Description
Lou Chandra-Pine is tired of being teased by his older brothers and getting lectured for what his parents call "bad choices."
When his birthday comes and all he gets is a dusty old book and a card with his name spelled wrong, Lou makes a secret wish as he blows out his birthday candles: to be a huge beast. That way, his family would treat him with more respect.
Soon afterwards, though, his body starts doing weird things—like growing hair on his feet, sprouting extra-sharp fingernails and craving foods like raw steak. Could it be his careless wish coming true? Tired of hiding all these strange changes, and worried he might actually be dangerous, Lou decides to run away. But, with the help of a surprising ally, Lou finally discovers that he belongs in his family pack after all.
The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.
Author Bio
Suzanne Sutherland is the author of a number of books for young people, including the Jordan and Max series. Jordan and Max, Field Trip! was named a Children's Book Council Librarian Favorite and a CCBC Best Book for Kids & Teens. Suzanne lives in Toronto with her family.
Dharmali Patel spends her days creating illustrations for different publications and working as an animation director, designer and concept artist for various animated series. In her 18-year career she has worked in the roles of art director, visual development artist and published children's book illustrator. Dharmali lives in Toronto.
Prizes
- Junior Library Guild (JLG) Gold Standard SelectionCommended 2026
- Telling Tales Reading ListCommended 2026
Review Quotes
“Patel’s goofy, hyper expressive illustrations accompany brief, chatty chapters, offering an experience sure to entertain and engage. Cute, capable fun for fans of silly scary stories.”
— Kirkus Reviews“Sutherland delivers a fresh, family-forward interpretation of monsters and monster-hunting in this effusive chapter book. Humorous b&w illustrations by Patel depict friendly-faced creatures that inspire feelings of kinship rather than fear.”
— Publishers Weekly“This book will have readers laughing out loud at the antics and changes that unfold. This hilarious take on what can happen during a full moon will leave readers wanting more of Lou and his family. A fun purchase for all primary-grade libraries; hand to fans of Steven Banks’s Middle School Bites.”
— School Library Journal (SLJ)Biographical note
Suzanne Sutherland is the author of a number of books for young people, including the Jordan and Max series. Jordan and Max, Field Trip! was named a Children's Book Council Librarian Favorite and a CCBC Best Book for Kids & Teens. Suzanne lives in Toronto with her family.
Dharmali Patel studied applied arts with a major in illustration in Mumbai and continued her studies at Vancouver Film School. She is the illustrator of That's Not Fair, which was a CCBC Best Books for Kids and Teens winner in 2016. She hopes that her imagery will inspire young minds and encourage a love of reading and beautiful art. Dharmali lives and works in Toronto.
