You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
I haven’t read a good middle grade book for some time and now I have read this book it has raised the bar high. I have a young nephew that doesn’t read but I know that he would love this book. From the Beast and his antics to Bethany and hers. I’m glad to have found an author that appeals not only to children but to adults as well. mean come on we all have our inner child wanting to read a book like this!
The Beast and Bethany is a mixture of laughter, sadness, evil and light. You even have a character arc for not one but two characters in this book. I have found that Jack Meggitt-Phillips has created two very likeable characters that you can’t help but laugh at as well as cheer on.
The book is about Mr Ebenezer Tweezer. He is not the most likeable man to start with, he is selfish and has a Beast that he feeds to get what he wants. One of these things is eternal youth, I mean come on he is 511 years old! He has found himself doing what he wants when he wants and not caring about others. This all starts to change when the Beast is demaning a child to eat.
Yes you read that right! Oh right let me explain. The Beast can create items after you feed him what he wants. I love how this is described as the Beast coughing and then vomiting what Ebenezer desires. The thing is as the years have gone on the Beast has become more demanding and he has now requested a plump child as his next feast. Ebenezer isn’t too sure of this but the Beast refuses to give him the potion to keep him young and alive without being fed first. This is where the book takes a comedic turn.
Ebenezer Tweezer sets off to find a child to feed the Beast. He goes to the zoo where he tried to lure lure a child. This to me as an adult is wrong but I can see the comedic fun. He is banned for life from the zoo and stuck off he goes to the local bird shop. He propostiitons the owner who declines but mentions going to the orphanage.
Again enter more comedic fun with Bethany. She isn’t the kindest and most pleasant child. She is hurtful and doesn’t do as she is told and Ebenezer adopts her to feed to the Beast. His reasoning? she is a horrific child and no one will miss her. Thng is the Beast has found her too skinny so Ebenezer needs to fatten her up!
The relationship between Ebenezer and Bethany is brilliant. They spark off one another and Bethany doesn’t take anything lying down. She is a horror but who wouldn’t after losing her parents so tragically when she was younger and not being shown any love from the mistress of the Orphanage.
Bethany and Ebenezer form an unlikely pair but you can see the friendship forming as the book goes on. Ebenezer grows a consciences and Bethany learns about friendship. Working together they learn how to deal with the Beast and move forward together.
The book is definitely one to read yourself and with children. It has a dark humour and comedic factor throughout which I adored. The book flowed seamlessly and I was able to read it really quickly. There was enough going on that you didn’t get bored and it will hold your attention. The characters are fun and their developments is some of the best I have read in a Middle Grade book. Jack Meggitt-Phillips has definitely created something special with Bethany and Ebenezer and his humour bleeds through every page.
Highly recommend this book.
The Beast and Bethany is a mixture of laughter, sadness, evil and light. You even have a character arc for not one but two characters in this book. I have found that Jack Meggitt-Phillips has created two very likeable characters that you can’t help but laugh at as well as cheer on.
The book is about Mr Ebenezer Tweezer. He is not the most likeable man to start with, he is selfish and has a Beast that he feeds to get what he wants. One of these things is eternal youth, I mean come on he is 511 years old! He has found himself doing what he wants when he wants and not caring about others. This all starts to change when the Beast is demaning a child to eat.
Yes you read that right! Oh right let me explain. The Beast can create items after you feed him what he wants. I love how this is described as the Beast coughing and then vomiting what Ebenezer desires. The thing is as the years have gone on the Beast has become more demanding and he has now requested a plump child as his next feast. Ebenezer isn’t too sure of this but the Beast refuses to give him the potion to keep him young and alive without being fed first. This is where the book takes a comedic turn.
Ebenezer Tweezer sets off to find a child to feed the Beast. He goes to the zoo where he tried to lure lure a child. This to me as an adult is wrong but I can see the comedic fun. He is banned for life from the zoo and stuck off he goes to the local bird shop. He propostiitons the owner who declines but mentions going to the orphanage.
