Bea Reviews The Kind-hearted Monster by Max Velthuijs

Publisher: NorthSouth (NY) 
Format Read: eGalley
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: May 1, 2015
Challenges: May 2015 Clean Sweep ARC Challenge |  NetGalley and Edelweiss ARCs
Buying Links: Amazon*  | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

What do you do with a fire-breathing monster? Adore him! The Monster from Halfway to Nowhere... When the people of a little town discover that the fire-breathing monster in their midst is really a kind-hearted mind mannered monster, they all have different ideas about what to do with him. But the ideas make Mervyn unhappy, until a professor has an idea that lightens everyone's mood especially Mervyn's! The Monster from Halfway to Nowhere... Robbers have kidnapped Mervyn the monster by baking him cakes full of sleeping powder. They think the heist is a success. But the robbers don t know Mervyn . . . and the people from the town that s halfway to nowhere." 

Bea's Thoughts:

"The Kind-hearted Monster" is actually a bundle with two stories in one book. In the first story we meet Mervyn when he eats a farmer's corn without permission. He is hunted and captured but doesn't behave in a manner consistent with the townspeople's expectations. He is, it seems, a kind-hearted, shy monster who means no harm to anyone. He talks them out of attacking him, refuses to attack a target, escapes a cage and eventually he and townspeople find a job he can do that suits him and benefits the town.  The story is a little heavy-handed at times and it never seems to occur to anyone that they could just let Mervyn go but there's a nice message that someone can look like a monster but really be sweet and nice. The message that he has to serve them and work for them was not so sweet and the townspeople are the epitome of greedy consumers.

The second story is "The Monster and The Robbers". A gang of incompetent robbers decides to kidnap the fire-breathing monster they've heard about. They plan to sell him and make a lot of money. Of course, things don't quite go as planned. Mervyn is kind-hearted and shy but able and willing to defend himself. Soon the robbers regret tackling Mervyn and the townspeople even come to his aid. This story has more humor and heart and shows the townspeople in a somewhat better light than the first story.

The artwork in both stories is bright, somewhat childish, and cartoonish. The stories were okay, nothing wonderful, and I'm not sure how well they'll hold a child's interest. The artwork is better suited for preschoolers while the stories and vocabulary are more for six and seven year olds. No need to rush to get a copy, maybe see if your library has it.