The Kind-hearted Monster

by Max Velthuijs

Overview

What do you do with a fire-breathing monster? Adore him! The Monster from Halfway to Nowhere... When the people of a little town discover that the fire-breathing monster in their midst is really a kind-hearted mind mannered monster, they all have different ideas about what to do with him. But the ideas make Mervyn unhappy, until a professor has an idea that lightens everyone’s mood—especially Mervyn’s! The Monster from Halfway to Nowhere... Robbers have kidnapped Mervyn the monster by baking him cakes full of sleeping powder. They think the heist is a success. But the robbers don’t know Mervyn . . . and the people from the town that’s halfway to nowhere.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780735841079
Publisher:	NorthSouth Books
Publication date:	05/01/2015
Pages:	64
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD830L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Max Velthuijs (1923–2005) was born in The Hague, Netherlands. As a toddler, he loved to draw and make up his own stories. After studying painting and graphic design, he went on to become one of the most famous illustrators for children in The Netherlands and received many awards. In 2004, he received the Hans Christian Andersen Award for illustrators.

Editorial Reviews

05/01/2015
PreS-Gr 2—This Dutch import features two fablelike stories, originally published in the 1970s, about a peace-loving leviathan. In "The Kind-Hearted Monster," misguided townspeople pitch a fit when they spy a huge, red, inferno-breathing creature. After the fire brigade douses Mervyn's flames, he is conscripted into the army, and when that doesn't work out ("Please…I'm a mild sort of monster, and I don't really want to be a soldier"), he is caged and put on display. A professor finally comes up with a plan that harnesses Mervyn's power in a positive way for everyone. In "The Monster and the Robbers," a band of burglars entice Mervyn with cakes laced with sleeping powder, and then kidnap him. The people from the peaceful town in "the country that was halfway to nowhere" come to his rescue. Velthuijs's distinctively bright, bold, naïve illustrations depict the bashful brute with a flower tucked behind his scale, and he sheds a tear when he receives a medal of appreciation. VERDICT With enduring themes of acceptance and kindness, these stories will charm a new generation.—Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada

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