posted on 08 Oct 2024

Monster Post by Emma Yarlett

I often read picture books with groups of young children in schools and know how much they love ones that are interactive and funny. Watching their faces as they anticipate what is behind an intriguing flap is wonderful to behold. I usually let them have a few guesses before the reveal but this is always greeted with loud enthusiasm. I very much look forward to adding this one to my repertoire.

The front cover promises adventures with what looks like a very friendly pink monster as he lifts up a small child whilst licking his lips. She is smiling, so perhaps we needn’t be too concerned about her possible fate? As the story unfolds, it seems that she has been caught by the very hungry beast as a potentially tasty dinner! While she waits in the large cooking pot, Beast decides to invite his friends to a Beast Feast. What follows is a series of letters that the reader has to open to find out whether individuals will be joining him. These include the ghastly recipe recommendations of Cockroach Cola from Lord Glutton of Pompington Swamp and plenty of dark requests and hints from the other respondents. 

In true fairy tale tradition, the child ( referred to as ‘ Dinner’) cleverly outwits the Beast by tempting him with making a chocolate cake, going for a swim in the sea (to make her taste especially salty, as requested by Madame Gargoyle), a visit to the slimy swamp and fun in the snow. These tactics serve to give her more time but also to build a relationship with the Beast. He thoroughly enjoys all his new experiences and they have learnt to see each other differently:

‘You don’t look like dinner anymore’

‘You don’t look like such a Beast anymore’. 

The problem is that all the other Beasts turn up looking very hungry – what is to be done to satisfy everybody? Can there be a happy ending and can you guess what it might be? I can see how children would be inspired to create pictures of their own curious beasts and to devise their own letters after sharing this funny story. 

I strongly recommend this entertaining picture book from an award- winning illustrator/ author who we have been lucky enough to review before . It is published by Walker Books and should be available from your local independent bookshop – who will be happy to order it for you if they don’t have it on their shelves.

Karen Argent

October 2024