Watch out! The Chocolate Monster's about...

Published on: 03 April 2017 Author: Pip Jones and Laura Hughes

Watch out if the The Chunk's about... and he will be, because it's Easter! If you're nervous about your precious chocolate going walkies, don't worry - Pip Jones and Laura Hughes, author and illustrator of WANTED: The Chocolate Monster (Faber & Faber), are here to give us their top tips for protecting your Easter treats from The Chunk.

Chocolates mysteriously disappearing from the box? Choc chip cookies in the tin one minute and gone the next? It's no wonder everyone's baffled: mums and dads don't even like chocolate that much - and children NEVER take chocolate without asking!

Well, we finally know what's been going on. A cheeky Chocolate Monster - a.k.a The Chunk - has been prowling around, taking all the chocolate and blaming everyone else. And now he's looking for YOUR Easter eggs!

Be sure to keep your Easter treats safe with these five top tips:

1. Everyone loves to give and receive beautifully wrapped chocolate eggs at Easter time.

But watch out! With all that chocolate exchanging hands, you can bet your life The Chunk will be about. Remember, the Chocolate Monster is a master of disguise, so keep a close eye on your surroundings. If, for example, you notice a big, purple hedge in your garden which you've never seen before, it might warrant further investigation.

2. Make sure you know exactly when to expect the Easter Bunny.

If you leave any chocolate treats hiding among the daffodils for too long, The Chunk will be round to swipe the lot before you've even had a chance to collect any! Maybe put a sign on your door: 'Dear Easter Bunny. We will be home between 3pm and 4pm for an Easter Egg hunt. Please hide the eggs VERY well indeed. Many thanks.'

3. You might think it's a good idea to stash your yummy chocolate Easter eggs in the real egg box in the fridge.

But don't be fooled! The Chunk KNOWS that chocolate is egg-shaped at Easter time, so an egg box is the first place he'll look. It will be much safer to hide your Easter eggs in a lump of cheese (the stinkier, the better).

4. He's ever so good at sniffing out chocolate, but The Chunk CAN be tricked if you know how.

So if your Gran makes you a delicious chocolate cake, with a scrumptious, creamy chocolate filling, topped with colourful mini chocolate Easter eggs, you might want to think about storing it very carefully indeed. We suggest putting it up in the loft, inside a cupboard with a padlock on it, encased in an airtight tin with a label that reads 'CONTAINS TOENAIL CLIPPINGS'.

5. Remember, if you find any empty Easter chocolate wrappers lying around - on your dad's chest, or in your mum's bag, for example - they are very likely to have been planted by The Chunk in his cheeky attempt to make sure someone else gets the blame.

Before pointing the finger, check the wrappers closely for strands of purple fur (streaked with pink). Be fair: you wouldn't like it if YOU got the blame just because The Chunk had smeared chocolate all over your cheeks, now, would you?

HAPPY EASTER! With love from Pip and Laura xx