000			01840nam a2200181 c 4500
008			210312n2006 gw ||||| |||| 00||||eng
020			_a0439951046
100			_aKennen, Ally _cAlly Kennen
245			_aBeast _b
260			_aLeamington Spa _bMarion Lloyd _c2006
300			_a247 p.
520			_aGrade 8 Up47Stephen, a British 17-year-old, has been in and o#014ut of trouble with the law and with his various foster families since he was 7. He is gearing up for what he expects to be his worst crime yet: murder. In a fast-moving, first-person narration, he reveals that his plans aren't to kill another humanÐ#128#147he intends to kill a beast that has been plaguing him for six years. Bit by bit, in hinted details and promises that explanations will come later, the teen plots how to rid himself of the huge crocodile his criminal father gave him without letting his foster family in on the secret. The situation soon spirals out of control, and Stephen must allow himself to trust others with his secret to rid himself of the Beast. Kennen tells the story predominantly in the present tense, and even Stephen's flashbacks, told in past tense, serve to propel the story forward. Though the characters travel from crisis to solution over the course of the novel, there is less growth than revelation about who they are under the facades they show the world. Despite its somewhat urban setting, this is the sort of story that Jack London might have written if he'd crafted tales for hip modern teens. Facts about the crocodile are naturally introduced through Stephen's commentary and dialogue with others. Some reluctant readers may stumble over Briticisms; others will be drawn in by the quick pacing and authentic voice
650			_aEnglischliteratur
650			_aCrime
650			_aTopic
650			_aMurder
942			_cBK
999			_c11948 _d11948