Roly-Poly Monster

by Charity Tober, Andrew Tober (Illustrator)

Come meet Roly-Poly Monster, a curious new monster friend, and join him as he rolls throughout his day - playing, exploring and of course, rolling!

Genres: Childrens

36 pages, Paperback

First published September 7, 2013

About the author

Charity Tober loves reading and writing stories about fantasy, magic, and adventure.
Her published books include the Roly-Poly Monster picture book series, the Alice & Friends in Wonderland chapter book series, as well as two standalone middle grade novels, Rise of the Sidekicks and The Girl of Magic and Dreams. She lives in sunny Florida with her family and is currently working on more books for kids.

You can visit her online at
www.charitytober.com

Reviews

[Rebecca Crunden]

✾ children’s book review ✾

ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE, MY WORD.

This is such a precious little book! Great for kids! The artwork is fun and vibrant, the characters utterly charming and wholesome, and the prose is jolly good fun!

[Rhoda D'Ettore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an adorable story about a "monster" child that basically does what kids do-- barely eats his breakfast then runs outside, goes to the park, the beach, and explores the world. Eventually he's exhausted and heads off to sleep. At first I thought it a cute device to get kids' attention with the rhyming verse, however, the concept that a monster is just like a child is something any parent can use to deal with the "monster in the closet" syndrome. "What? A monster in your closet? It's just Roly Poly wanting to play and go to the park. You can go out with him tomorrow. It's a neat book to combat the fear of monsters. The illustrations are brightly colored and interesting, as each monster is different looking. This is something else I thought could be a teaching device---"All the monsters are different but equal and the same". The monster kids all play at the park without incident. (Off course, I could just be over analyzing this, but this is what I saw lol).

The only criticism I could offer applies to the font effects. On some pages the white text is hard to see on the lighter background. By using a drop shadow effect, the words could pop off the page better. However, it is an awesome story with great illustrations. I would love to see this continue as a series.

[Veronica ⭐️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roly Poly rolls out if bed has breakfast then rolls out the door, down the sidewalk to the park to play. After a picnic lunch with mum and dad monster, Roly Poly is off to the beach. After much fun diving,swimming and playing in the sand it's time to go home. A quick dinner, bath then bed. Goodnight Roly Poly.
The children just love to follow Roly Poly as he ventures through a fun day in monster land. Lovely bright, vibrant colours and short rhyming verse make this an appealing book for preschoolers.
Some of the sentences were just a little too long which put the rhythm off a little.

[Cal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a colorful and cute picture book for toddlers. Roly poly is a cute monster who rolls everywhere - streets, beach, underwater... Read it in your ipad or phone instead of the kindle, because the illustrations are amazing and lovable with bright catchy colors. I'm surprised the book is priced cheap. We enjoyed every page of it, and your kid will keep asking to re-read it every night.

[Jola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review also on www.jolasbookshelf.wordpress.com

'Roly-Poly Monster' is a cute book for little children. Altough I'm far from one, I enjoyed this story. The monster is very sweet looking and adorable and I think children will find the story absolutely engaging with all the amazing illustrations.

[Judy Ferrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun ahead

Very fun book. The pictures were great. A book younger children could really identify with. The monster here was fun not at all scary which is a good thing!! I loved it!! Highly recommend!!!

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roly Poly monster got out of bed one day and started rolling, and rolling, and rolling. He rolled through the house, down the sidewalk, through the park, and on and on he goes, seeing the sights on the way. Finally, after rolling around all over the neighborhood, Roly Poly rolls back to his house, grabs food as he rolls past the table, rolling to the bathtub and then into bed. And that is how Roly Poly’s day goes. But this is just a little bit about his day. You need to read the book to find all of the places this little monster went, and find out what an exciting time he had as he rolls around. You don’t want to miss out on his day!

This is the cutest little monster! He’s bright red with an adorable face, and he it just so cute rolling around. But that’s not all, Roly Poly’s family is round too, and you get to meet all of them. I love this little monster story. Roly Poly Monster shows that there are good monsters in the book world to read about! This story is short, with just a sentence or two on each page, making it easy to read to small children. And the illustrations created by Andrew Tober are just so stinking adorable I would love to just give the characters a big hug. The colors and illustrations go along with the story perfectly and any young child will be thrilled to have a copy of this precious book written by Charity Tober.

