Benji and his brother Stanley's lives have changed dramatically after their parents went missing at sea several months ago. Benji knows that they will eventually come home but, until then, they are moving from London to Scotland to live with their Uncle Hamish, their dad's brother whom they barely know. Living on the edge of Loch Lochy couldn't be more different for the boys but then they discover that Uncle Hamish is struggling to pay the bills and may lose his home and the holiday homes on his land (land that has belonged to the McLaughlin family for many generations). Benji, however, has a plan, one involving proving that the Loch Lochy monster is real. But can he bring his plan into fruition before its too late?
Benji is a character that you will warm to immediately: he's friendly, sees the positive in everything and is a 'visionary'. He loves to plan and intends to use his skills to save the day for his uncle. He is incredibly curious and chatty, especially when it comes to wanting to know how life will be in Scotland (will he be able to wear underpants? Will he have to learn how to toss the caber in PE? Will he have to eat haggis all day?). On the face if it, he seems to be doing much better than his older brother, Stanley, who is finding life without his parents hard. You see Benji believes that his parents are still alive and will come come home eventually, choosing to talk about them in the present tense. I loved Benji as soon as I got to know him and his capers and mannerisms certainly made me laugh (including the appearance on more than one occasion of his peely-wally bahoochie!) but you just know that there is a hidden pain that is trapped within and that made me want to reach out to him so many times. Along with his new friend, Murdy, they make quite the double act: opposites in so many ways but perfectly paired for mischief!
The lure of a book set in Scotland is always great for me, having spent much of my time up there as a child. Not only did the book bring back memories of looking for the Loch Ness monster (yes, I did tell my younger sister that I'd seen it & yes, she did lock herself in the car with the keys and refuse to let us in!) but it also brought back very fond memories of my grandparents who hailed from Edinburgh (hence the time we spent up there as children). I could taste the porridge as it was described on the page (salt and all!); peely wally is how I was always described, particularly my milk-bottle legs; and I still find the odd 'wee' sneaking into my own conversations even today! Although Uncle Hamish and my grandad were very different in appearance, it was his voice I could hear when Uncle Hamish spoke and it made me smile.
The Boy Who made Monsters is full of laughs and I giggled through much of the book, but, yet again, Jenny has managed to combine the laughs with serious undertones and the theme of grief and how we deal with grief is ever-present. She expertly shows us that we all deal with grief in our own way and that there is no right or wrong way to manage a situation like this. The book is about hope and belief; finding family and making friends; it's about remembering old memories and making new one; it's about laughing and crying but most of all, it's about love.
Jenny is an expert at making me laugh whilst making me cry as well (have a tissue ready); she did it with Operation Nativity and she's done it again with The Boy Who Made Monsters. It's a truly wonderful read and one that will leave you with a lump in your throat and warmth in your heart (&, if you're like me, you'll hug the book!).
Publishing on the 6th July, The Boy Who Made Monsters is a book you absolutely need to pre-order ... just watch out for peely wally bahoochies!
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