Go Away, Big Green Monster! [Paperback]

Ed Emberley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1992 | Grade Level: P and up

Caldecott Award-winning author-artist Ed Emberley has created an ingenious way for children to chase away their nighttime fears. Kids can turn the pages of this die-cut book and watch the Big Green Monster grow. Then, when they're ready to show him who's in charge, they'll turn the remaining pages and watch him disappear! This lavish reissue features dramatic die-cut eyes and sparkling foil on the cover.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The Caldecott Medalist makes wonderful use of innovative production techniques in this ingenious offering. Differently diecut and boldly colored pages reveal increasingly scary features of a big green monster--on the first spread, we see two big yellow eyes; on the second, the eyes plus a long blue nose; and so on, until the monster is fully unmasked. But that's only half the story. "You don't scare me!" reads the caption after the monster is shown in all its horror. Turn more pages and, one by one, the scary features disappear, as does, of course, the monster. "And don't come back! Until I say so," the text concludes. A joy to read aloud, the simple story entertains even as it helps its audience master common fears. Emberley's striking approach should win him new fans aplenty. Ages 3-8.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-- A graphic delight. In the tradition of Lois Ehlert's Color Zoo (1989) and Color Farm (1990, both HarperCollins), this is a clever series of die-cut pages that lets children construct and then deconstruct a big green monster. The book starts with a black page, and two round eyes gleaming through the text. "Big Green Monster has two big yellow eyes." Each page adds a new adjective-laden element, including a "long bluish-greenish nose" and "scraggy purple hair" until the culmination of effects prompts a response of, "YOU DON'T SCARE ME! SO GO AWAY . . . ." Each subsequent page subtracts one of the scary pieces until the last page is entirely black, featuring the words, "and DON'T COME BACK! Until I say so." This imaginative original work is a most friendly way in which children can take control over their own "monsters" or nightmares. It also has great visual appeal because of the bold interplay between shape and color. --Elizabeth Hanson, Chicago Public Library
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; 1st edition (1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316236535
• ISBN-13: 978-0316236539
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 0.5 x 11.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (87 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,706 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ed Emberley is the illustrator and author of over 80 books, including the bestselling Go Away, Big Green Monster! and his enormously popular "Drawing Book" series. He has received many awards and accolades, including a Caldecott Honor in 1967 for One Wide River to Cross and a Caldecott Medal in 1968 for Drummer Hoff. Ed Emberley lives in Ipswich, Massachusetts, with his wife, Barbara. You can visit him online at www.edemberley.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Alredy a classic, December 16, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Go Away, Big Green Monster! (Paperback)

I'm a children's librarian. This book is so incredibly popular with my library children that I order a dozen copies at a time. Its simple, bold graphics are extremely pleasing, and the children love the cutout pictures.

I frequently use this book for story programs. The first part of the book builds the monster by adding one facial feature at a time. I usually ask the children what the facial feature is or what color it is. The hair is purple, the face is green. When the monster is complete, I ask if they are scared. They never are. Then we get out our pointer fingers, shake them at the book, and in our bossiest voice chase that monster away. The book ends with the children telling the monster not to come back until we say so.

Whenever I read this book to a group, I invariably see children rereading the book on their own. Usually half the children want to check out a copy of the book. Because the graphics are so good, and the story so strong, even very young children can "read" this book to themselves. I love to see the children sitting at tables, shaking their fingers at the book, and gruffly telling that bad monster to "Go away."

I highly recommend this book because it is empowering, it's fun, and it's a great book to teach your child to love books.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than "Monster Spray", June 13, 2000

By 

K. Bennett (Rolla, MO USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Go Away, Big Green Monster! (Paperback)

This book is the ultimate "empowering tool" for giving little ones control over their fears. It first builds a monster, adding a feature or two on each page through the use of cut-out pages. First the two big yellow eyes appear, then the long bluish-greenish nose. By the time you add the big, scary green face, you've got one scary monster.

But don't worry, because once Big Green Monster is all put together, he's taken apart again. "YOU DON'T SCARE ME!" reads the text, "So, GO AWAY..." Page by page and one by one, the scary features disappear as ordered. The book ends with "GO AWAY, Big Green Monster! And DON'T COME BACK! Until I say so."

Wow. If only I'd had this book when that scary clown was in my son's closet. Or when the mysterious cowboy was in his brother's room. Or when that nasty giant was hiding out in my parents' fireplace about thirty years ago.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Come back little big green monster!, March 7, 2004

By 

E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Go Away, Big Green Monster! (Paperback)

I've enjoyed reading through the vast variety of responses to this book, and mostly they bring up some interesting points. "Go Away Big Green Monster" is ostensibly a book that is meant to (and I'm quoting the back of the book here) "chase away their (kids') nighttime monsters". All well and good. This doesn't give the book much in the way of plot development or character analysis, but it sure does create one heckuva scary bed time monster. By flipping through the pages the book slowly creates, then disposes with a big green boogie man.

I was a bit amazed at the cut out construction of this tale. It's cleverly done and expertly woven. But as some reviews of this book have pointed out, it's probably a book best written for kids who ALREADY are afraid of big green monsters. If you've a child who's never considered that monsters might be out there with "a big red mouth with sharp white teeth" this might suddenly inspire them to become afraid for the first time. Sort of the antithesis of what the book is supposed to accomplish. I mean, it's a cute book. No question. Just make certain that you're handing it to a little one that is not innocent in the ways of monsters and monster appearance.

Oh, and as a personal side note, I love the cover. The big green monster stares out at the viewer in a perfect Kilroy-esque appearance (his big ole nose hanging like a blue cucumber over the yellow wall). Any book that references Kilroy is a-okay by me.