Hello there! Today, we’re going to enjoy a fun story called I Need My Monster. It’s written by Amanda Noll and has cool pictures by Howard McWilliam. Let’s dive into the story and see what happens!
One night, a little boy looked under his bed for his monster, Gabe. But instead of finding Gabe, he found a note that said, “Gone fishing. Back in a week. – Gabe.” Oh no! How was he going to sleep without his monster?
The boy needed a monster to help him sleep, so he knocked on the floor to see if a new monster would come. Soon, he heard a creaky sound. A monster named Herbert appeared. Herbert tried to be scary, but he wasn’t quite right. The boy needed a monster with claws!
Next, a monster named Ralph showed up. Ralph had shiny claws with nail polish! The boy thought Ralph was too fancy to be scary. So Ralph left too.
Then came Cynthia, a girl monster with a bow on her tail. The boy thought only boy monsters could be under his bed, so Cynthia left. Was he being too picky?
Finally, Mack, a scruffy monster, appeared. He had great claws but a short tail. Mack tried to be scary with his long tongue, but the boy just laughed. Mack decided to leave too.
Just when the boy thought he wouldn’t sleep, he heard more creaking. It was Gabe! Gabe came back because fishing wasn’t fun. Gabe was the perfect monster for the boy. He made the bed shake and even made green ooze appear!
The boy giggled and felt safe with Gabe. He knew no other monster could scare him like Gabe. The boy snuggled under his covers, ready to sleep.
And that’s the end of the story! Did you enjoy meeting all the different monsters? Which one was your favorite? Remember, stories can take us on exciting adventures, and sometimes, even monsters can be friendly!
Create Your Own Monster: Use craft supplies like paper, markers, and glue to create your own monster. Think about what makes your monster special. Does it have big claws like Gabe or maybe a long tongue like Mack? Share your monster with the class and explain why it would be the perfect monster to help you sleep.
Monster Observation Journal: For one week, keep a journal of all the “monsters” you encounter in your daily life. These could be shadows, sounds, or even objects that look like monsters. Draw a picture of each “monster” and write a sentence about what makes it unique. At the end of the week, share your favorite entry with the class.
Monster Storytime: Imagine you are the boy in the story and write a short story about a new monster that visits you. What does this monster look like? How does it try to be scary? Does it succeed, or do you find it funny? Share your story with a friend or family member and ask them to draw a picture of your monster based on your description.
**Sanitized Transcript:**
Welcome to Storyline Online, presented by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation. Hi, I’m Rita Moreno, and I’m going to read you a book called *I Need My Monster*, written by Amanda Noll and illustrated by Howard McWilliam.
Tonight, when I looked under the bed for my monster, I found this note instead: “Gone fishing. Back in a week. – Gabe.” What was I going to do? I needed a monster under my bed. How was I supposed to get to sleep if my monster was gone? I tried to sleep, but it wasn’t the same without Gabe. I missed his familiar sounds and presence. It was no use. Gabe would be gone for a week, and I just had to have a monster.
I climbed quietly out of bed so my parents wouldn’t hear me. (Grown-ups have some strange ideas about monsters under beds.) I knocked on the floorboards, then scrambled back under my covers. I waited nervously. Would a new monster appear? What would he be like? Would he have the same cheerful sounds as Gabe?
When I heard some creaking under my bed, I knew that the substitute monster had arrived. “Good evening,” said a low, breathy voice. “My name is Herbert, and I will be your monster for the evening.” “Herbert? What kind of name is that for a monster? You don’t sound scary at all. Have you ever scared a kid before?” “Well, no, but I have read all the best books on the topic.” “Do you have long teeth and scratchy claws?” I asked. “No, but I have an overbite. And I’m a mouth breather.” Herbert’s panting was kind of scary, but it wasn’t enough for me. “Listen, Herbert, I’m sorry. I just don’t think this is going to work. It’s nothing personal, but I really need a monster with claws.” “Picky, picky,” Herbert complained. “As you wish. I’ll go.” There was some more creaking, and then Herbert was gone.
