The Big Ugly Monster and the Little Stone Rabbit

by Christopher Wormell

ONCE IN A cave, lived a horrible ugly monster. Perhaps the most horrible and ugly monster in the world. . . .

So ugly is the monster that he can turn a blue sky to snow and evaporate a pond just by dipping his toe in it. No living thing can stand to be in his presence. But the monster is not ugly on the inside; he’s just lonely. So he decides to build some friends out of stone, but even stones can’t stand the full force of the monster’s smile, and they all shatter . . . except for one.

From the innovative author-illustrator Chris Wormell comes the story of a monster whose inner beauty will touch readers of all ages.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Monsters

32 pages, Hardcover

First published February 6, 2004

About the author

Christopher Wormell is an English printmaker, principally known for his illustrated books.

Reviews

[Manny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This interesting fable is one of Sam's favorites. The monster is so ugly that no animal can bear to be near him. His breath makes grass wither. If he stands in a stream, it dries up, and if he looks at the sky it starts snowing. But inside, the monster is just scared and lonely. In desperation, he carves stone statues to keep him company.

Even stone, it turns out, is no match for his ugliness; when he opens his mouth, all the statues shatter. Except one. A little stone rabbit is left, and he becomes the monster's only friend. He never says anything, but he doesn't disintegrate either. The monster is finally happy. He gradually becomes older, until in the end he is a wrinkled, white-furred creature who can barely hobble around.

One day, the monster retreats into his cave and never comes out again. Grass and flowers return. Soon the blasted landscape is a beautiful garden. The rabbit is still where he was, though almost covered in vegetation. Occasionally people see him, and wonder: where did he come from?

I loved this story.

[Blythe Jewell · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the saddest freaking story I HAVE EVER READ. Hard to review, really. It's a beautiful story and the illustrations are wonderful, yes -- but seriously, kind of the LAST THING I want to read when I'm trying to put my four-year-old to bed.

Add this one to the list of kids' books (like the Giving Tree and that awful book about the kid who loves his mother) that will leave you feeling melancholy for days after reading them.

For the record, the 4-year-old liked the story (and was largely unmoved, emotionally) but more than anything, he was just fascinated by the fact that mommy was doing the ugly cry. Not cool.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite children books, years ago I saw a live performance of this with my daughter, was really well done.

The book itself has some lovely illustrations, they are all full page and colourful. Possibly one of the saddest children's books I've ever read, the ending is incredibly moving. Really well written whilst dealing with some difficult subject matter.

[Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is an amazing read and has great illustrations to complement the message and storytelling. The Big Ugly Monster is the ugliest, scariest creature in the world but despite this, all he desires is friendship. All the animals run away from him, all the plants around him wither and die, and nothing ever goes the monster's way. That is until he creates a stone rabbit that makes no judgement upon him, does not shatter at his look or touch, and is content to spend all its time just being with the monster. The Monster is overjoyed and forever happy to have a companion who accepts him for himself and this happiness is reiterated time and time again in both the text and images throughout the book. The story does have its stronger note in that eventually the monster gets old and passes away. It is so well portrayed however, that you are left feeling both sad that the monster has gone and leaves the stone rabbit alone but also happy that the monster enjoyed his life and was happy. Furthermore the story emphasises remembrance and the importance of someone who is no longer with us and what they leave behind to remember them by.

Teaching Point:

This book is a very good resource to use in RE and PSHE discussions; it can be used to introduce a range of issues concerning mortality, friendship, remembrance and happiness. The book is left somewhat open ended and will require explanation to children in order for them to comprehend its meaning, however it is a beautiful resource to approach the subject of mortality and I would highly recommend it to for both KS1 and KS2 in tackling the aforementioned issues.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

The more I read the negative reviews here, the more I appreciate the book. Sure, read it yourself first, if your child is very young or very sensitive. But it's poignant, not maudlin or depressing. Remember, irl everyone will die. Probably lots of people that your child knows will die before he does. Deal with it. Help them learn skills to deal with it.

(But if you're that vulnerable, whatever you do, don't pick up the masterpiece that is Michael Rosen's Sad Book.)

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A picture book that is very unusual. Check out the reviews on Amazon. People either love it or hate it. I love it. I didn't think the message was "despair and then you die". I thought the message was "you make your own happiness," which message I completely believe. Beautiful, interesting book. Go find it in the children's section of your library (unless your local librarian hates it and has had it removed).

[Mart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is a metaphor, and it is wonderful. Ugly, horrible, foul things happen in the world; things so bad that they chase away everything that is beautiful. But one day - no matter how horrendous the evil - it will slowly slip from people's minds (mostly) and life will carry on ... though there will always be reminders hidden in the undergrowth for those that care to look ...

