#491 - The Monster Who Could Not Climb a Tree

by Tanya Majmudar and illustrated by Rajiv Eipe

“The Monster Who Could Not Climb a Tree” by Tanya Majmudar and illustrated by Rajiv Eipe. Published by Kalpavriksh. An endearing story of little Avi who has to battle a monster who seems to take control over him whenever he gets angry.

Avi is a delightful boy like any other child of his age. He loves to play Kabaddi with his friends in their neighbourhood. Mrs Khambata is a kind lady who lets Avi and his friends play in her compound and indulges them with snacks. Avi has a terrible secret hidden inside him. He has never mentioned about it to anyone and hopes that no one ever gets to know of it. One day Avi’s friends cheat him in a game of Kabaddi which leads to an argument. A fight starts building up and the children are shooed away just in time by Mrs Khambata. Avi is thankful for her timely intervention as everyone would have known about his secret if she hadn’t come. A monster lived within him and woke up whenever he got angry.

On reaching home Avi gets another shock. Changes are being planned in his room. His favourite swing has been removed to make space for three year old Neha who had just been adopted by his parents. The monster was stirring within Avi and was threatening to come out. Suddenly he found that he was unable to control himself. He screamed at his parents that Neha was not his sister and there was no need to bring her to their home. He ran out of the house to a Borsali tree in the neighbourhood. Climbing up the tree seemed to be the only way to escape from his monster. For reasons unknown to him, it could not climb the tree. What happens next? Can Avi do something about this monster? Why does it trouble him? Can his parents be of any help? Read the thought provoking book to find out more about the monster and how Avi deals with it.

Having come across the book in the short list for VoW (Valley of Words) Book Awards 2023, I picked up the book on our first visit to the new Funky Rainbow bookstore. The delightful book had me and my nine year old engrossed as we read it. My son was eager to know how Avi would handle his monster. He felt bad for Avi who ended up saying things which he didn’t mean to when he got angry and lost control of his tongue. It was heartening to see Avi find solace in an old tree which was home to many creatures. It seemed to embrace him giving respite from the monster. The topic is so relatable for both children and parents. Controlling anger by identifying triggers and ways of handling them is something that most of us struggle with many a times. What seems like a big issue can sometimes have simple enough solutions if we take a pause and think. This book is a great means to have meaningful conversations about why we get angry and how we can manage our emotions in such times with children after reading. We also get to see how nature can play a healing role in our lives and prove to be a source of joy and calmness. The accompanying illustrations are a visual treat and make the story come alive.

Recommended Age

The book is apt for children aged 7/8 and above.

Where to buy from?

The publishers Kalpavriksh here.