Lancet: [Cancer and Society] "A Monster Calls" (children's book)

[Cancer and Society] A Monster Calls:

The word “cancer” is not used once in A Monster Calls, but its influence is felt even before the first page. The story was conceived by children's author Siobhan Dowd, who died from breast cancer before being able to realise her vision. She did, however, leave behind the idea, the characters, and the beginning, from which Patrick Ness completed the story. The result is a harrowing and deeply engaging account of the heartbreaking effects that cancer has on the children of afflicted patients. It is by no means an easy tale to tell, but Ness's work has clearly resonated with young readers, whose votes awarded A Monster Calls the prestigious Red House Children's Book Award 2012.