[Jenna Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh golly this book is so sad I had a cry and my toddler had to give me a hug to make me feel better! It is a good book where there is an opportunity to discuss many difficult topics including death which we have been talking about recently as my friend's gorgeous dog sadly passed away recently.

[Hana Doran · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book introduces a big ugly monster that lives in a cave. It introduces the monster directly to the reader, giving the reader a warning before they turn the page because the monster is so ugly. This monster is supposedly so ugly that all are afraid to even go near him. Though he look
all the animal statues shatter when they see him, except for one rabbit statue. The rabbit statue and the big ugly monster become immediate "friends"; the monster does everything with the rabbit. They are true companions, until one day the monster never returns to the cave. This same day, the rabbit goes out into the new blooming spring gardens and woods that are all around him. To this day, he stays in these gardens, keeping the plants company and creating questions from passerby about where he comes from. The illustrations are very vivid and detailed. Overall, this book was good but the ending is somewhat confusing and abrupt.

[Jessica *The Lovely Books*]

My child picked this book out from the library today at school so I genuinely had no idea what the book would be about other than the fact it was about a monster.

I see the message the author is trying to portray; being able to make yourself happy. But I think everything was done in poor taste. And that ending, I'm sitting here thinking huh? And once I closed The book I thought that this was one of the most depressing children's books I've ever read!!!

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this story to begin with. It was quirky, but as a tool for teaching about friendship, I'm not so sure, as the ugly monster never finds a friend, bar ha stone rabbit. It's about loneliness and isolation and I think there is no happy ending, but then maybe that could elicit a response about how we should make the happy ending. Reminds me a bit of the film The Elephant Man, who is shunned because of he way he looks.

[Kristy Mcghee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was originally drawn to the book because of the illustrations. After reading the book it was just plain weird. It was very sad. I can see where it can be used for critically but I would use it if I had nothing else.

[Jag · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that covers different themes and makes children think. Friendship, lonely,feelings and passing away were topics the children raised to discuss themselves when reading this book. They also discussed morals and if what was happening was right or wrong. Great book for deeper thinking.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story moved me more than any other children's book I'd read for a while.
My heart broke for the beautiful (though sadly very ugly) monster and I quietly shed a tear for him as I finished the book for my daughter during her reading time. Moving.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book years ago and immediately went and bought it.

I can't even TALK about this book without cracking. With the recent tragedy, I needed to read it again today.

Sometimes you just need some beautiful sadness to break the real sadness.

I'll be crying for a few days now....

[Lakshmi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was 4 when this book was first read to me.
Good illustration, good writing, but IT WAS SO SAD!
I remember also feeling really really sad after reading this book again when I was older! It’s about an ugly, lonely monster that makes a stone rabbit for company, imagines that the rabbit is taking part and not just sitting there, and then the monster dies, alone, in a cave, and everything else in the world thrives whilst he is gone, as though his ugliness was the cause of all it’s problems.

Do not read this to your child without reading it yourself first and understanding that your kid won’t break down in tears after reading it! I found it on a bookshelf a few years back and started reading it again, and was shocked that I was read this as a child! I have also talked to my parents and they think it was not suitable for children either!

It is a good book, but the storyline is depressing. Read it yourself before buying and only read it to your child after they are old enough to understand that it’s message is disheartening: that if you’re ugly you kill everything around you and you won’t be loved.

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart was torn out reading this... I just feel like it didn’t end happy. Feels like the monster compromised his happiness but I guess he was terribly lonely before he made the rabbit. The sadness I felt for this lonely creature, who was so ugly only a stone rabbit could be near him! I wish I could give this both 1 star and 5 stars at the same time. It’s an amazing journey and the art is magnificent. I suppose 5 stars because as I cried like a little baby reading this to my two year old, she hugged me and told me it would be alright. And now I’m filled with pride that my daughter is so compassionate so young even to her cry baby mother.

[Shiva Kashi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t think this book should be read by children!
It is beautifully written and really depicts the loneliness of a misfit very well.
The ending is painfully sad! Children who identify with the sadness and loneliness of character may not feel very hopeful to see him die and be forgotten.
Children are fragile and have to depend on others for survival. They feel vulnerable and identifying with another misfit who is alone who dies and is forgotten, can be very scary and depressing for them.
I read that as an adult and I am looking at it as an adult book. I give it a five because I felt like it was similar to my own life story and it was well written.

