The Colour Monster
Synopsis: A Confused Monster
The protagonist of this story is a friendly monster who has got himself into a complete muddle with his emotions. His colours are all mixed up and he can’t understand how he feels. Fortunately, he has the help of a friend who will guide him through the process of sorting his feelings, separating them into different coloured jars to identify them correctly:
- Happiness, yellow and radiant like the sun
- Sadness, blue and deep like the sea
- Anger, red and intense like fire
- Fear, black and mysterious like darkness
- Calm, green and serene like trees
And just when everything seems sorted, a new emotion appears! A pink feeling that the monster will also need to learn how to handle. This simple structure allows children to understand that emotions are a natural part of life and that recognising them is the first step towards managing them properly.
Illustrations That Speak for Themselves
Anna Llenas delights us with collage technique illustrations that are a true visual treat. The simple strokes of the monster, combined with rich textures and an explosion of primary colours, create a graphic universe perfectly adapted to a child’s perspective. Each page is a work of art that invites careful observation, where young readers can lose themselves discovering details and visually associating each colour with its corresponding emotion.
The use of colours is not accidental: yellow conveys energy and positivity, blue evokes melancholy, red represents intensity, black uncertainty, and green tranquility. This simple but effective colour code allows children to create immediate visual connections with their own emotional states.
The monster’s expressions, on the other hand, are a marvel of non-verbal communication. With minimal gestures, Anna Llenas manages to convey the full range of human emotions, making it possible for little ones to see themselves reflected in them and recognise those same feelings within themselves.
An Inexhaustible Educational Resource
Beyond being a charming story, “The Colour Monster” has become a pedagogical tool of incalculable value. Parents, educators and child psychologists use it as a starting point to discuss emotional intelligence with children, especially at pre-school age when they begin to become aware of their feelings but still lack the vocabulary to express them.
The book offers multiple possibilities for complementary activities:
- The colouring book that accompanies the main book, with 38 different situations to associate colours and emotions
- Creating personalised “emotional monsters” based on how each child feels
- Making “emotion jars” like those that appear in the book
- The popular Colour Monster song, which musically reinforces the concepts in the book
These additional resources allow for exploration of the emotional world in a playful way, adapted to different ages, turning emotional education into a fun and participatory experience. Moreover, the book serves as a starting point for deep conversations with children about how they feel and why, fostering open communication about emotions from an early age.
An Essential Work in the Children’s Library
In a time when emotional intelligence is recognised as a fundamental skill for the holistic development of individuals, “The Colour Monster” positions itself as an indispensable piece in the emotional formation of young children. Its ability to explain complex concepts in a simple, visual and accessible way makes it a perfect ally for families and educators.
The value of this book transcends its aesthetic beauty or charming narrative: it lies in its ability to build bridges of communication between adults and children on a topic as essential as emotions. Through its colourful pages, young readers find a mirror in which to see themselves reflected and a map that helps them navigate the complex universe of their feelings.
Without doubt, “The Colour Monster” deserves a place of honour in any home with young children, as an investment in their emotional well-being and in building family relationships based on communication and mutual understanding.
Ready to discover the world of emotions?
Don’t miss the opportunity to incorporate this wonderful emotional education tool into your children’s library. “The Colour Monster” is not just a book, it’s the beginning of valuable conversations, shared moments and a better understanding of feelings.
Get it today from your favourite bookshop or online platforms, and begin this colourful journey through the emotional universe with your little ones. Their minds and hearts will thank you.
