Go Away, Big Green Monster!

Caldecott Award-winning author-artist Ed Emberley has created an ingenious way for children to chase away their nighttime fears. Kids can turn the pages of this die-cut book and watch the Big Green Monster grow. Then, when they're ready to show him who's in charge, they'll turn the remaining pages and watch him disappear! This lavish reissue features dramatic die-cut eyes and sparkling foil on the cover.

Customer Reviews:

Alredy a classic

By A Customer - December 16, 2000

I'm a children's librarian. This book is so incredibly popular with my library children that I order a dozen copies at a time. Its simple, bold graphics are extremely pleasing, and the children love the cutout pictures.I frequently use this book for story programs. The first part of the book builds the monster by adding one facial feature at a time. I usually ask the children what the facial feature is or what color it is. The hair is purple, the face is green. When the monster is complete, I ask if they are scared. They never are. Then we get out our pointer fingers, shake them at the book, and in our bossiest voice chase that monster away. The book ends with the children telling the monster not to come back until we say so.Whenever I read this book to a group, I invariably see children rereading the book on their own. Usually half the children want to check out a copy of the book. Because the graphics are so good, and the story so strong, even very young children can... read more

Better than "Monster Spray"

By K. Bennett - June 13, 2000

This book is the ultimate "empowering tool" for giving little ones control over their fears. It first builds a monster, adding a feature or two on each page through the use of cut-out pages. First the two big yellow eyes appear, then the long bluish-greenish nose. By the time you add the big, scary green face, you've got one scary monster.But don't worry, because once Big Green Monster is all put together, he's taken apart again. "YOU DON'T SCARE ME!" reads the text, "So, GO AWAY..." Page by page and one by one, the scary features disappear as ordered. The book ends with "GO AWAY, Big Green Monster! And DON'T COME BACK! Until I say so."Wow. If only I'd had this book when that scary clown was in my son's closet. Or when the mysterious cowboy was in his brother's room. Or when that nasty giant was hiding out in my parents' fireplace about thirty years ago.

Come back little big green monster!

By E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" - March 7, 2004

I've enjoyed reading through the vast variety of responses to this book, and mostly they bring up some interesting points. "Go Away Big Green Monster" is ostensibly a book that is meant to (and I'm quoting the back of the book here) "chase away their (kids') nighttime monsters". All well and good. This doesn't give the book much in the way of plot development or character analysis, but it sure does create one heckuva scary bed time monster. By flipping through the pages the book slowly creates, then disposes with a big green boogie man.

I was a bit amazed at the cut out construction of this tale. It's cleverly done and expertly woven. But as some reviews of this book have pointed out, it's probably a book best written for kids who ALREADY are afraid of big green monsters. If you've a child who's never considered that monsters might be out there with "a big red mouth with sharp white teeth" this might suddenly inspire them to become afraid for... read more