Listen to a sample
CHILD OF THE BEAST
BEAST AND THE BETHANY (Related to this series)
- Author
- Jack Meggitt-Phillips
- Narrator
- Barnaby Edwards
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date
- 28 September 2023
- Run Time
- 4 hours 41 minutes
- Format
- x-book®
- Genre
- Children's / Teenage: Humorous stories, Children's / Teenage fiction: Thrillers / suspense, Children's / Teenage: Humorous stories, Children's / Teenage fiction: Thrillers / suspense, Children's / Teenage fiction: Comic (humorous) fantasy, Children's / Teenage fiction: Magical realism / Magical fantasy
Not available in your country
We don't have the rights to sell this audiobook where you are. If it's already in your library you can still listen to it in My Books.
What to expect
The book that bites back is BACK! In the second beastly book from Jack Meggit-Phillips, the most distinctive new voice for readers of 8-12, revenge is a dish best served with a surprise …
For centuries, the beast has tormented the world. But now, there’s a change to a menu, and the beast is going cold turkey – which essentially means eating no priceless works of art . . . or purple parrots . . . or CHILD-SIZED PRANKSTERS.
Ebenezer and Bethany are attempting to help the beast vomit some good into the world – even though they really haven’t come anywhere close to managing the business of do-gooding themselves. But Bethany is distracted by her date-not-a-date with Geoffrey, while Ebenezer is worried by a file which reveals a truth about Bethany’s parents that might just ruin life for everyone at the 15-storey house. Could they be . . . villains?
The beast is left to teach itself how to be good. But its impulses can’t be ignored, and all the worst parts of the beast crawl out of the beast’s belly to form a dreadful child.
At first the beast is charmed by its ghastly progeny. So clever! So horrible! But to its surprise, it develops something approaching a conscience. When the child finds out the truth about Bethany’s parents and plans to use it against her, can Ebenezer and the beast stop it from destroying Bethany’s hopes and dreams for ever?
The Beast and the Bethany has all the classic macabre humour of Roald Dahl with the warmth and charm of Despicable Me, finished off with a gleeful bite of Little Shop of Horrors!
Critics Review
-
PRAISE FOR THE SERIES
'Witty and entertaining', The Sunday Times
'Reads like a modern classic. Sharp, funny, original – I thought this was brilliant', Sam Copeland, bestselling author of Charlie Changes into a Chicken
'What a FEAST! A funny and (bone) cracking good read', Michelle Harrison, bestselling author of A Pinch of Magic
‘A devilishly delicious delight', iNews
‘Fans of Despicable Me and A Series of Unfortunate Events will love this brand-new series’ – funkidslive.com
"Now THAT was a rollercoaster of a book, and totally NOT what I expected in all the best ways! I flippin’ LOVED this cracking tale of absolute chaos, comedy and commotion. The beast couldn’t be on better form, and I can’t wait to read more of its misadventures with Git-face, I mean, Ebenezer and Bethany. And that epilogue . . . now I’m HUNGRY for the next juicy-woosie tale of the reluctant do-gooder, the ex-prankster and the 511 year old man in his favourite waistcoat!" Laura Ellen Anderson
‘Writing one classic would be enough for most authors. Two is a delightful bonus. Writing three is just showing off. Jack Meggitt-Phillips is such a gitface. Annoyingly, Battle Of The Beast might even be the best of the lot . . .’ Ian Mark
‘I flipping loved it. Mischievous, wildly imaginative and full of characters you really care about. The ending has a brilliant twist and now I desperately want to eat an egg containing a blueberry cheesecake.’ Jenny McLachlan
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Jack Meggitt-Phillips
- Narrator
- Barnaby Edwards
- Duration
- 4 hours 41 minutes
- Release Date
- 28 September 2023
- ISBN
- 9780008568191
- Format
- x-book®
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Genre
- Children's / Teenage: Humorous stories, Children's / Teenage fiction: Thrillers / suspense, Children's / Teenage: Humorous stories, Children's / Teenage fiction: Thrillers / suspense, Children's / Teenage fiction: Comic (humorous) fantasy, Children's / Teenage fiction: Magical realism / Magical fantasy
Synopsis
The book that bites back is BACK! In the second beastly book from Jack Meggit-Phillips, the most distinctive new voice for readers of 8-12, revenge is a dish best served with a surprise … For centuries, the beast has tormented the world. But now, there’s a change to a menu, and the beast is going cold turkey – which essentially means eating no priceless works of art . . . or purple parrots . . . or CHILD-SIZED PRANKSTERS.Ebenezer and Bethany are attempting to help the beast vomit some good into the world – even though they really haven’t come anywhere close to managing the business of do-gooding themselves. But Bethany is distracted by her date-not-a-date with Geoffrey, while Ebenezer is worried by a file which reveals a truth about Bethany’s parents that might just ruin life for everyone at the 15-storey house. Could they be . . . villains?The beast is left to teach itself how to be good. But its impulses can’t be ignored, and all the worst parts of the beast crawl out of the beast’s belly to form a dreadful child.At first the beast is charmed by its ghastly progeny. So clever! So horrible! But to its surprise, it develops something approaching a conscience. When the child finds out the truth about Bethany’s parents and plans to use it against her, can Ebenezer and the beast stop it from destroying Bethany’s hopes and dreams for ever?The Beast and the Bethany has all the classic macabre humour of Roald Dahl with the warmth and charm of Despicable Me, finished off with a gleeful bite of Little Shop of Horrors!
About xigxag and the x-book®
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
Our x-book® format is the only fully integrated listen-and-read experience available. See the text on screen as you listen, look up words, take notes, search within the book, and share quotes. It is especially useful for accessibility, language learning, and getting more from non-fiction. Look for the purple x-book® ribbon on the cover, or filter your search by "x-book" to find them.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.