A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness and Siobhan Down

Connor's mom is ill and treatments are failing.  His father lives across the ocean in America with a new family.  His grandmother is nearby but not accustomed to messy boys.  He has a best friend and is bullied by a group of boys at school. Many nights when he tries to sleep, a monster appears in the shape of the tree outside his window.  It appears to be real.  It insists that Connor called it and it would go away once Connor understood why it was called.  For Connor things get worse and worse.  He does some things like trash his grandma's house that normally he would not do.  Folks treat him almost he is invisible, letting him get by with anything like not doing his homework.  He wants normal back but it will be a while before that happens.  As Connor faces all the feelings he has about what has been tragically happening in his life, he and readers understand the reason the monster exists.  And it is heart wrenching and it will make very many folks cry.  One of the truest, saddest stories ever.  JDW5/1//15