About This Book
Reach for this book when your child's anxiety feels like a constant companion, or when their 'what-if' thoughts start to limit their world. While the plot follows twelve-year-old Ethan battling a literal monster unleashed from a cursed videotape, the heart of the story is about the internal battle against chronic worry. It provides a safe, humorous space to explore how fear can feel like a monster that grows if you don't face it. Chuck Wendig uses a spooky, cinematic lens to normalize the experience of living with an overactive imagination and generalized anxiety. It is perfectly suited for middle-grade readers who enjoy a thrill but need a protagonist who shares their vulnerabilities. By the end, children see that bravery is not about being fearless, but about taking the next step even when your hands are shaking.
