Here’s a new exciting adventure with a creature you’ve never met before! It hides under Moin’s bed and it is… a monster! This monster came from Monsterland and has to follow the many monster rules — except that he doesn’t remember all of them! If you’re wondering what a monster looks like — it all up to you. Monsters have to be drawn by the human they come to live with, they of course describe themselves accurately: eyes like flames, nose like pails, ears like horn and teeth like nails… sounds fearsome, doesn’t it? Wait till you see how Moin drew the monster, and what he turned out to be!
He’s pink, has auto horns for ears and webbed ducks feet! And he’s hilarious! He loves to eat — Monster Rule 7 states he can eat whatever he wants, and he loves bananas. He loves to sing, even though he makes no sense and is painful to hear. And if you start using big words, he promptly falls asleep!
Long stay
So how does Moin manage to get rid of it? Or does he get rid of it at all? Well, Monster rule 114 states that it cannot be gifted away, and Monster Rule 54 says that a monster has to stay forever with the human who has given it a body. Hmm… so the monster stays. That can only mean one thing — a whole lot of adventures.
Moin’s friends — Tony and Parvati help him catch the monster and get him out of the mess every time! There’s also Kooki, the headmaster who may just be going mad, a huge dog called Small, and Harimama’s telescope. More than reading about them, you will see them in the drawings on every page!
In the next book, you’ll meet Moin’s music teacher Tothogotho Choudhury, who loves Moin’s voice. He is the star pupil. So Tothogotho Choudhury makes Moin the first singer at his concert. But of course, the Monster is the true hero and brings the house down with his terrible singing. If you want to know what happens next, and what Loopy Bagiri has to do with it, you’ll have to read Moin the Monster Songster.
Anushka Ravishankar has won many international awards and her stories have been translated into many languages. Anitha Balachandran is an award-winning animation filmmaker and illustrator and her lovely illustrations in the book bring the characters to life.
MOIN AND THE MONSTER, MOIN THE MONSTER SONGSTER by Anushka Raishankar, Duckbill Books, Rs. 160 each