[P.A. Rudders · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming little book for young children. I read this with my 4 year old grandson, and a fun time was had by all. The dialogue and vocabulary is deliberately kept simple for the younger end of the children’s market but the nature of the writing makes it easy for the reader to improvise and expand on depending on the level of development and vocabulary of the child they’re reading to. Much of the story is interspaced with some some clever and fun rhyming.

This isn’t a demanding story or one that will overstretch the younger child’s attention span, but one that will still no doubt thoroughly entertain - a delightful account of a fun day out at the park that any young child will immediately relate to, an absolutely perfect bedtime story for any toddler or young child. The illustrations are also very good, and again, perfectly catered to the younger child. With this is in mind, this is one of those occasions when if reading to a youngster on some sort of electronic device, I’d recommend a tablet of some sort as opposed to a regular Kindle in order to best appreciate the colourful and vibrant illustrations. This is a story that can be read and re-read many times should the reader should the reader want to improvise and add their own input each time. A truly delightful children’s book!

[Mary Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roly-Poly Monster by Charity Tober is an adorable children’s book. The story is about the adventures Roly-Poly Monster has in a day. Whether he’s going to the park, eaing or taking a bath, he just keeps rolling. The activities are the same as all young child could experience in a day, so the young ones can relate to the story.

I thought the rhyming was clever and age-appropriate words were used. The illustrations were bright, colorful and adorable. Children can tell their own story just by following the pictures, which is a plus.

My 4 year old granddaughter and 17 month old grandson both enjoyed this book. I’m sure the children in your life will also enjoy it. After looking at the author’s home page I see that she has just released Roly-Poly Monster Goes to The Zoo. My grandchildren can now continue the journey of Roly-Poly Monster. And that’s a good thing.

[Scott Spotson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sooo cute! And the words flew easily off the tip of my tongue. It's hard to write rhymes in an entrancing way, but this was done!

The logical progression was very sound. We have the Roly-Poly Monster get out of bed, go to the park to play, and then to the beach, and back to bed. And these are all activities that very young children can relate to!

I would guess the age range for this book would be from 2 to 7 years old.

Cheery, fun, smooth-flowing story! What more can we ask for? Drawings very bright and animated!

[Russell Whitehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're like me, you're constantly on the lookout for new material to share with your little ones. I picked this up on Amazon and I'm really glad I did! The story is fun to read and talk about and the illustrations are fun too. You can trace Roly-Poly Monster's trail with your finger on the page or your kids may just want to roll along with him on his adventures. Its entirely up to you! A great book for your little people!

[Shanelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roly-Poly Monster by Charity Tober is adventurous from beginning to end. I love the rhymes and I love how Roly-Poly rolls his way through the day! This story is captivating even with its simplicity. The colors are vibrant and they really capture the essence of each adventure. I think this book would still be a hit without words since it's very easy for children to follow. It keeps you wondering what will happen next because you never know with a monster on the loose!

[Kirstin Lenane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roly-Poly Monster's romp through town is a fun-filled adventure that kids will love! Join him as he bounces through Monster Town, into the sea and back home again. The illustrations are beautiful and the rhyming words keep things moving. This is a very cute book, I look forward to reading the rest in the series!

[Marjorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Given To Me For An Honest Review


This is such a cute book to read. It is about Roly-Poly Monster. It's about how he starts his day rolling out the front door and is off all day doing what roly- polys do. It really brings out so much imagination in a child. The colors and pictures are very bright. It's a book that will be read over and over again. I highly recommend it.

[Rhonda Lauritzen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very cute little book with energetic illustrations, vibrant colors and catchy rhyme. The story line is great to hold a child's attention and capture their imagination. This is one of the best children's books I have added to my Kindle library in quite some time. I'll be getting more by this author/illustrator duo.

[Alicia Emamdee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute story for little children to enjoy. It's a great book for helping children to use their imaginations. Plus the graphics were so colorful. I would recommend this book to any parents with little ones.

