How to Comfort a Monster

http://www.renaud-bray.com

http://www.renaud-bray.com

A child wakes up ready to play, but this morning he hears a strange noise coming from outside his bedroom. On the other side of the door is a giant crying monster. The child tries to offer comfort. The child's arms won't fit around the monster for a hug. The child's hand disappears in the monster's giant paw. The child's hanky is drenched by the monster's huge tears. But eventually the monster settles and tells the child that his company is enough. Then they play a game of hide and seek. How to Comfort a Monster explores big emotions, the challenges of comforting someone through them and the importance of being there for people (and monsters) even when the tears seem like they'll never end.Key Selling Points A child tries to comfort a giant, very sad monster, but struggles to hug it, hold its hand or dry its tears. The monster eventually settles and tells the child his presence is comfort enough. This is a sweet, surreal story about emotions and empathy that does not explicitly name the feelings or reason the monster cries, allowing children to use the story to relate to their own experiences. An excellent discussion starter for talking about big emotions and for lessons on SEL, with comforting techniques demonstrated and the ultimate lesson that sometimes time and company are all that is needed to comfort. The minimal text and actions included in the attempted comforting creates a great read-aloud experience with opportunities for interactive play. Clara Dackenberg's use of perspective in the illustrations create a sense of mystery and wonder.