Three Monsters

Two monsters react in a deplorably recognisable and unwelcoming way when a strange third monster arrives in their idyll by the sea. The alien says that his homeland was destroyed by an earthquake, and he needs a place to live - and he offers to make himself useful to them if the two monsters let him stay. Having originally told him to go, they rethink, and make him do lots of necessary land clearing that they had been too lazy to do themselves. Once he has done it, the horrible pair do tell him to go, and then watch in amazement as he dances back to his boat. The clever stranger has built himself his own personal little island with the earth and plants they told him to clear away.

David McKee (1935 - 2022) was the creator of well-known characters including King Rollo, Mr Benn and Elmer the Patchwork Elephant, which is now published in more than 60 languages and has its own successful global merchandise programme. David was born in Devon and went to Plymouth Art College, where he had a traditional training. On leaving college he drew regularly for Punch, Reader’s Digest, and The Times Educational Supplement. His drawings were influenced especially by Saul Steinberg and Andre Francois. In 2020, David won the British Book Awards Illustrator of the Year Award and BookTrust’s Lifetime Achievement Award.