Monstersaurus!

by Claire Freedman, Ben Cort (Illustrator)

Monty loves inventing, but things don't always work - his walking toaster ran away and the robot went berserk! But then one day Monty found a book with instructions on how to create inventions very rare - read it if you dare!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Monsters, Humor, Animals

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 29, 2011

About the author

I’ve been a writer for over 15 years now, but it wasn’t planned!

I had a variety of jobs, including secretary, trainee buyer at Harrods, dental nurse, production assistant in a reprographic and printing company and various others.

I began to write after joining a creative writing class. I had no success with article writing, or short stories, or fiction, but the first children’s story I wrote, for a magazine called Twinkle, was accepted for publication. Hooray!!!

Things snowballed and a lot (yes lots and lots) of hard work later I now write full time and have over 50 books published. I still go to the same writing class and we have become a big happy family of writers!

For me, writing is the best job ever. I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else. I love to create worlds for young children to enjoy and escape into – whether the stories are educational, bedtime, problem solving or just plain good fun. It’s also very exciting to see the first picture roughs, as my wonderful, talented illustrators bring the text to life.

I live on the Essex coast in a lovely two-bed-roomed flat, which I share with my husband, Michael. At long last I have an office to write in, with room for all my books and bits of scribbled on papers.

The seafront is (still) just around the corner, and I find a bracing walk (it gets freezing when the East wind blows from the North Sea!) or gentle stroll when the weather is warmer, is great for clearing my head and mulling over story ideas.

- excerpted from her website

Reviews

[Set · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't the idea of a child creating a monster from a potion to become his friend like a golem or something creepy like that. No ty.

[Craig Sisterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read-aloud book for little ones, with some cool illustrations and a good story. We'd really enjoyed the zaniness of Freedman's "Aliens Love Underpants" tale, so were keen to try this too. Overall it's a very good kids book. There were a few moments where the rhythm and rhyme of the tale seemed slightly off, meaning it didn't flow quite so smoothly in a read aloud manner, but the story is fun, the illustrations are great, and I can see it being one my little one could enjoy again and again.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of ‘Monstersaurus’ by Clair Freedman

Monty, the young inventor whose toaster ran away and whose robot went berserk, now discovers a book with recipes for monster-making. The book is full of colourful illustrations of monsters and I feel that young children would simply love to imitate the facial expressions of the monsters. The book is also full of energy and active words: "Whoosh", "Poooof", and "Kapow", as well as the Worst Word Ever.

[Cai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monstersaurus should be scary right? He is a monster.

Both Victoria and her Daddy really enjoyed this beautiful book and I will be adding it to V's collection when I can.

V @ 6 months old.

[Jade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Monstersaurus is a book I was looking forward to reading as we've read enjoyed other books from this author many times but unfortunately this one wasn't as popular with the children as other books we've read.

Monstersaurus follows the story of a child who likes inventing and he makes some monsters but it doesn't turn out quite as he planned until he happens to make another monster that saves the day. I never really felt this story went anywhere particularly interesting and whilst it did flow well to read I found it a bit boring to read as well.

The children liked seeing the monsters in the illustrations and I think this is the best aspect of the book. Some of them are silly and interesting for the children but it still didn't keep their attention. This is an ok book but we much prefer other books from this author, a fun idea for a book but we're not keen on it as a story.

[Timothy Morrison]

Kiss me out of the bearded barley
Nightly beside the green, green grass
Swing, swing, swing the spinning step
You wear those shoes and I will wear that dress
Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight
Lead me out on the moonlit floor
Lift your open hand
Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance
Silver moon's sparkling
So, kiss me
Kiss me down by the broken tree house
Swing me upon its hanging tire
Bring, bring, bring your flowered hat
We'll take the trail marked on your father's map
Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight
Lead me out on the moonlit floor
Lift your open hand
Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance
Silver moon's sparkling
So, kiss me
Kiss me beneath the milky twilight
Lead me out on the moonlit floor
Lift your open hand
Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance
Silver moon's sparkling
So kiss me
So, kiss me
So kiss me
So kiss me

[Rosehannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about Monty who is an inventor. However, some of the things he has invented never turned out right but he never gave up. He then tries to make a monster which turns out to be a slimy monster he then gets into a panic then adds more things to his mixture which then creates a dust monster. With all of this panic his mixture then explodes creating the monsterasurus that turns out to be a kind and a friend to Monty.
The illustrations in the book help draw the children in to the book. The writing is clear and easy to read. It has rhyming within the book however, this isn't consistent meaning the flow wasn't the same when reading out loud.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was goofy and adorable, but I found it a little boring. Now, I think a book with SUCH great artwork and premise should have been my favorite thing... It didn't need much, and was so entertaining...so there's that!

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Monty wants to build his very own monster. With some green slime here and some sawdust there, plus a few other odd ingredients, his science lab skills produce some monsters that start to get out of hand!

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

A solid children's book. My cousin (7 years old) loved it.

[Jack & · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great story for any monster loving children.

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somehow both the kids guessed kids, but Wyatt didn’t.

[Nitoy Gonzales · Rating 5 out of 5]

love the story and the artwork.

[Lottie P · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t get it. I don’t understand the plot or purpose. Also reading about monsters at bedtime isn’t for me. Silly.

[Alexandra Hammerton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it is great for younger children to read because it is not to word heavy and the text is clear. The illustrations are colourful and fun, in a non conventional layout and nonsense words thrown in !

the book is about Monty, he is a young boy who loves inventing but often gets it wrong. In this book he tries to create a monster he initially gets it wrong and makes a slimy monster then panic's and accidentally make a dust monster. these two monster then start to fight each other. in a desperate attempt to fix it he added more to his mixture and his formula explodes. The monstersaurus is created.... bigger and more scary than all of the other monsters. however, this monster ends up being a kind monster who becomes Monty's best friend.

These is clear message of persistence and to not judge by appearances and is a good one to get boys to read independently.

[s e n t i m e n t a l i t i e s olittlebear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute pictures, fun wording, enjoyable story. Only issue with this book is how short it felt, even for a childrens picture book. I did like that it ends with the expectation of a sequel, but now i'm waiting.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

My son loves Monstersaurus! And it's wonderful pictures. The writing is simple, but creative. Monty, the main character is creative as well, as he creates monsters. These monsters go wrong and Monty has to fix it! Monstersaurus and Monty will be best friends!

[Della · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Claire, her Aliens series is second to none and thie is another rhyming book to rival Julia Donaldson's Queen of the toddler book crown.

[Stargazer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would like this better if it had a sequel as is implied at the end of the book, younger kids will like it.

[Akeyla Pratt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was immediately a big hit with my 2-year-old nephew. I loved the illustrations =).

[Annabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

7th advent book

Oh my what an amazing book both noah and I loved this

Even gave the monstersaurus a KISS

[Nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad little book for the little ones, my kiddies seemed to enjoy it.

[Johara Almogbel · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's not much to read in this one, but the illustrations are great and it was fun to say out loud. Also, it was two pounds fifty, which makes it worth it in every sense.

[Dee-Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

My son really liked this, more than I did. It started out rhyming and then it lost it. The picutres and characters are fantastic though.

[Totoro · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://youtu.be/h4aVxyI0sgI

با هم بخونیم

[Gaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute. Read it a couple of weeks ago in ASDA. That's my nephews Easter present sorted!