SOLVED. YA Sci-Fi novel with evolving/ mutating chapter art. [s]

[Dan]

I read this book somewhere between 2005-2008 in a school library. It was published in English and seemed relatively modern.

The only thing I recall aside from the genre is a small illustration (around a quarter of a page) at the start of each chapter. This illustration began as something similar to a germ/simple organism and evolved chapter by chapter, into a monster of some description. These were the only illustrations present.

The only result my initial digging has returned is a question on the Sci-fi stack exchange here - https://scifi.stackexchange.com/quest...

Additional plot details provided from this question:
- set in a small town, possibly in England
- a farm, where some kind of creature was evolving throughout the novel
- romance between a boy and a girl, they were probably teens

The details in the original question don't contradict my memory of the novel. However, both of the proposed answers for the question (namely "The Star Beast" by Robert Heinlein and "The Monster Garden" by Vivien Alcock) do not appear to be the novel I'm looking for.

Thanks in advance

[Rainbowheart]

My first thought was A Monster Calls, but it was pubbed too late.

Are you sure it's science fiction and not fantasy? What made the book sci-fi?

[Dan]

Agreed, I don't believe it's "A Monster Calls" either.

I'd say I'm around 90% sure it's sci-fi. Although I don't remember any of the content of the book, the illustrations were definitely tied in with the story and were mutating/evolving in a way that is reminiscent of other pieces of sci-fi media.

[Rainbowheart]

The Scarecrows?

[Dan]

Thanks for the suggestion but I'm afraid not, I've just borrowed the book on Archive.org and there are no illustrations on chapter pages.

It's possible that only the edition I read had illustrations but I'm more likely to lean towards this being a feature in all prints of the book as the other question I mentioned gave a 90s timeframe and also had illustrations.

[Rainbowheart]

Does anything on the 20th Century YA and Middle Grade Science Fiction list look familiar?

I know you said you read it anywhere up to 2008, but if it could have been from the '90s, this list might be helpful.

[Dan]

Thanks, I'll give this a look over today. A lot on there so may take some time!

[Becca]

Hydra by Robert Swindells? You can see the chapter header art if you borrow a copy from archive.org - at the beginning it looks likea jellyfish and then becomes more like an anglerfish etc.
https://archive.org/details/hydra0000...

[Dan]

Yes! This is exactly what I was thinking of! Thanks so much, this has been bugging me for years!

[Kris]

Great! Glad you found your book, Dan. Thanks for the update.