Some scratching warned me that a second monster had appeared. “Good evening,” he said in a high, silky voice. “My name is Ralph. I understand you need a monster with claws. If you would please lean over, I will hold out an arm for inspection.” I crouched on the edge of the bed, hoping to see a horrible shaggy arm with sharp nails. Instead, I was surprised to see sleekly brushed fur with smooth, shiny claws. “Excuse me, I don’t mean to be rude,” I asked, “but is that nail polish on your claws?” “Yes, it is,” Ralph replied. “I believe professional monsters should always be well-groomed.” I could tell that this was not going to work either. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, Ralph, but I need a monster with scary claws.” I heard some more scratching and knew Ralph was gone.
A minute later, a third voice from under the bed rasped, “Check out these claws, kid.” I gathered my courage and peered over the edge. The claws were impressive—jagged and dark and razor-sharp. I was a little nervous. “Could you stick out your tail?” I whispered. “Sure. But don’t get scared!” I peeked through my fingers at the slimy tail slithering over the foot of my bed. And that’s when I noticed the bow. “Are you a girl monster?” “Of course I am,” she snapped. “I’m Cynthia. Do you have a problem with that?” “Um, yeah, I do,” I admitted. “I definitely need a boy monster. Boy monsters are for boys and girl monsters are for girls. Everybody knows that.” “Well, aren’t you a picky one,” she sniffed, and then she was gone.
Was I being too picky? No. I knew that my monster needed to be well-clawed and menacing. I mean, the whole point of having a monster, after all, was to keep me in bed, imagining all the scary stuff that could happen if I got out. Then I heard a shuffling noise and some slobbering. A fourth monster was under my bed. “Hey, the name’s Mack.” One look at his claws proved that Mack was a big, scruffy boy monster. I shivered. Maybe this one would work out. “Those are excellent claws, but do you have a long tail?” I leaned over to see. “No, my tail is stumpy,” Mack slurped. “But I do have an unusually long tongue!” “Why would I be afraid of a long tongue?” I asked. “Oh, I don’t know,” he said, trying to sound terrifying. “You never know when I might… lick you!” I fell back on the bed, laughing. “Well, if you’re not even going to try to work with me…” Mack whined. I held in my giggles. “I really don’t think you should send me away,” he warned. “Kids who reject five monsters in one night…” “I did NOT reject five monsters tonight!” I interrupted. “My regular monster went fishing.” “Fishing, eh? Maybe he just left because you’re so picky. Fine, I’m out of here. But I wouldn’t expect another monster tonight if I was you.”
How was I ever going to get to sleep without my monster? I was surprised to hear more creaking under the bed. Loud creaking. With scratching. “I thought no more monsters were going to appear tonight,” I said. “Sorry I’m late, kid.” Whew. It was Gabe. “I thought I would enjoy fishing, but I didn’t,” he explained. “Those fish scare too easily. No challenge at all. You, however, are challenging, my friend. You’re almost too old to be afraid of monsters. You keep me on my toes.” The bed quivered as Gabe’s stomach rumbled with hunger. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to start the evening with an ominous puddle of drool.” I peeked over the edge of the bed. Green ooze spread soundlessly from underneath. Then the bed trembled as Gabe unfurled his spiked tail. He was daring me to guess where he might pop up. I shivered. “So, you had some substitute monsters tonight,” Gabe said, sharpening his claws on my bedpost. “Were you… scared?” Then Gabe started tapping. I could tell he wanted to know if I still needed him. “No other monster can scare me like you!” I giggled, diving under my covers and pulling them up tight. Through the blanket, I heard Gabe’s soft, comforting sounds. “Ha! I knew it! We’re made for each other,” he growled.
When my blanket started to slip off the bed, I knew Gabe was ready to eat. “Now, if you could please stick out your foot,” he said, “I’d like to nibble your pinkie.” I yanked my blanket back up and scrunched my feet in so Gabe couldn’t get them. “No toes tonight, but you can have this,” I offered, pushing a pillow off the bed. I didn’t even hear it hit the floor. Gabe was back. The ooze was perfect. Everything was back to normal. I shivered again. I’d be asleep in no time.
The end. I hope you liked that. I love doing monsters. Which was your favorite? I’ll see you again!
