The Monster at the end of this Book

By Jon Stone, illustrated by Mike Smollin
Random House Children’s Books, 1971 (board book 1999)
Board book, 24 pages, ages 1-4, grades P-2

Narrated by lovable, furry old Grover, the story starts out by breaking the fourth wall with a simple premise: there is a monster at the end of this book. Grover is scared of monsters and begs the reader to stop turning pages so that they’ll never get to the monster on the last page.

Of course, with that reverse psychology, the reader will gleefully turn pages to see what happens next, which prompts Grover to attempt to stop more page turning by tying the pages together, nailing them shut, and more – building to the surprise waiting at the end of the book.

Full disclosure: I am a completely and utterly biased reviewer. I have loved this book since I was 2 years old. It was my favorite as a kid and continues to be one of my all-time favorites. It’s the first interactive book I recommend and my go-to baby shower gift.

The Monster at the End of this Book is hilarious and engaging for both kids and adults. And like a lot of interactive books, there is a twist ending. (As a kid, I remember thinking that I should have seen it coming. But I was so happy that I didn’t and looked forward to it every single read!)

It’s probably most popular as a Little Golden Book, but there is also a board book version, which is what I’m reviewing. It is smaller than average, 4.25 inches by 5.75 inches, but I didn’t mind that at all – I have always loved small books. However, it might be more challenging for a storytime, and if you’re a reader who likes bigger books, this might be too small for you. The text is large and clearly readable.

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!! A must-have for every child’s library.

The Monster At The End of this Book by Jon Stone gets 5 stars from this reviewer.