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A Monster Like Me
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There are trolls, goblins, and witches. Which kind of monster is Sophie?
Sophie is a monster expert. Thanks to her Big Book of Monsters and her vivid imagination, Sophie can identify the monsters in her school and neighborhood. Clearly, the bullies are trolls and goblins. Her nice neighbor must be a good witch, and Sophie’s new best friend is obviously a fairy. But what abo ...more
Sophie is a monster expert. Thanks to her Big Book of Monsters and her vivid imagination, Sophie can identify the monsters in her school and neighborhood. Clearly, the bullies are trolls and goblins. Her nice neighbor must be a good witch, and Sophie’s new best friend is obviously a fairy. But what abo ...more
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What does it mean to be human?
...A human needs courage to do what’s right, even when it’s hard. Wisdom to know what’s right and wrong. Justice is important but only if it comes with mercy. And most of all, humans need love. We care for those we love, and hurt when they hurt, and are happy when they’re happy. It’s that togetherness that makes us all human.
Sophie was born a perfectly healthy baby but when she was two months old she got a hemangioma, a blood tumour, on her face. People often stare ...more
...A human needs courage to do what’s right, even when it’s hard. Wisdom to know what’s right and wrong. Justice is important but only if it comes with mercy. And most of all, humans need love. We care for those we love, and hurt when they hurt, and are happy when they’re happy. It’s that togetherness that makes us all human.
Sophie was born a perfectly healthy baby but when she was two months old she got a hemangioma, a blood tumour, on her face. People often stare ...more
Re-read July 2020:
Even better than I remembered.
Original review February 2019:
Such a lovely book about acceptance and inclusion.
Sophie has a wonderful imagination that layers onto her existing reality.
I was fascinated with her inner monologue; such curiosities revealed.
Everyone should experience Sophie's enchanting thoughts.
Thank you NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for this ARC.
Even better than I remembered.
Original review February 2019:
Such a lovely book about acceptance and inclusion.
Sophie has a wonderful imagination that layers onto her existing reality.
I was fascinated with her inner monologue; such curiosities revealed.
Everyone should experience Sophie's enchanting thoughts.
Thank you NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for this ARC.
The world is a dragon; my book a shield.Sophie believes a witch cursed her when she was a baby and she now spends much of her time with her head down, reading and rereading The Big Book of Monsters. She uses it to help identify and protect herself against the monsters surrounding her that are cleverly disguised as humans and searching for clues to figure out what kind of monster she is so she can find a cure. She’s also hiding her face from the world because she’s ashamed of her ‘monster mark ...more
Aug 22, 2019
Stephanie Fitzgerald
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
Middle-grade readers and teachers
Shelves:
reviewed-on-goodreads,
best-of-2019
Oh, my goodness, the premise of a little girl thinking that people see her as a monster because of her facial hemangioma was so heartbreaking! I just wanted to fold Sophie into a big hug all the way through! A beautifully written story, by an author has personally experienced many of Sophie’s challenges because of her own hermangiona growing up.
Memorable quotes:
(Pg. 6)-“Hey, look, kids! That girl doesn’t even need a costume for Halloween! She’s already got one!” (This was said by an adult woman ...more
Memorable quotes:
(Pg. 6)-“Hey, look, kids! That girl doesn’t even need a costume for Halloween! She’s already got one!” (This was said by an adult woman ...more
Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
Thanks to her Big Book of Monsters and her vivid imagination, Sophie can identify the monsters in her school and neighborhood. Due to the “monster mark” on her face Sophie’s also convinced she's definitely a monster. Doesn't matter the doctors call it a blood tumor. Sophie's certain her mom will figure it out too. And then her mom will probably leave — just like her dad did. Because if she’s a monster on the outside, then she must be a monster ...more
Sophie thinks she's a monster. She thinks a lot of people around her are monsters too, and she carries her Big Book of Monsters around almost everywhere she goes so that she can identify them and protect herself and her mom from them. The big birthmark - a hermangioma - that covers one side of her face makes kids and even adults stare and even make fun of her, and as a result she has severe social anxiety. Her world of monsters helps everything make sense. Until things start to change, and the b
...more
Wendy's awesome and I know her! I know her! I met her many years ago at a writing conference, and we have stayed in touch, and I am so happy about this, her first book! It was fascinating, and so inventive! It's partially based on her own childhood: she had a hemangioma (basically like a combination birth mark and tumor) on her face. But how much of the rest is true, I don't know.
What I do know is that I was tense the entire book! Sophie, our main character, not only hides away because of her b ...more
What I do know is that I was tense the entire book! Sophie, our main character, not only hides away because of her b ...more
The description of A Monster Like Me is kind of awkward. We're told that Sophie can identify monsters. Some are "bullies and trolls and goblins" but does the mention of "fairies" within that framework tell us that she thinks they, too, are monsters?
I'm going to go along with the use of the word, but doing so is unsettling when the monsters are Native characters. Equally unsettling is that A Monster Like Me got a starred review from Booklist.
