Ebenezer is approaching his 512th birthday, although he looks remarkably young for his age. He lives a reclusive life of luxury, filled with the occasional odd purchase of rare parrots and trips to the zoo to gather food for the magical beast he keeps in his attic - the secret to his youth and wealth. But the beast has grown tired of his usual meals. He wants to try something new. Something much more difficult to get hold of. But when orphan Bethany moves in, Ebenezer and his beast discover they may have bitten off more than they can chew.
The Beast and the Bethany is a must read for fans of funny middle grade stories filled with dark twists. I was hooked from the very first page and devoured this story in one sitting, thanks to its superb voice and excellent characters.
I really liked both Bethany and Ebenezer, and I think children will too. Bethany acts without thinking and does some horrible (and hilarious) things. Ebenezer is selfish and thoughtless (and at times completely clueless!).
There were so many lines and moments which made me laugh out loud. But despite the laughs and the gruesome scenarios, there were also touching moments, filled with character growth and friendship.
My advanced copy only had a taste of Follath's artwork, and I'm really looking forward to being able to buy a finished copy to enjoy it properly, as the pictures which have been included are brilliant.
I'm so pleased there are going to be more books with Bethany and Ebenezer - this is a great concept with fantastic characters, which readers will want to return to again and again.
You can find out much more about The Beast and the Bethany by following all of the tour stops with The Write Reader blog tour.
The Beast and the Bethany is written by Jack Meggitt-Phillips and illustrated by Isabelle Follath
Love your take on the book. I’m just finishing it up today for my review tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'm looking forward to reading your review tomorrow. This tour has been so much fun.
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