About This Book
18 illustrated horror stories follow one Cherokee family through the atrocities — supernatural and manmade — each generation encounters
This debut YA novel by Cherokee writer Andrea L. Rogers offers a uniquely powerful and essential short story collection. Man Made Monsters is a collection of eighteen hauntingly illustrated short stories that chronicle two centuries of realistic intergenerational trauma through the lens of one extended Cherokee family.
From the first story set in 1839 to the last in 2039, readers will connect with family members displaced from ancestral lands and dispersed as "Urban Indians." While each story stands alone, they are deeply interconnected, reflecting the enduring strength of Cherokee families and culture.
The inclusion of a family tree and transliterated Tsalagi words provides crucial context and centers the Cherokee worldview. Stunning white-on-black graphic art by Cherokee artist Jeff Edwards, incorporating symbols from the Cherokee syllabary, visually enhances the collection.
Rogers masterfully blends traditional horror elements—vampires, werewolves, ghosts, zombies, and various folkloric creatures like the Deer Woman and Lake Worth Monster—with the chilling realities of historical and ongoing atrocities. The true horrors explored are genocide, cultural annihilation, domestic violence, sexual assault, school shootings, medical experimentation, pandemics, and ecological catastrophes.
This collection serves as a poignant and truthful exploration of the statement, "Treaties were broken, and we were chased by human monsters, monsters who lived on blood and sorrow."
More than just speculative fiction, this collection will resonate deeply with readers, offering a critical and emotionally impactful perspective on history, identity, and resilience.
P R A I S E
★ "These stories sound as if they were passed down as family histories. It may read like speculative fiction, but it feels like the truth."
—Horn Book (starred)
★ "Stunning...follows a Cherokee family through two centuries, beginning with something akin to a vampire attack and ending with zombies."
—BCCB (starred)
★ "Spine-tingling...A simultaneously frightening and enthralling read."
—Publishers Weekly (starred)
★ "Chilling… Exquisite… A creepy and artful exploration of a haunting heritage."
—Kirkus (starred)
★ "Startling…Will leave readers—adults as well as teens—unsettled, feeling like they have caught a glimpse into a larger world."
—Booklist (starred)
A W A R D S
· Walter Dean Myers Award
· American Indian Library Association Youth Literature Honor
· International Literacy Association Award
· Whippoorwill Award
· Reading The West Book Awards Shortlist
· Nea Read Across America Recommended Title
B E S T · O F · T H E · Y E A R
Washington Post · Booklist · Publishers Weekly · Horn Book · New York Public Library