[Neil McFarlane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet little rhyming picture book about a cute monster who rolls everywhere and has lots of fun. The illustrations and the simple story are very bright and jolly and young children are sure to enjoy reading it with their parents.

[James Terzian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good book for a child and I enjoyed it and brings out the child in me. It rhymes well and is overall fun to read. I will be waiting for more.

[Samreen Ahsan · Rating 5 out of 5]

my four-years old loved it. Although I read her this book on kindle paper white (without colors) but she enjoyed the book. She asks me to read it EVERYDAY :)

[Sal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rol-Pol! How I’ve grown to love this chubby little red fella with the one tooth, the spiky hair, and the orange chest. His reeling rides around town never fail to reverberate!

In this self-titled offering by the Tobers from 2013, the relentless Rol-Pol wakes up and … you guessed it … starts a-rollin’! Were there hiccups along the way? You bet! Poor Rol-Pol …

- Didn’t hear Mom calling him for lunch at the park
- Was mistaken for a soccer ball (ouch!)
- Had rain come down on him

Regarding that last item, Rol-Pol did what he always does: made the best of it by rolling around in puddles with glee. Let’s hope he didn’t pay for that later on with a nasty cold.

I was intrigued to see that Rol-Pol scarfed down a meatball sub for dinner, prior to taking a bubble bath and heading to bed. I worry a bit about the little guy’s cholesterol. Hopefully he’s not eating too much meat.

Anyhoo, it’s another fun one with Rol-Pol! Be sure to read and then review the adventure on your favorite book site.

[Mike DeLucia]

Roly-Poly Monster by Charity Tober, (author) and Andrew Tober (illustrator) is a fabulous, fabulous children’s book. One of the things I loved about this book is that Andrew Tober does such a wonderful job with the illustrations, and with a children’s book that is so very important, vital. Kids are visual and when they see bright, colorful pictures, it speaks to them as much as the story itself. A children’s book really is a 50/50 combination of story and images. Another aspect I loved was the story features a friendly “monster.” It has that appeal like Monster’s Inc, Where the Wild Things Are, or Shrek. Roly-Poly bounces and rolls all over the place and my grandkids loved it. It’s part of a series so I am definitely getting the rest of them. As it is with every child’s book, the real judge is its audience and that’s the kids. My grandkids don’t like every book, but they loved Roly-Poly Monster.

[Dereese Reids · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick, fun read.

Plot: The Roly-Poly Monster follows a lovable little character as he literally rolls about his daily life. Though the story describes an uneventful day, it is nevertheless filled with happiness and warmth.

Artwork: The artwork is sharp and presented in bright, primary colors, with many little details that will fascinate children. In addition, the ‘rolling’ theme is echoed in the way the images seem to undulate across the page, which is a nice touch.

Prose: The book delivers on its promise of being a rhyming picture book, though the rhyme itself is somewhat stilted, sometimes having a beat too many or too few to fall easily off the tongue or on the ear. Though this will likely not affect the enjoyment of 2-5 year olds, the adult reading it aloud may not be so sanguine.

Lessons: The Roly-Poly Monster is a fun, follow-along romp. It does not get bogged down trying to teach any developmental lessons.

[Cathy Lynn Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun Rhyming Book

Fun book with colourful, vivid illustrations and lots to see as the little monster rolls around. He has many adventures, such as the park, beach, playing in the rain and taking a bath. Children will love this colourful story with cute rhyming words and plenty of action. Roly Poly is having so much fun he almost misses lunch. His mother has to call him twice. I’m sure children will relate to that. The pages are set up so the rolling is continuous. It’s done very professionally and it’s easy to get caught up in the movement of the illustrations and onto the next activity. Children will be able to identify with the little monster doing things that they might do in a day. The colours are bright and the illustrations are pleasing and will hold children’s attention. Silly, fun and great rhythmic story for children of all ages. I highly recommend this book.

