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Alfons Åberg #7
Is That a Monster, Alfie Atkins?
One of the many books about a young Swedish boy named Alfie Atkins (Alfons Åberg in the original Swedish.)
Alfie gets too rough with a smaller boy while playing Soccer, and when the boy seemingly disappears, Alfie is troubled at the thought of what he's done.
After hearing strange noises beneath his bed, he feels as though he is being haunted by a monster as punishment.
A book about how to treat people, and how to apologize.
Alfie gets too rough with a smaller boy while playing Soccer, and when the boy seemingly disappears, Alfie is troubled at the thought of what he's done.
After hearing strange noises beneath his bed, he feels as though he is being haunted by a monster as punishment.
A book about how to treat people, and how to apologize.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1978
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95 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 1, 2026
One of the selections in “1,001 Children’s Books You Must Read Before You Die,” this book deals with an issue common to all children – feeling guilty for doing wrong. It does so subtly and realistically, using a metaphor: guilt is a monster under the bed that only goes away when you obey your conscience.
The first page, with Alfie lying still in his bed and thinking of what he'd done, paints such a familiar and vivid picture of childhood anxiety. I read this as an adult, but I can imagine the kind of impact it might make on a child – its message not immediately grasped, but worming its way into the subconscious. Those are the best kind of children’s books, the non-preachy ones that stamp an important message on the backside of your mind.
The first page, with Alfie lying still in his bed and thinking of what he'd done, paints such a familiar and vivid picture of childhood anxiety. I read this as an adult, but I can imagine the kind of impact it might make on a child – its message not immediately grasped, but worming its way into the subconscious. Those are the best kind of children’s books, the non-preachy ones that stamp an important message on the backside of your mind.
October 17, 2018
در ایران، مجموعه تلویزیونی انیمهٔ الفی اتکینز، از کارتونهای پرطرفدار دههٔ ۶۰ بود. ۸ جلد از کتابهای الفی اتکینز نیز به فارسی ترجمه شدهاست. ۴ جلد نخست از سوی انتشارات «هنرسرای اندیشه» در سال ۱۳۸۸ منتشر شد. در سال ۱۳۹۰ امتیاز چاپ مجدد این ۴ جلد و سایر کتابهای این مجموعه به نشر «آفرینشگر» واگذار شد. «شب بخیر الفی اتکینز»، «الفی اتکینز و دوست خیالیاش»، «تو ترسویی الفی اتکینز؟»، «بابایت چکار میکند الفی اتکینز؟»، «چه کسی الفی را نجات میدهد؟»، «خیلی زرنگی الفی اتکینز!»، «خوشحال باش الفی اتکینز!» و «زود باش الفی اتکینز!» عنوان ۸ کتابیست که با ترجمهٔ علی توکلی و نیلوفر انواری تاکنون به فارسی منتشر شدهاست.
March 11, 2009
One of the best books for small children that I've come across. Every time my 4 year old nephew Samuel comes to visit, I have to read this aloud to him in improvised English translation. Unlike most stories for that age group, it is a genuine miniature novel, with character development and an interesting resolution. And it's written for the kid, not for the adult reading the story.
Plot summary: Alfons is playing football one day with the other big boys, and there's this little kid whose job it is to fetch the ball when it's kicked off the field. Alfons gives the ball an enormous kick, and the little kid can't find it! Alfons completely loses it for a moment (it's his ball) and punches the little kid on the nose. Then he spends the whole week feeling more and more guilty about what's happened, worrying that he maybe hurt the little kid badly, and fantasizing each night that there is a Monster under the bed. Finally, a week later, he meets the little kid again, and they make it up.
It is extremely well written, in lovely poetic Swedish. In terms of story, there were several details I particularly approved of. First, when Alfons meets the little kid at the end at the candy store, there is no tearful apology. The little kid starts off scared, thinking Alfons is going to beat him up again, and offers him his candy. Alfons never actually apologizes at all, but just says that he was the one who lost the ball, so the kid can take it easy. I thought this was very realistic. The author also makes it clear that the monster was just in Alfons's imagination. The last sentences are the following:
"And the monster? It disappeared! Because you know... there are no monsters like that!"
For once, a responsible story-teller who is trying to give children some moral guidance without scarring them for life!
Plot summary: Alfons is playing football one day with the other big boys, and there's this little kid whose job it is to fetch the ball when it's kicked off the field. Alfons gives the ball an enormous kick, and the little kid can't find it! Alfons completely loses it for a moment (it's his ball) and punches the little kid on the nose. Then he spends the whole week feeling more and more guilty about what's happened, worrying that he maybe hurt the little kid badly, and fantasizing each night that there is a Monster under the bed. Finally, a week later, he meets the little kid again, and they make it up.
It is extremely well written, in lovely poetic Swedish. In terms of story, there were several details I particularly approved of. First, when Alfons meets the little kid at the end at the candy store, there is no tearful apology. The little kid starts off scared, thinking Alfons is going to beat him up again, and offers him his candy. Alfons never actually apologizes at all, but just says that he was the one who lost the ball, so the kid can take it easy. I thought this was very realistic. The author also makes it clear that the monster was just in Alfons's imagination. The last sentences are the following:
"And the monster? It disappeared! Because you know... there are no monsters like that!"
