Review Detail

‘The Mother of Monsters’ by Fran Parnell, illustrated by Sophie Fatus, tells the story of Ntombi, the chief's daughter. She lives her life without fear, doing what she likes when she likes. However, her father, the chief, wants her to be married. As she tries to cross adventures off of her list of things to do before settling down with a husband, she comes across the Mother of Monsters. It all happens as a result of her wanting to visit the Ilulange River, where the Mother of Monsters lives.

While the Mother of Monsters likes the taste of humans, she'll even climb out of the water to get her hands on some. People find it hard to escape her clutches when she sets her sights on them. Sobabili, a young hunter, decides to try to take on the monster when his children and cattle go missing, and he finds that they have been taken by the monster. When he catches up to where she is, he also finds the rest of the people, including Ntombi. This prompts new adventures, as their affection for each other grows.

This tale from South Africa has nice illustrations and includes simple vocabulary and an engaging story to keep readers invested in what happens next.