Perfect Picture Book Friday-The Monster Who Lost His Mean

Posted on by Penny Parker Klostermann

Susanna Leonard Hill features Perfect Picture Book Friday on her blog. This is a wonderful resource if you are wondering what books to give as gifts, needing material for a lesson, or just looking for a great book to read. Here is a list of books by category. Each book listed has a link to a review, information about that book, and resources for activities. There is also an alphabetical list.

Now for this week’s review!

The Monster Who Lost His Mean

Written by Tiffany Strelitz Haber

Illustrated by Kirstie Edmunds

Henry Holt and Co. 2012

Ages: 4-8

Themes: Monsters, Friendship, Belonging

Synopsis: (from Tiffany Strelitz Haber’s site)  The Monster Who Lost His Mean, is a fun, rhyming picture book about a monster who lost his “M.” When his “M” goes missing, his “meanness” and monster friends do too! This picture book tells the story of how sometimes, when things get lost, bigger and better things can be found.

Opening Lines:
Monsters are a spooky bunch—
a scary, hairy group.
They run in packs, leave giant tracks,
and dine on eyeball soup.

Mean, Observant, Noisy,
super Strong, and Tough-to-please,
Envious, Remarkable,
a monster’s all of these!

One day, a monster’s M went missing,
gone without a trace!
And every M is custom-made,
the kind you can’t replace.

Here is a book trailer that came out before the book was released, but you can’t miss it! It is too cute!

Resources: Tiffany has activites on her site. HERE is a coloring page. And HERE  is a maze. HERE is page to talk about Onster’s feelings and let children share their own feelings with a drawing. And since the beginning of the book gives a descriptive word for each letter in the word Monster, it would fit in nicely to let children come up with descriptive words for each letter of their name for an acrostic activity.

Why I Like This Book: What’s not to like???? The rhyme is perfection and all kinds of fun! The illustrations are colorful and delightful.  And, most important, the book tells a great story of  a monster who who loses his mean and doesn’t miss it after all.

And since I think this book is  EXCELLENT, I had to have a little fun with my review and do an acrostic of my own.

Every line and every rhyme—impeccable and fun.
Xtra-special illustrations hit a BIG home run.
Charming Onster steals your heart and you’ll be filled with pride,
Extolling choices that he makes, his meanness put aside.
Laughter and delight will reign when reading it aloud,
Leading to demands of, “More!” from the happy crowd.
Eventually you’ll close the book and sit and think and smile—
Not missing Onster’s “M” at all and
Thrilled by Onster’s style.

36 thoughts on “Perfect Picture Book Friday-The Monster Who Lost His Mean”

      1. Yeah…that was really weird. It’s like I was getting an entire FB conversation in my blog or something. Anyhow…I just was thinking my blog had been attacked by really nice hackers! I’m glad to know it’s you. I had fun doing the review.
        I’m sitting at my parents house (in Colorado…yes!!) and my mom is reading your book! It’ so funny you commented right when she is reading it! She had read a couple of others I brought with me…she just looked up and said, “Now the rhyme in this book is excellent!” She’s a retired first grade teacher and loves your book!!!!

        Like

    1. Your welcome, Barb! I am a retired teacher. I just know you would’ve been so fun to teach with. I taught PE and computer. Our first grade teachers were incredible….well, are incredible….they are still there. Your blog is ONEderful 🙂

      Like

  6. I haven’t read any of Tiffany’s stories but this one makes me want to run out and get it. Love your clever and great acrostic poem. Are you able to just pump them out? 🙂

    Like

  8. I love your picks. Great review and the rhyming does sound pefect. So many ways to use this in the classroom. Liked your ideas and your acrostic poem! You are so good with poetry.

    Like

  11. The trailer is adorable and the book sounds GREAT. Can’t wait to read it. And your poem ain’t half bad either. 😉

    Like

  16. Sold! You’ve totally convinced me this is awesome. I wouldn’t expect anything else from Tiffany. 🙂

    Like

      1. Hi Penny, I work at Storypanda and we just published Tiffany’s new story on the iPad! It is called Hungry Harry and is about a monster who eats everything in alphabetical order. I’d love to tell you more.

        Like

Comments are closed.