My Monster and Me

Everybody gets anxious sometimes – but if the anxiety grows so big that it impacts on a child’s ability to play or go out with friends, it needs addressing.

In this delightful picture book, a boy introduces both himself and his monster, who has been with him for as long as he can remember. It is big and bossy and has a tendency to get in the way and stop him doing what he wants to do. It also hides itself from his parents. And now it is enormous.

It’s only when the boy’s grandma persuades him to talk to her about it that he notices his monster is starting to shrink. Before long, the irritating monster is trifling enough to tuck away in his pocket. Now he is in charge, not the monster.

This is such an effective book for reminding us all that though anxiety issues (or anger issues or indeed other mental health challenges) may be a part of life, they do not define us, and with the right strategies they can be managed. The illustrations are big, bold and endearing and every word of the well-chosen text is spot-on.

An all-round perfect package for entertaining and gently reassuring any child.