It is often hard to tell what were the sources of inspiration for a novel, but Sleator provides a clue before the novel begins by noting, "The author would like to thank his brother Tycho B. Sleator for telling him about mole rats." Mix this inspiration with Sleator's recurring interest in environmental concerns, and we readers are afforded a brief glimpse into how a novel may have been inspired.

Sleator's skills for description are featured prominently in The Beasties.

For example:

Already it was hard to see, it took a while for my eyes to adjust, and it kept getting darker fast. There were a lot of different birdcalls and insect noises; the endless trees made a sound like creatures whispering to each other. We seemed to be in a valley; trees sloped upward on all sides of us.

But I could also see swaths on...