Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie R. Wheadon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Eco-message is solid in mild Kingdom Beyond spin-off tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In THE CHAOS MONSTER: SECRETS OF THE SKY, BOOK 1, Kiya catches her twin brother Kinjal sneaking into the basement late at night. He's after his father's book of Bengali folktales that Baba reads them all the time. When Kinjal opens the cover, the siblings hear a strange noise outside. Their dog Thums-Up races out to investigate before they can stop her and gets dognapped by a dark, smelly cloud with arms. It's no use trying to catch her until two winged horses (pakkhiraj) arrive and offer to take the twins to the Kingdom Beyond to search for their beloved pet. What the siblings find there is a bigger problem than a dognapping. The bees in the Sky Kingdom are dying and the land along with it -- and Kiya and Kinjal are the only ones who can help.
Is It Any Good?
This fantasy-adventure has a solid eco-message and wonderful Bengali folktale characters, but it's regrettably formulaic. You can't go wrong with flying horses and cool otherworlds, but The Chaos Monster lacks the flair of the author's other connected series. It seems like the action happens "because it's a quest." Why can't Princess Pakkhiraj fix her own pesticide problem? Well, when two kids show up to your troubled kingdom, even if they were just looking for their lost dog, they must need a quest. And they'll need some magic to help them -- how about magic feathers? Check. How about a silly high-strung sidekick? Check.
Then there's the mystery of the twins' true origins. They aren't surprised at their connections to the Kingdom Beyond, despite being raised in New Jersey. They're only surprised at their connection to magic, a rushed discovery leading to a rushed climax. Beyond the vital bee-loving eco-message, the story just isn't all that memorable, which is a shame given the rich folklore tradition it draws from. Luckily, readers will find more excitement and intrigue in author Sayantani Dasgupta's other two series.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the Great Blah in The Chaos Monster: Secrets of the Sky. What does it represent? Do you ever experience similar moments? How do you fight against it?
How many fantasy books have you read with a message about caring for the earth? Are any fantasy stories ever just fantasy without messages that readers can take away?
Which twin are you most like, Kiya or Kinjal? Do you prefer facts and science over trusting your instincts or the other way around? Why are both perspectives important?
What is Tuni the bird's best joke? Which one made you groan the most?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Sandara Tang
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Activism , Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , STEM
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Courage
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Scholastic Press
- Publication date : July 18, 2023
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 240
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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