BOOK REVIEW: IT’S WORLD KINDNESS DAY

​Meet Merv, a very kind monster, in:

​TITLE: SOMEBODY NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT MONSTER
AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Doug Cenko
PUBLISHER: Peach Tree
OPENING LINES:
Ever since the big flood, Merv sat outside the village snacking on plants.
It’s just what he did. He never moved.
Every day he stayed in the same spot, and every day he heard the same thing…
“What does that monster want?”
“Why won’t that monster leave?”
“Somebody needs to do something about that monster.”
Eventually, enough was enough. Merv just couldn’t take it anymore.
He knew that something had to be done.
He stood up and…
he went to find SOMEBODY who could do something about that monster.

Every day, Merv sits in the same spot, eating “plants” (aka trees) – it’s just what he does. But one day, when he’s tired of hearing the nearby villagers complain about a monster, he decides to find someone who can do “something about that monster.” Oh, this book!
 
The text: Readers will fall in love with the kind-hearted, yet naïve, main character; they will chuckle as Merv tries his hardest to help his villager friends; they will think, “of course!” at the surprising, yet inevitable resolution; and they will sigh, “aw!” after reading the final page.
 
The art: The adorableness begins on the cover, continues with the map on the end papers and subtle hints throughout the pages of the book, and concludes with the surprise under the jacket. After reading the story once, you’ll want to read it again (and again!) to see the cues you missed the first time through.
 
Five stars for this perfect picture book!
 
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