Three silly monsters named Grouch, Grump, and Gloom 'n' Doom love being their rowdy, destructive, monster selves, but whenever they try to agree upon who is the most monster-y monster, they end up in a brawl. To settle the argument once and for all, they decide to build the biggest, baddest monster ever -- a MONSTER monster! They create their monster Frankenstein-style, only to be completely shocked at the result. Their monster isn't scary or bad or monster-like at all; in fact, he's quite the opposite! After letting out a resounding "DANK YOU!", his first actions are to hug his creators, open the windows, breathe in the fresh, dewy morning air, and savor the sweet, warm sunlight. At first Grouch, Grump, and Gloom n' Doom are beside themselves -- how could this happen?? -- but eventually, they begin to appreciate their monster for who he is and try to be more like him: grateful, kind beings who are simply happy to be alive.
As often happens, my kids and I enjoy this book for different reasons. They find the little monsters' antics to be quite hilarious and giggle every time the big monster says, "Dank you!" For them, the story is an all-around fun, silly read that never fails to make them laugh. I find the story really fun to read, too, but more than that, I love its simple messages. Its important to be true to yourself, and equally important to be accepting of other people, particularly those who are different than you. Similarly, we should all be able to slow down, appreciate what we have, and savor life's simple pleasures (such as enjoying a warm, powdered jelly donut while watching the sunrise.)
The Monsters' Monster would be a great Halloween read and is not at all scary, but it's a fun, sweet story for any time of year.