Sophie has a hemangioma on her face. The author, Wend ...more
I'm going to go along with the use of the word, but doing so is unsettling when the monsters are Native characters. Equally unsettling is that A Monster Like Me got a starred review from Booklist.
Sophie has a hemangioma on her face. The author, Wend ...more
I was so excited to get this advanced copy of A Monster Like Me, and even more happy to find out the story takes place in Portland, Oregon a 100 miles from my hometown in Eugene! I have lived here my whole life and still learned something new about Multnomah Falls! ❤️
Sophie is an imaginative, little girl who has found away to cope with her big birthmark. She has created a world with monsters everywhere she goes. It’s much easier to accept your “monster qualities” when you imagine that monsters a ...more
Sophie is an imaginative, little girl who has found away to cope with her big birthmark. She has created a world with monsters everywhere she goes. It’s much easier to accept your “monster qualities” when you imagine that monsters a ...more
This is the most recent book I read with my twins, and it came with lots of requests for "just one more chapter!" The main character, Sophie, thinks she's a monster because she has a blood tumor on her face. Her new best friend is a fairy, and the mean boys at school? Definitely goblins and orcs. I really enjoyed Sophie's growth over the course of the book, and the themes of kindness and acceptance.
Sophie is obsessed with monsters. She sees them everywhere. A birthmark on her face has left her hiding in her own shell, afraid to leave; afraid to stay. With the help of hew new best friend, Autumn, she sets about finding a cure for monster in side of her that is trying to come out of her birthmark. Along the way, she learns more about herself than she ever imagined. Will she accept her "inner monster", or her Mom's boyfriend, or will she make a sacrifice to save Autumn's little brother?
Swore ...more
Swore ...more
*thank you to Netgalley, Wendy S. Swore and Shadow Mountain Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
4 stars.
I really quite liked this. I was definitely in the mood for a middle grade novel and this filled that need. The story was interesting and one that addresses an important issue, bullying. For that reason I feel this is also quite a relatable book. I would recommend this.
4 stars.
I really quite liked this. I was definitely in the mood for a middle grade novel and this filled that need. The story was interesting and one that addresses an important issue, bullying. For that reason I feel this is also quite a relatable book. I would recommend this.
![laurel [the suspected bibliophile]](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1546974316p2/7494844.jpg)
Mar 04, 2019
laurel [the suspected bibliophile]
marked it as dnf
DNF at 52%
Sophie is a monster expert. She has to be—she surrounded by goblins and trolls at school, a good witch that lives next door, a fairy as a friend, and a demon who is trying to whisk her mother away.
But Sophie has a secret. She's a monster, too. And she needs to find a cure, fast.
~
At first I was really enjoying this book. There was a lot of monster myth and lore from all over the world, the setting is Portland, Oregon, and there's a magical realism setting where the line between what's h ...more
Sophie is a monster expert. She has to be—she surrounded by goblins and trolls at school, a good witch that lives next door, a fairy as a friend, and a demon who is trying to whisk her mother away.
But Sophie has a secret. She's a monster, too. And she needs to find a cure, fast.
~
At first I was really enjoying this book. There was a lot of monster myth and lore from all over the world, the setting is Portland, Oregon, and there's a magical realism setting where the line between what's h ...more
Sophie is a girl with a birthmark on her face which makes her think she was cursed and turned into a monster. In fact, she always carries her favorite book with her, a monster book, because she kepts cheking it out in order to know what kind of monster is around at any given time.
Because of all the bullying she gets for her birthmark she lives kind of a secluded life, not enjoying activities like other kids her age do, and she has just moved with her mother to a new place and school. There, she ...more
Because of all the bullying she gets for her birthmark she lives kind of a secluded life, not enjoying activities like other kids her age do, and she has just moved with her mother to a new place and school. There, she ...more
A Monster like Me by author WendyS. Swore is a great children’s book. With monsters and fairies, who all deal with bullying and friendships. I would recommend this book to anyone with kids who love monsters!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an arc copy of A Monster like Me in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an arc copy of A Monster like Me in exchange for an honest review.
What a sweet and wise book. Sophie is a tremendously sympathetic heroine with a wildly active imagination - for good reason. Your heart will ache for her, and with her, but hang in there because this book also has great heart and hope.
This book shows the power that children have to create something to make their world more understandable to them.
Do you believe that monsters are real? Do you ever believe that you are a monster? Sophie is starting a new school and it's very hard to do that, especially when you have a blood tumor that covers half of your face. Sophie calls it her "monster mark". Sophie believes that when she was a baby she was cursed by a witch and turned into a monster. How in the world could her mother or anyone else love a monster? She carries around The Big Book of Monsters everywhere she goes and she can just look at
...more
*I received a free ARC of this book, with thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Love love love this book!
A Monster Like Me features Sophie’s first-person narrative as she navigates a world in which she looks like a monster (in her opinion) and other people act like them whilst looking human.