For once, a responsible story-teller who is trying to give children some moral guidance without scarring them for life!
May 11, 2017
Spelar Alfons fotboll? Ja, det gör han! I Alfons och odjuret börjar hela historien med en fotbollsmatch. En match som spelas med Alfons nya fina boll. Bollen som Alfons skjuter iväg med ett JÄTTESKOTT! Och sen är den borta. Fast alla barn hjälps åt att leta hittar de inte bollen. Mest letar Alfons och lill-killen, han som är bollkalle. När bollen inte kommer fram blir Alfons ledsen, och arg! Han blir särskilt arg på lill-killen. För kanske är det så att han tagit Alfons nya fina boll? Han blir så arg att han smockar till lill-killen. Med knytnäven så blodet rinner!
Jag hoppas att ni läst Alfons och odjuret allihopa?! Om ni inte gjort det ska ni genast gå till biblioteket och låna den. Boken kom ut 1978 och eftersom jag är född 1977 så läste jag den ofta som liten. Det är också den Alfons-bok från min egen barndom jag minns tydligast. Kanske inte så mycket för fotbollsspelandet, som för odjuret under sängen. Rys!
Jag hoppas att ni läst Alfons och odjuret allihopa?! Om ni inte gjort det ska ni genast gå till biblioteket och låna den. Boken kom ut 1978 och eftersom jag är född 1977 så läste jag den ofta som liten. Det är också den Alfons-bok från min egen barndom jag minns tydligast. Kanske inte så mycket för fotbollsspelandet, som för odjuret under sängen. Rys!
December 12, 2008
My sister brought me this book back from Sweden when I was about seven years old. I hate to say it, but I vaguely resembled Alfie both in appearance and persona.
I remember not really understanding this book as a boy, but I read it all the time. And it has left it's mark on me. To this day if I see someone threatening someone weaker than them, It reminds me of Alfie Atkins in this story.
I remember not really understanding this book as a boy, but I read it all the time. And it has left it's mark on me. To this day if I see someone threatening someone weaker than them, It reminds me of Alfie Atkins in this story.
September 11, 2017
Na boisku pod blokiem Albert gra z kolegami w piłkę. Młodszy chłopiec podaje im te, które wypadły poza boisko. Po pewnym bardzo dalekim strzale piłka ginie i Albert obwinia o to malucha i uderza go. Wieczorem pod łóżkiem chłopca pojawia się potwór i im więcej Albert myśli o swoim zachowaniu, tym potwór staje się groźniejszy. Zwłaszcza, że chłopczyka nie widać nigdzie przez kolejne dni...
Opowiadanie ma w zamyśle przybliżyć konsekwencje złego postępowania od strony czysto psychologicznej. Wychowawczo jest to zła książka, bo bazuje na wymyślonych potworach, których dzieci i tak już się wystarczająco boją. Nie pokazuje żadnego rozwiązania problemu poza tym, że chłopcy znowu się godzą i potwór znika.
Opowiadanie ma w zamyśle przybliżyć konsekwencje złego postępowania od strony czysto psychologicznej. Wychowawczo jest to zła książka, bo bazuje na wymyślonych potworach, których dzieci i tak już się wystarczająco boją. Nie pokazuje żadnego rozwiązania problemu poza tym, że chłopcy znowu się godzą i potwór znika.
July 22, 2021
Found the Swedish version on archive.org. I used a translation app to get the gist of the story: Alfie punches a small kid in the nose for allegedly losing his ball, and then Alfie feels a lot of guilt until they make up. Not a bad story, but the drawings are a little strange for my taste.
September 19, 2023
Książeczka dla młodszych dzieci do samodzielnego czytania. Skąd się wziął potwór? Jakie emocje ukazane są w tej historii? Co zrobić żeby potwór zniknął? To pytania na które znajdzie się odpowiedzi po przeczytaniu książeczki razem z dzieckiem.
November 2, 2019
Not as good as the others in this classic children book series.
May 28, 2024
Wow, författaren livar verkligen upp allvarliga känslor barn kan få i det verkliga livet.Odjuret i denna boken symboliserar Alfons känsla av skuld.
September 30, 2024
Alfons slår en pojke och brottas med ånger
July 23, 2015
Pretty disturbing. A boy kicks his ball off the field, and the ball boy can't find it, so the first boy punches the ball boy in the nose and makes his nose bleed. The first boy is haunted by feelings of guilt that appear as a monster under his bed each night until he makes things right. Read at BU's Moody Library.
March 16, 2015
Dette er min favoritt blant Albert Åberg bøkene. Den er litt mørkere enn de andre, og går mer i dybden i forhold til følelser. Her finner du frykt, lengsel etter tilhørighet, og en god porsjon dårlig samvittighet. (Med en happy ending of course).
September 2, 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zqk7o...
Read by Pernilla Kans
Read by Pernilla Kans
February 24, 2016
What a great message about feeling accountable for one's negative reaction to an unfortunate, though common event and learning to make amends. Recommend!
April 8, 2013
just another great book for children to get a moral lesson, that a bad conscience with all those "allvarliga saker" is the most scary beast of all.
December 29, 2017
We read this as part of the 1001 books to read before you grow up and my little liked it
August 17, 2025
In Kinderbüchern wird die Wahrheit ganz klar ausgesprochen.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews