounding teamwork, friendship, trust, loyalty, family and more. There's also some added information surrounding mushrooms, clogging, and such, which cleverly slide in some lesser known facts along the way. So, at only 120 pages, this book packs in quite a bit and will delight action, gamer, and monster fans.
You can learn more about Stacey Bartlett HERE