She sees witches, fairies, goblins and more everywhere she looks and constantly muddles fact with fantasy as she struggles to understand a worl ...more
Love love love this book!
A Monster Like Me features Sophie’s first-person narrative as she navigates a world in which she looks like a monster (in her opinion) and other people act like them whilst looking human.
She sees witches, fairies, goblins and more everywhere she looks and constantly muddles fact with fantasy as she struggles to understand a worl ...more
Mar 21, 2019
Aimee (Getting Your Read On)
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
middle-grade,
physical-book-for-review
This is a very cute book and one I think would be perfect for reading aloud to children. It has humor and creativity that will entertain both young and old while also bringing out the tender topics of bullying and how to treat those who may look or act different than us. This had a similar message and feel as the book, Wonder.
Books like this always strike a deep chord within me as my daughter also has a malformation in her face/neck area that was quite obvious when she was younger. It was so ha ...more
Books like this always strike a deep chord within me as my daughter also has a malformation in her face/neck area that was quite obvious when she was younger. It was so ha ...more
I loved this book about a little girl learning to accept herself as she is, even though the blood tumor on her face makes her a constant victim of second looks, snide comments, and merciless teasing. As she learns the value of true friendship and seeing other people for what they really are, she is able to see her own worth much more clearly. The story feels authentic (the author had a blood tumor as a child), with Sophie acting and thinking in ways that felt true to an 11-year-old. It's also sw
...more
I'm a bit torn on this one.
The issues that this book brings up may be difficult for some to deal with. It leads you into them very delicately. You think you are reading a fun little book about a girl who believes in monsters - and then it gets very very real.
I would suggest trigger warnings for anyone who has been bullied, and if you can get past that, there are some very touching, very wise lessons here.
I will be posting a full review on my blog for the blog tour.
www.bookmanialife.com ...more
The issues that this book brings up may be difficult for some to deal with. It leads you into them very delicately. You think you are reading a fun little book about a girl who believes in monsters - and then it gets very very real.
I would suggest trigger warnings for anyone who has been bullied, and if you can get past that, there are some very touching, very wise lessons here.
I will be posting a full review on my blog for the blog tour.
www.bookmanialife.com ...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Sophie might be young, but she's definitely smarter than most people. Why? Well, she can spot a monster from miles away - even if it's disguised as a human. And her big book of monsters helps her spot them even more easily. But how does she do it?
Sophie has a secret. She is a monster in disguise herself. At least, that's what her face hemangioma makes her feel. Which is why she spends her time avo ...more
Sophie might be young, but she's definitely smarter than most people. Why? Well, she can spot a monster from miles away - even if it's disguised as a human. And her big book of monsters helps her spot them even more easily. But how does she do it?
Sophie has a secret. She is a monster in disguise herself. At least, that's what her face hemangioma makes her feel. Which is why she spends her time avo ...more
I like how the author creatively wrote this book. Prior to the chapter, she included facts about the myths of monsters that preceded the chapter. I love the characterization she used in making so-called non-humans to appear they were indeed monsters. I like how she concluded the story.
Apr 08, 2020
DaNae
marked it as didn-t-finish
I gave up at the half-way point. I really like her Peacock book but with this one I had no belief that a fifth grader could be so delusional to believe in monsters with the surety that the main character showed. The self-hate was hard to buy as well.
So I liked it but the monster thing was a little weird 😕
Sophie has a birthmark, called a hemangioma, covering a large portion of the side of her face. She has endured tactless comments and judging stares nearly every day of her 11 years of life. Convinced the mark is evidence that she is more monster than human, Sophie studies "The Big Book of Monsters" religiously. She hopes that by determining what type of monster she is, she'll also be able to find a cure to make her human.
After moving to a new town with her mother, Sophie meets Autumn, who ignore ...more
After moving to a new town with her mother, Sophie meets Autumn, who ignore ...more
Jun 10, 2019
Ruth Santiago
added it
Kids are known to be cruel. But when an adult is cruel, then people have to worry.. And it teaches kids to be just as much... His book shows that people may be different but wanting to socialize is a human characteristic
Sophie is a charming little girl with a big imagination and a rich inner life. With a hard-to-miss birthmark on her face, this 11-year-old identifies as a “monster.” Thanks to The Big Book of Monsters that she carries with her, she is always assessing those around her and sizing up their monster-like characteristics. There are so many things to like about this book, especially Sophie’s voice. It is heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time. I loved that, and it made me want to hug Sophie so man
...more
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Wendy S Swore farms on the Sho-Ban reservation where her corn maze and pumpkin patch is home to her five kids, two dogs, two geese, seven peacocks, eleven ducks, nineteen cats, and two hundred thirty seven chickens. She farms in the summers, writes in the winters, and would rather chew her leg off than eat something spicy.
Rep'd by Stacey Glick, Member SCBWI, Her debut novel, A Monster Like Me, co ...more
Rep'd by Stacey Glick, Member SCBWI, Her debut novel, A Monster Like Me, co ...more
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