Pádraig Kenny

“A stunning book...a brand new take on the monster story.” —Eoin Colfer, international bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl series From award-winning author Pádraig Kenny comes an action-packed middle grade fantasy about a family of monsters, perfect for fans of Jonathan Auxier and Victoria Schwab. Mirabelle is part of a very unusual family. Between Uncle Bertram transforming into a ferocious grizzly bear and Aunt Eliza’s body being made entirely of spiders, it’s safe to say they are an extraordinary lot. To the human residents of Rookhaven Village, the family is a threat. So long ago, a treaty was reached between them—in return for sundries and supplies, the monsters won’t eat the townspeople—and an invisible glamour was set around the perimeter of the Manor to keep strangers out. But the glamour serves a second purpose: to keep Mirabelle and her family hidden from those who would do them harm. When two orphans—siblings Jem and Tom—stumble upon a tear in the magical field and open a door that was meant to stay locked, Mirabelle and her family are put in grave danger. A very real monster has locked onto their scent, and he has a hunger for their kind. At turns chilling and thought-provoking, and stunningly illustrated by Edward Bettison, Pádraig Kenny’s The Monsters of Rookhaven explores difference and empathy through the eyes of characters you won’t soon forget.

The Monsters of Rookhaven

'A fantastical tale of monsters and grief, family and love, and a thrilling middle-grade adventure with real depth andheart.'The Bookseller, Book of the Month 'Poignant, strange, full of folkloric menace and delight, Pogfulfils the promise of Kenny's extraordinary debut, Tin.' GUARDIAN A terrific book with echoes of The Spiderwick Chroniclesand Five Children and It, I loved it!'IRISH INDEPENDENT David and Penny's strange new home is surrounded by forest. It's the childhood home of their mother, who's recently died. But other creatures live here ... magical creatures, like tiny, hairy Pog. He's one of the First Folk, protecting the boundary between the worlds. As the children explore, they discover monsters slipping through from the place on the other side of the cellar door. Meanwhile, David is drawn into the woods by something darker, which insists there's a way he can bring his mother back ... 'One of a kind. Utterly fantastic.'Eoin Colfer on Tin

Pádraig Kenny's The Shadows of Rookhaven is a story about family and forgiveness, the sequel to The Monsters of Rookhaven. Shadows are gathering over Rookhaven. It is the time of The Great Configuration, a once in a hundred years event. Family and monsters descend on Rookhaven from all over the country to take part. But amid the guests there is an interloper. One who is disguised and has an eye on their destruction. Meanwhile Mirabelle – part human, part monster – discovers that to those from outside Rookhaven she is not considered family at all . . . and, forced to search further afield for knowledge of her true history, she risks everything – and everyone. Praise for The Monsters of Rookhaven: 'A stunning book . . . a brand new take on the monster story' – Eoin Colfer, author of Artemis Fowl 'A magnificent, shadowy, gothic adventure full of heart' – Emma Carroll, author of Frost Hollow Hall 'A wildly imaginative story . . . a triumph' – Irish Examiner

The Shadows of Rookhaven

Christopher is 'Proper': a real boy with a real soul, orphaned in a fire. He works for an engineer, a maker of the eccentric, loyal and totally individual mechanicals who are Christopher's best friends. But after a devastating accident, a secret is revealed and Christopher's world is changed for ever ... What follows is a remarkable adventure, as Christopher discovers who he really is, and what it means to be human.

In this gripping, imaginative, and hilarious adventure -- comprised of an unforgettable crew of misfits -- a boy and his mechanical friends discover the truth about his past. "Robots never seemed so human. One of a kind and utterly fantastic." -- Eoin ColferIn an alternative England of the 1930s where the laws of mechanics govern even the most talented engineers, a mismatched group of mechanicals want nothing more than to feel human. Under the guardianship of the devious and unlicensed Gregory Absalom, an engineer who creates mechanical children, they have no choice but to help him in his unlawful practice. But through his unethical work, Absalom winds up creating a loyal and lively group of friends who will go to the ends of the Earth for one another. When the story's protagonist, Christopher, discovers a devastating secret about himself and the friends are torn apart, it's up to his friends to find him. What they'll discover is the secret about the dark experiment that ended in disaster many years before... Tin is an adventure story about friendship, courage, and loyalty, and what it means to be human.

A story about empathy and difference, from the bestselling author of Tin, stunningly illustrated by Edward Bettison.

Edward Bettison

Monsters of Rookhaven

Les Orphelins de métal

The exquisite sequel to The Monsters of Rookhaven, following the half-human and half-monster Mirabelle on a mission to protect the only home she's ever known from a sinister new threat bent on eradicating her family, perfect for fans of Christian McKay Heidicker, Robert Beatty, and Victoria Schwab. Shadows are gathering over Rookhaven Village, and no human—or monster—is safe . . . In the wake of the shocking revelation that Mirabelle is part human and part monster, our heroine feels like an outsider, both at home and in the greater human world. She isn't quite like the rest of the monsters who raised her at Rookhaven Manor, but she also doesn't recognize herself in humanity, especially after witnessing the terrifying damage left by The Blitz. But as the Great Configuration, a once in a hundred years event, descends upon Rookhaven Village, there's barely enough time to think of herself. Humans and monsters are gathering from all over the country to take part in the festivities. Though, amid the guests is an insidious interloper: A young boy named Billy, who is desperate to protect his own, is working for someone who wants to destroy Mirabelle's family. When Billy steals something precious to Mirabelle, there's more than just her family at stake. Billy is being used for an experiment that could incite a disaster that will affect humans and monsters alike. With the fate of the world on her shoulders, Mirabelle must risk everything and everyone to save the people she loves most. A stunning gothic fantasy with a beating heart, The Shadows of Rookhaven concludes Pádraig Kenny's duology with a masterful ending that reveals the crucial truth that family is much more than just a place—it's the people you love and the home you find within yourself.

Pádraig Kenny

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