Das Biest Des Monsieur Racine

by Tomi Ungerer

A suspicious pear-thieving beast becomes fast friends with a lonely man who proudly presents him to the prestigious Academy of Sciences.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, France, Humor, Animals, Friendship

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

Jean-Thomas "Tomi" Ungerer was a French illustrator best known for his erotic and political illustrations as well as children's books.

Reviews

[Ronyell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have actually first heard of this book on a children’s video series called Weston Woods and I enjoyed it back then and I enjoy it now! “The Beast of Monsieur Racine” is a children’s book by Tomi Ungerer, which is about how a retired tax collector named Monsieur Racine meets up with a strange beast near his pear tree and becomes instant friends with the beast. “The Beast of Monsieur Racine” may have some gruesome images that might scare smaller children, but it is still a fun book to read!

Monsieur Racine was a retired tax collector who owns a magnificent pear tree that grows the most delicious pears in all of Paris. Every time millionaires came by to offer money to Monsieur Racine for his pear tree, Monsieur Racine would always turn them down claiming that the pear tree belongs to him and him alone. One morning, however, Monsieur Racine wakes up to find all the pears on his tree disappear and Monsieur Racine decided to stay up during the night to find the thief. Finally during the night, Monsieur Racine spots a beast eating his pears and Monsieur Racine was so interested in the beast that he became fast friends with the beast. Then one day, Monsieur Racine decided to show the beast off to the Academy of Sciences in Paris!

Words cannot describe about how I felt about this book as this book is both surreal and lovable at the same time! Tomi Ungerer’s writing is hilarious and touching at the same time as it details the unlikely friendship between a beast and a man and I loved the way that Monsieur Racine just openly accepted the beast without a hint of fear, which help proved the book’s point about how true friendships is never based on how a person looks. I also loved the way that Tomi Ungerer made this story seem so out of the ordinary as there are many twists and turns in the plot where you least expect it to happened, especially at the end of the book, which I will not tell since I do not want to spoil the book for anyone. Tomi Ungerer’s illustrations are surreal and hilarious as there are various images in this book that have people doing random things at the corners of the pages and one of the most surreal images in this book was the image of the beast itself as it has a long pink snout, long droopy ears, baggy knees and feet that look like stumps. I also loved the image of Monsieur Racine himself as he looks very distinguished with his small pot belly, friendly looking eyes slightly hidden behind some spectacles and a pointy mustache.

Now the only problem with this book was that there were some gruesome images, which is something you would not expect in most of Tomi Ungerer’s books. Here are some examples of some gruesome images in this book:

A picture of a fox carrying a dead rabbit in its mouth

A picture of a man carrying a severed foot in a bag

A couple of photos where people lose pieces of their heads.

And so on.

The thing about these gruesome images is that they are not the core focus of the story, so children probably might not notice these images, unless some children like looking at various images closely.

Overall, “The Beast of Monsieur Racine” is a truly wonderful book about true friendship that both children and adults will enjoy! I would recommend this book to children ages seven and up because let us face it, smaller children might be frightened by the various images of people getting their limbs cut off and if I was a parent, I might be a bit hesitant in showing smaller children this book because of those gruesome images, but it does depend on the child if they like the book or not.

Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an incredibly bizarre tale. I read about it in the book Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever by Mem Fox and when she said that the book inspired her daughter to learn more about France, I was intrigued.

The story is entertaining, but very odd. The illustrations are rather detailed, but what's with all the blood and gore and zombies??

I liked the setting and I was sure to point out the particularly French aspects of the story. But it's just such a weird tale... We enjoyed reading it together, but I hate to admit that our girls enjoyed picking out the 'zombies' more.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Monsieur Racine's pears disappear from his tree, he decides to catch the creature that stole them. What he finds has him, and the world, very puzzled.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really weird story with interesting details. Basically Mr. Rancine grows prize-winning pears but won't share them with anyone else. He finds out that someone is stealing his pears out of the garden and so sets a trap for them and discovers the beast. He becomes good friends with her and studies her and says he's discovered a new creature, so that the Academy of Sciences in Paris invite him there to show her off. She goes there and causes this huge hubbub when it is revealed that the "beast" is really two kids dressed up in animal skins and floppy clothes. Everyone is outraged and does "things unmentionable", but Mr. Rancine takes it as the joke it is and says friends with the kids. The author/illustrator frames each illustration and puts in little details around the frame. The weird part, aside from the beast, is all the gruesome details like a guy walking around with a chopped off foot, another with an umbrella stuck in his head and another man with a chunk of his head missing. I'd never heard of this book until our teacher introduced it to us, but I enjoyed reading it.

[Loraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monsieur Racine wakes up one day to find his precious pear tree looted of all the award‐winning fruit. When he discovers that the culprit is a funny‐looking beast, his anger gives way to curiosity and two become friends. But the beast is not quite what it seems, eventually it comes apart–literally to show itself to be no beast at all, but the two playful children from next door, covered with skins and rags.

