The Chocolate Monster; Pip Jones, illustrated by Laura Hughes

Watch out, watch out, there’s a chocolate thief about. He’s eight feet high, has huge hands and feet, and he has a bulbous twitching nose. Now, I know what you’re thinking…this chocolate thief does sound remarkably like the Gruffalo. Well let me tell you a little bit more. He has purple fur with streaks of pink, carries a small satchel and he goes by the name The Chunk. And The Chunk will stop at nothing to get his hands on those chocolatey treats.

The Chocolate Monster is a riotous adventure that follows The Chunk on his chocolate thieving antics. The Chunk is quite the master criminal when it comes to stealing the chocolate as he is yet to be caught and even has the bravado to blame other people for his crimes - merrily placing sweet wrappers in mummy’s bag and smearing chocolate all over children’s faces! Like many a child, The Chunk will do just about anything to get his hands on anything closely resembling chocolate. He will steal from adults, children, the fridge, a birthday party, even the Queen. Nothing and no-one comes between The Chunk and chocolate.

Told in rhyming prose, the book makes for a great read-a-loud and young readers will be laughing their heads off at The Chunk’s mischievous behaviour. The pages are alive with colour and are packed full with lots of little details. Readers will love spotting the different disguises that The Chunk uses to commit his crimes.

A sweet read of a book that is sure to be gobbled up by all the other the chocolate-loving children out there. Just make sure that The Chunk doesn’t get to your chocolate first.

Recommended for 5+.