Child of the Beast (The Beast and the Bethany #4)

 
　　野獸掙扎著想克服自己的本性，但他身上的負面情緒卻凝聚成一個充滿惡意的孩子「Malice」。一開始，野獸對Malice深深著迷，這個孩子真是太聰明、太厲害了，但隨著Malice的力量越來越強大，終於，野獸意識到強大的Malice將會為貝瑟妮帶來威脅，野獸必須正面面對自己的邪惡本性，才有辦法保護貝瑟妮。
 
　　與此同時，艾比尼瑟因為一份文件而憂心忡忡，因為這份文件與貝瑟妮父母的秘密有關，這個秘密可能會毀了這棟十五層樓房子裡所有人的生活，以及貝瑟妮與野獸之間的關係。
 
　　現在，貝瑟妮、艾比尼瑟與野獸必須攜手來對抗Malice，他們能在Malice徹底毀滅貝瑟妮的夢想與希望之前，及時阻止壞事發生嗎？
 
　　《怪獸與貝瑟妮》系列以羅德．達爾式的怪奇幽默風格，加上溫暖的歡樂魅力，以珍貴的友誼和忠誠、以及善惡對抗的曲折情節，編織出不可思議的有趣故事。

        The book that bites back is BACK! In the fourth beastly book from Jack Meggit-Phillips, the most distinctive new voice for readers of 8-12, there are surprises in store for Bethany about her missing family…

        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 . . .

        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!

Jack Meggitt-Phillips is an incredibly exciting new talent. He is an author, scriptwriter and playwright whose work has been performed at The Roundhouse and featured on Radio 4. He is scriptwriter and presenter of The History of Advertising podcast. In his mind, Jack is an enormously talented ballroom dancer, however his enthusiasm far surpasses his actual talent. Jack lives in north London where he spends most of his time drinking peculiar teas and reading PG Wodehouse novels.