This is a delightful picture book story that my 4 year old grandson just loved. He's really into monsters right now, so this was perfect. He also loved the surprise ending. Ungerer's pictures pull the reader right into the story. The plot is simple and engaging and has a great moral. Children can realize through this story that never choose your friends based on what they look like or whether they seem different and that kindness goes a long way. I'm sure my grandson will want to hear this book again and again before it is due back at the library.

Recommend for children who like Maurice Sendak and Stephen Kellogg.

[Sem · Rating 5 out of 5]

As some reviewers have remarked, at times unfavourably, there is stealth gruesomeness in many of the illustrations. They're all the better for it. The adult me appreciates their subversive and mischievous nature, but the child me would have loved them as well. The more there is to discover in illustrations, the more satisfying they are, even if the discovery is a severed foot in a hankie.

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe my Tomi Ungerer exploration is winding to an end- these just haven't really appealed to me like the artwork would suggest. The stories are just kind of... there. (I know, best book review ever.)

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is profoundly unsettling and rather brilliant. Recommended for adults who like weird picture books and sharing with intrepid readers ages 7-10 who would do well with conversation starters like "can you find the severed foot?"

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a grat story well told--of making judgements and being oh so wrong

[Guilherme Semionato · Rating 4 out of 5]

DELICIOUS!

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an odd little story. It is about a man, who befriends a “beast” who is stealing pears from his tree. Not only does he befriend the beast but convinces the beast to be shown to the science of animal groups, where no one can believe this wonderous new creature. This book is historically banned for violence, and for not being age appropriate. I find that odd. It’s a picture book, for picture book age ranges. To this reader, the oddest thing about this book, is that anyone for a second could be fooled into thinking the beast was anything besides what it was. I would have thought the book to be banned for showing characters too dumb or uneducated enough not to know what the best was. But no, a man mad that people are stealing from him is too violent. All the banners have done, is make sure people to like me continue to read and talk about this book, whenever book banning comes up.

[Vivien Sewell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel this is a great picture book for an audience that appreciates quirky and unusual stories. Rich language, an unpredictable ending. I wonder if this book could be used to teach how we wish something were true, and what lengths we go to convince ourselves? How easily we can be deceived when we are vulnerable.

[Pammi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this book!
The illustrations kept me on each page for ages; searching for one more funny thing!
Cyclops woman up a lamppost, a fake leg coming off.
The illustrations are deliciously violent.
I wish I had found this book when I was a kid.
I can't wait to read it to my kids!!!!

[Óscar Trobo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una història aparentment convencional d’un home solitari que es fa amic de la bèstia que li roba les peres del jardí, Però Ungerer no té fre. Les escenes de multituds tumultuoses són esborrajadament divertides. Una petita obra mestra.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a bit baffling for me. I thought it was a nice story but it was so very strange at the same time. There are many lessons for kids to take away - like how to treat a friend and how practical jokes sometimes take an unexpected turn. But, it was a most curious and surprising plot.

[Little · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. Part of me wishes that the beast stays a beast, but oh well. Slightly too sophisticated for my almost 3-year old. Probably better for someone who is 5 years or more.

[Bloom · Rating 4 out of 5]

El final no me l'esperava, i això m'ha agradat. Simple però xulo

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weird little book. Can't even explain why I sort of liked it. Maybe because it resonates as a book from a long-ago generation of children's books.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This picture book is so weird. Macabre drawings, prized pears, and a developing friendship. Fun.

[emyrose8 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weird, but good. And an unexpected ending.

[Jari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grappig.

[Catapimba · Rating 5 out of 5]

A grande descoberta - Global

[Chris Browning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ha ha here was I thinking this was going to be a riff on the Doubtful Guests when suddenly… very funny indeed, although I feel sorry for that poor bunny that the fox goes off with

[Heidi Burkhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit odd, but also humorous.

[Hamed Manoochehri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Underwhelming

[Miriam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very funny, especially on the train station.

[kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

wish I had gotten my hands on a physical copy to see the pictures, but this was a great one

[Jeroen Schwartz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nederlandse vertaling uit 1973.

[talia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extraordinarily bizarre and quite fun.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I created a special shelf: "Weird" just for this book. The story is pretty straightforward. Monsieur Racine discovers a beast eating the pears from his tree, tames it with treats, and makes it his companion. But wait a minute, what do we have here? A recurring bloody axe, drippy messes on almost every page, a hobo carrying a sack that seems to be holding a severed human foot? The author's name subtly trailing out of the frame on the cover? Part Edward Gorey and part Maurice Sendak (to whom it's dedicated), these illustrations are absurd, mysterious, grotesque, and intriguing. Perfect for the right sort of kid.