Again enter more comedic fun with Bethany. She isn’t the kindest and most pleasant child. She is hurtful and doesn’t do as she is told and Ebenezer adopts her to feed to the Beast. His reasoning? she is a horrific child and no one will miss her. Thng is the Beast has found her too skinny so Ebenezer needs to fatten her up!
The relationship between Ebenezer and Bethany is brilliant. They spark off one another and Bethany doesn’t take anything lying down. She is a horror but who wouldn’t after losing her parents so tragically when she was younger and not being shown any love from the mistress of the Orphanage.
Bethany and Ebenezer form an unlikely pair but you can see the friendship forming as the book goes on. Ebenezer grows a consciences and Bethany learns about friendship. Working together they learn how to deal with the Beast and move forward together.
The book is definitely one to read yourself and with children. It has a dark humour and comedic factor throughout which I adored. The book flowed seamlessly and I was able to read it really quickly. There was enough going on that you didn’t get bored and it will hold your attention. The characters are fun and their developments is some of the best I have read in a Middle Grade book. Jack Meggitt-Phillips has definitely created something special with Bethany and Ebenezer and his humour bleeds through every page.
Highly recommend this book.
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thanks to #TheWriteReads for making this book available to me.
I read this book under two hours because once I started I just could not put it down. I will try not to spoil this book because as with lots of Children's books, the plot isn't wide and the story is really focused on the outcome. Ebenezer is 511 years old but he looks nothing like his age because of a potion that he gets from a monster he keeps in his attic. He has basically been living a solitary life of enjoyment, he has all the money he can ever spend and if he does spend it all, the monster can just vomit some more for him. But it appears that the monster is now greedy for something and he would not be giving Ebenezer the potion that keeps him young unless he gets him what he wants. He wants a tasty plump child. The HORROR!
At this point in the book you begin to see Ebenezer's idea of morality, I mean its one thing for him to fed the monster one of the rarest birds in the world and it is another to feed it a child (I want to believe that anyone would put the child before the bird, but I cannot speak for animal rights. Don't come for me, I Eat Meat!). But Ebenezer begins to question is standing, its just one child, right? So when he finally finds the worst child he thinks he can get he decides she is perfect for the beast to feast on.
Bethany is a honestly a spoilt brat, however she did not deserve to be eaten by the beast. Getting to know Bethany better, Ebenezer finds out that she is also a creature of circumstance. A friendship buds between them and he has to chose between death and giving his friend to the beast.
I read this book under two hours because once I started I just could not put it down. I will try not to spoil this book because as with lots of Children's books, the plot isn't wide and the story is really focused on the outcome. Ebenezer is 511 years old but he looks nothing like his age because of a potion that he gets from a monster he keeps in his attic. He has basically been living a solitary life of enjoyment, he has all the money he can ever spend and if he does spend it all, the monster can just vomit some more for him. But it appears that the monster is now greedy for something and he would not be giving Ebenezer the potion that keeps him young unless he gets him what he wants. He wants a tasty plump child. The HORROR!
At this point in the book you begin to see Ebenezer's idea of morality, I mean its one thing for him to fed the monster one of the rarest birds in the world and it is another to feed it a child (I want to believe that anyone would put the child before the bird, but I cannot speak for animal rights. Don't come for me, I Eat Meat!). But Ebenezer begins to question is standing, its just one child, right? So when he finally finds the worst child he thinks he can get he decides she is perfect for the beast to feast on.
Bethany is a honestly a spoilt brat, however she did not deserve to be eaten by the beast. Getting to know Bethany better, Ebenezer finds out that she is also a creature of circumstance. A friendship buds between them and he has to chose between death and giving his friend to the beast.
Funny, witty and frightfully good older children/preteen book
Read- January 2021
- This was a cute read and even though it didn't have much substance I still very much enjoyed it.
- This was a cute read and even though it didn't have much substance I still very much enjoyed it.
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
This is an AMAZING book. Seriously, I enjoyed it so much that I bought a FC for my library and myself. I've left a longer review on my website www.brokengeekdesigns.com but suffice to say that this is one of my favourite books of the year
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Funny mistery middle grade for fans of Lemony Snicket's or Dahl's books. I really enjoyed it - it also has beautiful pictures
dark
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes