I Want My Own Monster

by Susan Sundwall

Only Teena’s eyes and nose poked out of the covers. She waited, and waited, and waited. Not a peep came from under the bed. What was taking so long?

“This isn’t working!” She threw back the covers and bounced to the floor.

“Okay, Mack,” she said, disgusted. “You tried. Come on out!”

Two eyes appeared from under the dust ruffle, one green and one yellow.

“Aww, Teena, I’m sorry,” said Mack, the shy monster of Sam, her little brother. “I couldn’t think of a good Boo.”  He dragged himself from under the bed.

“Go back to Sam,” Teena said. “He’s almost asleep, so control your tail!”

Mack slunk out, leaving a trail of purple sparkle dust. The space under the bed would be empty tonight–again. All her friends at school had exciting monster stories to share. Teena did not.

The next day she talked to her friend, Jane. “You look tired,” said Teena.

“Yeah, Clyde, the blabber mouth monster, kept me awake.”

Teena smiled. “You could use a break. Can I borrow him tonight?”

“Sure,” said Jane, “eight o’clock okay?”

That night Teena poked her nose over the covers. It was already 8:15, but so far no Clyde. Her eyes were drooping when she heard a slight rustle at the open window.

“Oooff, this window is tight,” said a voice. “Okay, heads in…Oops! Shoulders gotta go sideways.”

Teena sat up. “Oh, great,” she mumbled, “a monster who talks to himself.” Throwing back the covers she called, “Need help?”

“Ahhhh!” cried the monster.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you,” she said. “You must be Clyde.”

“Yeah…hey ya wanna gimme me a hand here? This shoulder ain’t co-operatin’.”

Teena sighed, and Clyde was relieved when she suggested he go back home.

“I hate sleepovers,” he confessed.

Next Teena tried Doofus, her cousin Lucy’s monster. His idea of scary was loud burping and a horrible stink.

“What have you been eating?” asked Teena.

“Uh…leftover cat food?”

“Out, out, OUT!!” she yelled.

The next morning Teena thumped the breakfast table so hard her juice glass slithered sideways. “I’m sick of loaners! I want my own monster,” she grumbled. The result of her fury was the following list of exact monster qualifications:

Teena’s Monster

1).   Color: yellow.

2).   NO BURPING!

3).   No fighting with Mack

4).   Leave the cat food alone!

5).   Lots of good BOOS.

“Why, I should have thought of this before,” she said. Teena taped the list to her closet door. Surely there was a monster somewhere who wanted the job…

About the Story

Will Teena ever find her perfect monster or will she become lost in a cloud of monster burps?!

You can read the full version of “I Want My Own Monster” and 29 other fantastic read-aloud stories inside Nerissa’s Celebration – Volume 3 in our Story-A-Day Literacy Initiative. The book is a collection of 30 stories (one for each day!) that promotes early childhood literacy through daily reading.

About the Collection

Nerissa’s Celebration is the 3rd volume in our Story-a-Day Initiative: a Literacy Program that drives progress through fun, compelling and affordable stories each and every day of the month.  This collection includes stories about roly-poly fat cats and super-duper-staticy cats, dancing bears and piggy princesses, a boy with lead boots and kids who actually want monsters under their beds! And of course, there are dragons and a whole lot of other adventurous and exciting things hiding inside.

Buy the book here:  Physical Copy  |  Kindle version

About the Story-A-Day Literacy Initiative

Reading to your child every single day from birth is the single-m0st important thing a parent can do to ensure that child’s success in school and in life.

The knowonder! Story-A-Day Literacy initiative supports those parents who have made that commitment by giving them a new story every single day, by making it accessible, and by keeping it affordable.

Click here to learn more.