A Monster Moved In!

by Timothy Knapman, Loretta Schauer (Illustrator)

Overview

It's raining, and Ben is stuck inside with nothing to do. Then he comes up with a wonderful idea: he will build a fort! "But a monster might move in!" say Mom and Dad. After playing for a while, Ben wishes that a monster would move in. BIG MISTAKE!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781589251762
Publisher:	Tiger Tales.
Publication date:	03/03/2015
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	10.00(w) x 11.31(h) x 0.38(d)
Lexile:	AD530L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Timothy Knapman has been writing for children for over ten years and his books have been translated into 15 languages. Timothy also writes plays and the words for musicals. He does lots of school visits and bookshop readings and his hobbies include swashbuckling. He is based near Walton-on-Thames, Surrey.

Editorial Reviews

02/01/2015
PreS-K—It's raining, and Ben is bored. His dad suggests reading or searching for dragons. His mom offers up the idea of making a rocket. None of these suggestions appeal to Ben. Instead, he comes up with the idea to build an indoor fort. With big smiles on their faces, his parents reply in unison, "But a monster might move in!" Ben is doubtful that will happen. And for a long time it doesn't. It's pretty uneventful as Ben imagines himself in roles like a pirate or knight—soon he begins to hope a monster would move in. Poof! Turn the page and meet Burple, the cute monster sporting a T-shirt and sneakers. The friendship between Ben and Burple starts slowly. But that changes when they team up for adventures that include building a rocket from a vacuum cleaner. Since the cover of the book shows Ben and Burple sitting next to each with smiles on their face, it's no surprise when they become friends. However, this is a book that lends itself to discussion and asking children predictive questions. Illustrations are colorful and cartoonlike. Children will relate to the issue of boredom when real friends are not available for play dates. VERDICT With these friendly monster illustrations, many children may wish they had a Burple that could come and visit for the day.—Robin Sofge, Alexandria Library, VA

School Library Journal

2014-12-22
A maniacally cheery Mom and Dad give bored Ben a number of rainy-day activity suggestions, from reading to building a rocket to going on a dragon hunt, in Knapman's silly boy-meets-monster tale. Ben decides to build a fort instead, which alarms his parents, as forts, of course, attract monsters. Even in the fort, though, playing at pirates, knights and wizards is still so boring that Ben wishes for a monster. Suddenly, Burple, a green boy monster, pops in with a lunch box. "He seems harmless," is Ben's last thought before the monster inexplicably starts howling. Burple's pink, snaggletoothed, dog-collared, amorphous lunch takes advantage of the commotion and escapes. The boys wrangle the "disgusting packed lunch" and stuff it back into the lunch box and sit on it. Monster and kid bond and proceed to read, build a rocket and hunt a dragon—sound familiar? Schauer's crayonlike digital illustrations are bright and cartoonish. The background details are sure to catch youngsters' attentions, especially the evolution of Burple's lunch from snack to monster pet. Still, Knapman's previous foray into unorthodox friendships, Guess What I Found in Dragon Wood, illustrated by Gwen Millward (2008), was cleverer and more successful in both concept and execution. The lunch is the star of this book; both plot and humor are otherwise predictable. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews