Rachel Bright
(HarperCollins Children’s Books)
The only monster amongst bucket-loads of cute and fluffy things, the Monster in this story is feeling the strain of loneliness. Nobody wants a hairy, googly-eyed, sad-looking monster when there are kittens and bunnies to cuddle. But the Monster is not one to feel sorry for himself and sets off on a quest, searching high and low to find someone who will love him. Will he be successful?
This charming little monster will woo you from the very beginning of this new offering from acclaimed illustrator Rachel Bright.
Bright’s signature etchings create the right atmosphere for a story which is not only all about love and find one’s valentine, but also about feeling left out and not quite fitting in. This Monster also shows great strength of character by not giving up and taking it upon himself to find someone who will love him rather than just waiting around waiting for something to happen, showing that you sometimes you have to work a little bit for something that you really yearn for. These are positive messages to convey to the targeted audience, and particularly about fitting often as often the little readers will be at an age where they are first experimenting being in a group, such as preschool. The text is clear, fun and the ending is, thankfully, a happy one for our Monster making it a lovely and safe bedtime story too. The last message about finding love in the most unlikely places and one you least expect it is quite heartwarming, and will make Love Monster a lovely present at Valentine’s Day, whether your very own love monster is big or small!
Bright’s signature etchings create the right atmosphere for a story which is not only all about love and find one’s valentine, but also about feeling left out and not quite fitting in. This Monster also shows great strength of character by not giving up and taking it upon himself to find someone who will love him rather than just waiting around waiting for something to happen, showing that you sometimes you have to work a little bit for something that you really yearn for. These are positive messages to convey to the targeted audience, and particularly about fitting often as often the little readers will be at an age where they are first experimenting being in a group, such as preschool. The text is clear, fun and the ending is, thankfully, a happy one for our Monster making it a lovely and safe bedtime story too. The last message about finding love in the most unlikely places and one you least expect it is quite heartwarming, and will make Love Monster a lovely present at Valentine’s Day, whether your very own love monster is big or small!
Here is a lovely little video from Rachel Bright about how to make a Monster:
Many thanks to HarperCollins Children’s Books for sending me a review copy of “Love Monster”.
All illustrations © Rachel Bright
