Storytime Classic: Go Away, Big Green Monster!

Storytime Classic:  Go Away, Big Green Monster!, written and illustrated by Ed Emberley

Every once in a while I will profile a book that is a surefire winner for me in storytime.  And Emberley's great, interactive, colorful book deserves to kick this series off.  This is one of those classics that has children yelling "Again! Again!" when you finish.  I have read this book a kazillion times (yes, a kazillion times) to a kazillion different groups and it has never failed to impress me with its ability to win over a crowd.  The children tremble with excitement as the monster becomes assembled--each page turn introduces a new part of the monster's face (big red mouth, scraggly purple hair, and not to mention that long bluish-greenish nose).  I have the kids count the sharp white teeth!  Then with joy they yell "Go Away!" to each dastardly facial feature.  Thanks to the book's brilliant design, a flip of the page makes that facial feature magically disappear.  When the monster goes away, the kids shout "AND DON'T COME BACK!" followed by the ultimate kid power moment, "Until I say so."  This book rocks.