[Rodriquez Canan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very beautiful story but so sad. I would not recommend it to children but on the other hand maybe they should know from a young age that the world does not see inner beauty and hates everything they see as ugly... also that the world will be happy when what they perceive as ugly is no more... the most ugliest thing about the book is that the author gives no solution but implies that the ugly dies alone even when they have an illusion of happiness. The story itself is well told, but it will leave anyone depressed

[Mahisa Agni · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the funnily saddest story. It's like you can feel the sadness on every single page. But, the strange is that I read it with a 10-y'o girl and we laughed out loud reading it. The big monster is not just ugly, but also silly, and he is sad and feels lonely, just like some of us ever did. And I guess that's the reason I put 5 stars for this book: our laugh. It's like that we're able to laugh talking about our own sadness.

[Josh Logue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh hi hello I am staying with some friends who have a baby, and I sat down to read and review a bunch of their baby books as a joke, and I didn't expect to read one of the best things I've read all year.

This book is The Leftovers in children's book form. I can give no higher praise than that.

I am going to actually for real buy myself a copy.

What the fuck?

I don't know. It's a good book.

[Bianca Orellana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why would this author write this? What was the purpose? To tear my heart in two? To make me tear up while reading this to my son at bedtime?

This is a beautiful story, and a very sad one. On par with The Giving Tree, I should not have read this to my son before bedtime.

[Deja Bertucci · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this book, but it's terribly sad. Not the usual happy ending picture book.

[strawberrysoymilk · Rating 5 out of 5]

bawled like there was no tomorrow even a year after reading it fr the first time wth

[HazelEyedMommy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm still trying to decide if I disliked it so much because it has a terrible message for young kids or because it literally left my son in tears... How about a story that teaches that beauty should run away from the ugly and that uglies should be alone. After reading this to my two older kiddos, my 6 yo then sat and quietly read it to himself. Next thing I know, he's in tears because no one liked the ugly monster and he was alone. And then the ugly monster dies and the stone bunny is left alone. He said he was so sad for the ugly monster and was afraid he'd be alone. He also said he didn't like the book, which has never happened before. I get the concept being portrayed and I don't mind melancholy, but it is simply not for younger kids who are not ready for the abstract, metaphorical message of the book.

[Chris Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

A monster so ugly that everything he sees either runs away or breaks to pieces is condemned to live out his days alone in a cave. He tries to carves friends out of stone to talk to, but only one, a little rabbit, does not crumble from his hideousness. He spends the rest of his life with his stone rabbit friend, eventually dying from old age. This book was so completely sad, reminding me of the volleyball Wilson in the Tom Hanks movie Cast Away. I kept waiting for the rabbit to come to life so the monster would have some real companionship, but I guess life doesn't always work out that way. I want to give this book more stars as it really moved me, but I can't imagine how I would share it with children, unless I felt like we were all in need of a good cry.

[Julie Kleehammer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just read this book to my three year old and it made me cry. I had no suspicion that this would happen. I feel like it should almost be an English text book for late high school, rather than in the children's section of the library. I don't think I've looked up reviews of children's picture book fiction prior to reading this book tonight. It's a very poignant book and makes me feel very sad for the people who feel invisible for their whole life. In saying all of that, my daughter enjoyed it and we read it again with my tears, not interrupting too much. Life isn't all beers and skittles after all.

[Jan Kjellin · Rating 5 out of 5]

En otroligt finstämd bok om den ofrivilliga ensamheten. Bra översättning av Ulrika Berg, som - även om jag inte kan jämföra med originalet - har hittat ett bra högläsningsspråk med flyt och som hjälper läsaren att med små medel skapa en fängslande lässtund.

Den skapar underlag för filosofiska diskussioner om ensamhet och rädsla och t.o.m. döden - ändå är det lättsmält och hela tiden omgivet av en postiv aura.

Jag läste den för min dotter som godnattsaga ikväll. Jag tror inte det är sista gången vi läser den eller funderar runt den...

[Penney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always loved this book but rarely got to read it because Soph hated it. Harry (2years) loves it so, happily, I now have an audience to read it to over and over. I must be very shallow for, although I got this wasn't your ordinary kid's book at the end, I've never really had to have deep and meaningfuls with Soph about it. I just loved the way the monster was SOOO ugly (like monsters should be right?- that's part of their fun!), fun of his games, sedate and thoughtful tone of the text and the majesty of the monster's surroundings. This is simply one of my favourite kids's books.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an odd and melancholy story about a lonely monster. The narrative is poignant and the illustrations evoke sympathy for the poor creature. I'm not sure exactly what to think of this tale - it's beautiful, but bizarre. We enjoyed reading this book together.