Product Description

He's back -- and up to his old tricks!

It's been two years since Emily and Jess Volnik visited ancient Castle Keep in Scotland and made the acquaintance of the Boggart, a mischievous shape-shifting spirit who has lived in the castle for centuries. Now they've returned for another Scottish adventure, joining their old friend Tommy and Mr. Maconochie, the new owner of Castle keep, on a trip to Loch Ness, where a new expedition is determined to find the fabled monster.

Of course, the fun-loving Boggart comes along for the ride, and wherever the Bogart goes, things are bound to get lively. But this time the Boggart has a serious mission. His cousin Nessie is trapped in the monster shape he assumed long ago, and it's up to the Boggart to keep Nessie from being discovered by the expedition's high-tech equipment. Is modern science any match for the Boggart's ancient magic?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #695257 in Books
• Published on: 2004-05-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Amazon.com Review
Set in the Highlands of Scotland, The Boggart and the Monster has all the trademarks of a first-class adventure: magic, high-tech expeditions, and mythical monsters. The boggart of MacDevon Castle, a mischievous shape-shifting spirit, spends his days happily playing tricks on the new owner of the castle. After discovering his old cousin Nessie miles down in the murky waters of Loch Ness, the boggart must enlist the help of a few human friends to return, with Nessie in tow, to his beloved castle. With a team of scientists hot on their trail, the MacDevon boggart and Nessie begin their adventure. Susan Cooper's inventive writing, infused with both scientific and magical elements, will captivate even the most disbelieving of young adults. (Ages 8 to 12)

From Publishers Weekly
This follow-up to The Boggart teams the invisible sprite with the Loch Ness Monster. In a starred review, PW said, "Cooper adroitly incorporates ancient lore into a contemporary setting while producing an imaginative and compelling tale." Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 5-7. The mystery of the Loch Ness monster has finally been solved?at least according to Susan Cooper?he's a boggart. In this engaging sequel to the tremendously popular The Boggart (McElderry, 1993), Emily and Jessup Volnik are visiting Mr. Maconochie, a retired Edinburgh lawyer who has purchased the Volniks' anecestral home, Castle Keep. At the same time, a group of scientists are about to mount an exhaustive search for the illusive Nessie, utilizing the latest in robot submersibles. When Mr. Mac and his young charges plan a camping trip to Loch Ness, the Boggart, inadvertently trapped in the camping gear, comes too. Nessie, "mattressed on mud and blanketed with slime," has long since forgotten his boggart origins, but the Boggart, feeling a strong connection with his long-lost cousin, is determined to rescue him from the scientists. The explanations of how this all plays out are not as seamless as in the earlier book, and the delightful mischievousness of the Boggart is not maintained when he sentimentally steps out of character to lead his cousin to safety. Nevertheless, these plotting contrivances are balanced by Cooper's exquisite use of language and complex character development. A climactic tour de force, in which the Boggart creates havoc by inhabiting the computer of the remotely operated vehicle, will have young readers cheering. Maintaining suspense until the final pages, Cooper successfully blends technology and ancient beliefs to give readers a fresh spin on Nessie's origins. This entertaining romp can be appreciated as a gratifying fantasy and a thought-provoking story on the nature of freedom and the transforming power of love.?Caroline Ward, Nassau Library System, Uniondale, NY
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Family fun fit for a movie?
As my family read this book and later listened to it on audiocassette, my wife and I both thought that this would make an excellent text for a quality kids movie that would also appeal to adults. This fun-loving story of kids helping a "mythical" creature while adults either belittle their efforts or try to take advantage of them contains the features that made many of the original Disney stories so much fun. The antics of the lovable boggart and his human allies Emily and Jesup as they try to save "Nessie" are easy to visualize.

Our son was 7 when we first introduced him to the story; he was bored and disinterested by it. However, when we reintroduced it a year later he loved it and promptly began making plans to visit Scotland to find a boggart of his own. That extra maturity was needed to appreciate the joys of the book and thoughtful humor that is presented.

This is a great story for older children developing an understanding of the subtleties of human nature. Particularly how "villains" are not always as dastardly as they may initially appear and how even heros have struggles and challenges to overcome. It also does a good job of illustrating how a brother and sister can work together to solve a problem.

Outstanding Sequel!
The Boggart and the Monster is as exciting as Susan Cooper's first Boggart book (The Boggart). This is a fast paced, entertaining and witty book. I couldn't put it down!

This book is an exciting read not only because the Boggart is up to his old tricks, but also because the favorite characters of the first book (Jessup, Emily & Tommy) appear again and the character of the Boggart is developed and begins to take shape a definitive shape of his own.

Susan Cooper draws you into the story in a way that makes you believe in magic.

Reading this book you feel like a kindred spirit with the Boggart (not to mention the Monster, the children and Mr. Mac).

Far from monstrous
Scotland's favorite mischief-making spirit is back in "The Boggart and the Monster," the sequel to Susan Cooper's half-comedic fantasy "The Boggart." While this book moves a little too quickly, Cooper's sense for the fantastical makes it an entertaining, sometimes bizarre read.

The Boggart is back in Scotland, happily living in MacDevon castle, and playing pranks on the new owner. But then Jessup and Emily Volnik return to Scotland, and clue in the castle's relieved owner as to the nature of the family Boggart -- harmless, but loves mischief. But a trip to Loch Ness starts to mess things up -- Jessup and Emily encounter an investigator, working for an eccentric millionaire, who is trying to find the legendary Nessie.

The problem is, the Loch Ness monster is actually a boggart, who sank into depression and sleep after his castle was destroyed. Despite the urgings of the Boggart, Nessie can't change form for very long -- he keeps popping back into his monster form. Now the Boggart and his friends must tackle the best of modern technology, to keep Nessie hidden.

Like most sequels, it's best to read "The Boggart" before tackling "The Boggart and the Monster." But don't expect a stale rehash. Cooper gives her story about boggarts a new twist with the Loch Ness monster. What's more, she manages to weave in the legend of Nessie, without making it feel like a cash-in-on-a-mystery-creature book.

The story goes at a more breakneck pace than the first book, and at times it's easy to lose track of it. But Cooper's writing is vivid and compelling, bringing the lakes, hills and ruined castles of Scotland to life. And she gets into the heads of the boggarts wonderfully -- Nessie's loneliness and depression, and the Boggart's desperation and giddy enjoyment.

Jessup and Emily are nice heroes, not exceptional but well-drawn and likable. The Boggart himself is the scene-stealer -- one minute he'll be cheerleading Nessie, then pulling dog's tails, and making an ROV explorer do an underwater dance. And Nessie is a nice addition, a rather pitiful boggart who has lost his knack for boggartry.

Susan Cooper serves up a solid sequel in "The Boggart and the Monster," returning to the world of Celtic sprites and spirits. Fun and enjoyable.