My Little Monster

*spoiler alert* If you’ve never read the wonderful book “The Monster at the end of the book” I’m about to ruin the end of it for you. Just wanted to offer a formal disclaimer.

I had a copy of “The Monster at the end of the book” as a child, and I remember loving it. Grover keeps trying to stop you from turning the pages – he uses rope, hammers and nails, even builds a brick wall – but much to his dismay the strong and mighty child keeps turning the pages. Given how much Asher likes saying “NO!” to the pigeon in “Don’t let the pigeon drive the bus” and “Don’t let the pigeon stay up late” I figured he would love this book as much as I had. In this case it’s Grover that keeps telling you No but you do it anyway.

So we got a copy of the book and I couldn’t wait to read it to Asher. From the very first page it did not go well.

Grover asks the child “What did the cover of the book say?”

“Hello Everybody!!” Asher answered joyfully – which is indeed what Grover waves and says on the cover of the book.

“He meant the title of the book, Asher” I said. And I read the title again.

Which is when things started to go downhill.

“There’s a monster?” Asher asked, “I don’t like that.”

I assured him it was okay and turned the page. Grover started to plead with us not to turn another page because of the monster at the end of the book.

“I no like this book” Asher declared loudly.

I valiantly tried to get Asher interested in turning the pages. I tried to convince him it was okay. He was stubborn. He wanted nothing more to do with the book.

As a last ditch effort I spilled the beans.

“It’s okay Asher, Grover is a monster!”

“Grover is a monster?” he questioned.

Yes. I even flipped to the end of the book as proof. “See, it’s okay. Grover is the monster, and we like Grover.”

“Grover is a monster.” He processed the information. “I no like that. I no like Grover is a monster.” ”I no like this book”.

Great. I’m not even sure if he doesn’t like that Grover is a monster, or that he now doesn’t like Grover because he is a monster. No amount of persuasion could change his mind. In the end, he decided the book was so distasteful that it needed to be removed from the room and taken to his father. We read “Quiero a mi Papa porque” instead.