The Book Nook
A Monster Calls
OCU Collegiate Guest Writer - Corabelle Tally
A Monster Calls written by Patrick Ness follows thirteen year old Conor who wakes up from a bad dream to find a monster at his window. The monster is made out of the yew tree that sits at the church behind his house. “As Conor watched, the uppermost branches of the tree gathered themselves into a great and terrible face, shimmering into a mouth and nose and even eyes, peering back at him... the tree gathered itself into a spine and then a torso [with] furry skin that moved and breathed as if there were muscles and lungs underneath.” The monster ends up coming nearly every night to talk to Conor. On the second night the monster tells Conor the reason that he has come walking and was awoken up from his slumber. “At last, said the monster. To the matter at hand. The reason I have come walking…Here is what will happen, Conor O’Malley, the monster continued, I will come to you again on further nights…And I will tell you three stories. Three tales from when I walked before…And when I have finished my three stories…you will tell me a fourth…and it will be the truth…You know that your truth, the one that you hide, Conor O’Malley, is the thing you are most afraid of.”
Area Concerts & Events
Fun at the Gibson County Fairgrounds
April 12, 2017 4th Grade Farm Fair presented by Gibson County Soil and Water Conservation District for all 4th graders in the county. Contact Ann Ice at 812-385-5033 for more information.
May 12-14, 2017 IKI Horse Speed Show Barrel Racing
Contact Brandice Penner at bpenner3@yahoo.com or 812-677-8070 for more information.
June 2-3, 2017 Gibson County Relay for Life annual event at the Fairgrounds Pavilion Contact Ryan Riggs at 812-475-9486 for more information.
June 16-18, 2017 Loehr Production Horse Show (Barrel, Roping, Sorting) www.facebook.com/loehrproductions Contact Henry Shawn Loehr at 812-499-0879 for more information.
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Throughout the story the reader is shown that Conor’s mother has cancer and won’t last much longer. Every day at school Conor is bullied by three of his peers led by the conniving Harry. With the loss of his only friend, Lily, and the arrival of his bossy grandmother, Conner wants the monster to take care of them. However, the monster will not give in. Conor is told the three stories and at the end, Conor finally tells him the truth that he wanted the pain of his mother’s sickness to be over. “You were merely wishing for the end of pain, the monster said. Your own pain. An end to how it isolated you. It is the most human wish of all…humans are complicated beasts, the monster said….You do not write your life with words, the monster said. You write it with actions. What you think is not important. It is only important what you.” Conor is able to learn how to heal from loss and that it’s all right to want the pain to come to an end. The monster teaches him these things and is with him until the very end. The book was created for children and young adults in 2011. The movie adaptation came out in December.
Casting Crowns at Ford Center, Evansville, Thur. April 6 tobyMac at Banker’s Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Sun. April 9th Vince Gill at Old National Events Plaza, Evansville, Sat. April 22 Tim McGraw at Banker’s Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Sat. April 29 Tesla at Victory Theater, Evansville, Sun. April 30 Buddy Guy at Indiana University auditorium, Bloomington, Thur. May 11 Red Hot Chili Peppers at Banker’s Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Thur. May 18th Neil Diamond at Banker’s Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Fri. May 26th Willie Nelson & Family at Ford Center, Evansville, Mon. June 5th Gordon Mote Concert at Owensville United Methodist Church, Sat. April 8, 6 pm
April 2017
Gibson County is full of things to do. Share your events! Send an email to jancey29@gmail.com
Small Town Living