Mike the Monster by Tom Story

My Thoughts:

What I Loved: The monster in this story is cute and my daughter found him adorable. She loved how he would hide just out of sight and she was so happy that he just wanted to help at the end.

How I Felt: This was a cute story focusing on the loss of something important. The little girl Sophie, was so sad to have lost her special ring. My daughter was able to understand Sophie’s sadness, which made her appreciate the happiness when it was found. There were some things that I felt were unclear in the story. There is something like a black shadow monster in Sophie’s room and I think the blue monster, Mike, scares it away, but that was never made very clear in the book. Additionally, I’m not really sure why Mike is trying to help Sophie, where he came from, or how he is connected to the ring. Overall though, this was a cute story, that was fun for my daughter to read.

To Read or Not To Read: This is a good story for a pre-k to early elementary school.

What’s This Book About Anyway?

Sophie is on a walk in the forest with her parents and has lost the ring her nanny gave her. After hours of searching they are unable to find it. They return home, but Sophie feels like something is there watching her over the next day. That night, she discovers Mike, the monster and he takes her back to the forest. He is able to help her find her special ring and return her home.