[Russ J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roly-Poly Monster is a book kids will love to read over and over again. Roly-Poly is such a fun character; he is extremely active but not any type of monster who would be at all scary. He bounces and rolls through a busy fun-filled day in cute way. We watch and get to see Roly-Poly go through an entire day from the time he wakes up to the time he heads off to go to sleep. It’s the perfect length, simple and action packed. The book is nicely illustrated with bold colors and eye-catching details children will appreciate. The rhyming words were an added bonus and made the story more interesting. This book has a storyline that is relatable, flows well, and easily kept my child’s attention span. I am certain we will be reading this book over and over again. I’d love to see many more books with this superb and likable character. I highly recommend this creative and fun read.

[S.A. Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 year old loved it!

My four year old loves Roly-Poly!
First of all, the art just pops off a high-quality tablet. The colors are eye catching, and my son loved pointing out the hidden little details in every page.
Roly-Poly goes everywhere, even under the ocean, and soon my boy was basically narrating the story for me instead of me reading to him.
When he gets tired of this one I'll definitely purchase more of the series.
This is the kind of wholesome fun books that dont have any hidden agenda that I feel are lacking in more mainstream punlished children's books. Bravo to the Tobers, go Roly-Poly!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very interested in this book when I saw a posting by the author on goodreads. I sent her an
email asking for a review copy. Luckily enough the author informed me of when it was going to be free on Amazon and I immediately jumped at the chance to grab a free copy.

Roly Poly Monster is a cute little monster who bounces and rolls every where he goes. He has an excitement filled day that included going to the beach. The book follows him from morning to bedtime.

Ok first these monsters are CUTE. I love that these monsters were not scary looking so this is suitable for younger children. Bright attractive colors and a really cute story line. I'm actually looking forward to reading the next Roly Poly Monster book.

My son loved this one. He told me his favorite part was the monster rolling all over the place. At first he didn't want me to read to him today but the second he saw the cover he begged me to read it to him. This one is definitely getting a reread or two in this house.

5 out of 5 stars.

[Mike DeLucia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Grandkids Loved It!!!

Reply-Poly Monster by Charity Tober, (author) and Andrew Tober (illustrator) is a fabulous, fabulous children’s book. One of the things I loved about this book is that Andrew Tober does such a wonderful job with the illustrations, and with a children’s book that is so very important, vital. Kids are visual and when they see bright, colorful pictures, it speaks to them as much as the story itself. A children’s book really is a 50/50 combination of story and images. Another aspect I loved was the story features a friendly “monster.” It has that appeal like Monster’s Inc, Where the Wild Things Are, or Shrek. Roly-Poly bounces and rolls all over the place and my grandkids loved it. It’s part of a series so I am definitely getting the rest of them. As it is with every child’s book, the real judge is its audience and that’s the kids. My grandkids don’t like every book, but they loved Roly-Poly Monster.

[Susan M (MomBlogger) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolutely adorable book. My youngest keeps reading it over and over and over . . . Roly-Poly Monster tells of all the fun adventures a young monster has throughout his day as he rolls all over joining his friends in all different kinds of fun activities. The illustrations are absolutely adorable and the story itself is so fun and fanciful that children of all ages will enjoy reading about Roly-Poly and his fun-filled day. Although recommended for children ages 2 - 5, I think this is a book that infant through age 7 will enjoy!

*I received a free copy of this book from the author for this review - see more of my reviews and giveaways on http://www.momloves2read.com

[Iris A · Rating 4 out of 5]

The graphics accompanying this story is superb. It's colorful and fun and clearly illustrated the words written on the pages. Some parts of the story have rhyming sentences, which I like, though some also had some transition gaps. The words are appropriate for the targeted age range. Overall, the book is very well done. It will be interesting to know what sort of activities Roly-Poly will see himself into next time...

[Lena Goldfinch]

Adroable! As a Sunday School teacher of 2 - 3 years, I enjoyed this little tale a lot! Roll along with Roly-Poly Monster throughout his day, playing, snacking, and visiting the beach, and roll, roll, rolling straight on through to bedtime. And having fun doing it. :-) A cute story that made me laugh in places. With colorful, whimsical illustrations and a bright cheerful attitude, this red Roly-Poly Monster is sure to please 2 - 3 year olds (and even a bit older).