Blue Monster Wants It All! Book Review

If we're brave enough to admit it, I think we all like to get new things don't we. Whether they be cheap or expensive, sometimes it is hard to resist isn't it. The trouble is these new things don't always make us as happy as we originally thought they would and this is certainly the case for Blue Monster in the book Blue Monster Wants It All!

Blue Monster loves brand new things. A fancy new hat ... a shiny submarine... a fabulous funfair... a paradise island, all of his own. But he's still not happy!

Where will it end?

We begin this story with Blue Monster as a baby and it becomes clear right from the start that little Blue is used to getting his own way, crying for hours until his parents finally give in and give him what he wants, from a new pram to new teddies, this was a monster who grew bored oh so easily, but when he expresses disdain about his little sister, what were his parents to do?

In the end Blue Monster takes the savings he had gained from his Granny and he sets off to start a new life, to go and buy all the things that he thinks will put a smile on his face and for a while his plan works. Trouble is there are only so many new things that one can by themselves but you see the problem with going out on your own is that you end feeling alone because as the saying goes, money can't buy you love.

"He really needed a hug but none of his new things could comfort him"

Because you see as Blue Monster learns, the things that you want don't always give you happiness, what's really needed is family and friends, people around you to provide you with something money just can't buy, love, affection and a feeling of completeness and comfort.

As you read this story, the illustrations that go along with it are what I'd describe as humorous. Reading with my youngest daughter we discussed the sort of things we'd buy if we had the money to get whatever we wanted. Her immediate answer, a unicorn! But after that I then asked what it was that makes her happy and what was wonderful was that out of some of the silly answers came a really lovely one, she said, her sisters.

Blue Monster Wants It All is a picture book that is wonderfully positive. Teaching children that although the material things in life are quite nice to have, they aren't necessarily needed. We don't turn to our toys in times of need do we, what we require are family surrounding us and supporting us, with those people by our side, it is known that we'll never truly be alone.