Is a retelling of a poem by Rumi, a renowned poet and philosopher who lived in ancient Persia. This is one of several of his poems which have been translated by the publishers Tiny Owl, and brought to life in engaging and thoughtful picture books for a new generation. I love all the retellings, but this is my favourite so far.
On one level it is a story of a boy, called Amir, who is scared to go to bed, because of the monsters underneath it. The boy’s dad gently encourages him to make friends with the monster, so he won’t be scared anymore. But, there is so much more to this story, there are other important messages that are being conveyed.
In the story the boy and his dad discover that fighting monsters doesn’t get them anywhere. The dad encourages the monster to go off and play and says:
“when the grown-ups see how nicely you and little monster are playing, we’ll stop arguing and sit down for a cup of coffee to talk things over.”
The original pictures by Jenny Lucander beautifully capture the dialogue between the boy and his dad. They include many scenes children recognise. Whilst at the same time there is a distinctive ‘other world’ fell to the illustrations. In her artwork Jenny has managed to create a unique monster which is both lovable and scary.
A truly special and unique bet-time story, which will help children deal with their night-time fears. It might also help children deal with their anxiety over making new friends. It also has universal messages about acknowledging and making friends with your fears, and that fighting what you are afraid off is rarely the answer. This will resonate with children of all ages and adults.
Then you to Tiny Owl for sending me a review copy of this book.
You can find out more about the book and download a free poster on Tiny Owls website
The book is also available to buy from me at Readers that Care