Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Would the impact of A Monster Calls have been lessened if Ness had ever used the word "cancer?" Why or why not?
- Why do none of the adults ever come right out and say to Conor that his mom is going to die? What do you think they're trying to accomplish? Do you think they're making the right call? Why or why not?
- Why does it bother Conor that he gets special treatment at school because of his mom's illness? Is he bothered more by the negative attention (the bullying) or the positive (his teacher handling him with kid gloves)?
- Why do you think Jim Kay chose to illustrate the book with harsh, wild lines, using only black, white, and gray? If you could illustrate this book, what look would you go for?
- Why doesn't Conor's dad come to stay with him while his mom is sick? What makes him choose his American child over his English one?
- Do you think Conor handles his mother's illness well? Why or why not?
- How does the monster help (or hurt) Conor come to terms with his mother's cancer? Do you think Conor ever might have been able to face his grief without the monster's help?