Love Monster & the Last Chocolate

Love Monster and the Last Chocolate
Text and illustrations: Rachel Bright
HarperCollins Children's Books 2014
Reviewed copy: library copy

Back of book:
When Love Monster finds a mystery box of chocolates at his door, he can't believe his luck. But he's soon thrown into a whirlwind of turmoil. Should he keep the chocolates for himself.... or risk sharing his good fortune with his friends?This super-funny-rumbly-tummy-sherbet-explosion of a story shows that when faced with the selection box of life,following your heart brings the best treats of all!

Missus B says:
Oh this monster is deliciously cute! I plucked this book from my library shelf and just had to take this hairy little character home. Those pointy ears, saucer eyes, wonky teeth and bulbous toes make him an adorable little creature. 

The illustrations are wonderfully vibrant and rich. Chunky little characters, lovely patterns, comical background detail and playful text-there's plenty to appreciate. 

The story:
Love Monster has just arrived home from his adventurous holiday and.....well...he's feeling rather depressed. He trundles along with his suitcase in the rain (typical) but wait...hang on -is that a box of chocolates  waiting on his doorstep?! 

Someone has a bad case of PTD! (that's post-travel depression)

At the sight of these treats, his holiday blues are tossed aside and Love Monster drools as he thinks of the wonderful sweeties waiting for him.....

In a double-page spread, we see a collection of lovely chocolates with their names written underneath. I love the descriptive text and mouth watering vocabulary:

Tutti-Frutti Splodge
Chocahedgehog
Wonderfully Whippy Walnut One
Toothbreaker
Extra-Fizz-Banger-Sherbet.....

Love Monster cannot wait to open the box and tuck in....

But THEN he had a thought that he just couldn't unthink.
Hmmmmpf.
He should probably share the chocolates with his friends.
BUT...
...what if there weren't enough?
Or...
what if someone took the one HE wanted he most?
Or, WORST of all...
...what if the only one left for him was THE COFFEE ONE??!
EUUUUURGGGHHH!

Nothing worse than seeing your favourite choccy being devoured by someone else.
Looks like the Double Chocolate Strawberry Swirl is a popular sweety!

Oh dilemma dilemma! Scratching his head, twiddling his toes... Love Monster weighs up the situation and decides that it's 'kinder and better for everyone if he kept the chocolates ...just for himself.'

One of my favourite pages- I love the wide, guilty eyes, the cutesy curtains and lovely mix of colour in this scene.

Behind closed doors, Love Monster puts the kettle on, and settles himself down for the chocolate-eating event. But, just before he opens the box, he glances at a photo of his friends,suddenly feeling a rush of guilt. 

Cup of tea.... Snuggly Arm Chair.... Box of Chocolates..... Perfect!
Oh hang on....
Group photo of Buddies...
Buddies LOVE chocolate....
Oh, for Goodness sake- the GUILT!
Cannot eat chocolates without sharing...
Must relieve conscience and do so!

So, driven by guilt, he decides to share with his friends and then discovers that, there has just been one chocolate in the box all along. His thoughtful buddies have kept him a 'Double-Chocolate-Strawberry-Swirl' because they missed him while he was away. 

 'sometimes, it's when you stop to think of others...that you start to find out just how much they think of you.' 

This is a sweet and funny story with a message about sharing and thinking of others.

Happy Reading,
Missus B

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