Overview and Outcomes:

In this five-stage Story Sapling, practitioners begin by setting up a Discovery Point where children find explorer items, such as a saucepan, lid and spoon, and consider what they might pack for a trip and a note that invites children to join in with finding the monster. They then write tags for their chosen items. Children are drawn into the world of the story through discovery, role-play and interactive reading. As the Story Sapling progresses, children gather descriptive language to create wanted posters for the monster, make maps of their own adventure routes and add simple positional phrases. Children then notice and create signs to guide others safely around a school or outdoor monster hunt. Finally, after reading to the end of the text, children create breakfast menus and host a shared breakfast, drawing together the themes of journey, imagination, bravery and care.

Synopsis of Text:

Join two intrepid adventurers as their imaginations transform their house into a wild wonderland - and their big brother becomes a mighty monster. A joy to read-aloud with its cumulative refrain, and full of funny, relatable characters, this is a contemporary celebration of creativity, fantasy and family. Written by bestselling author of Noughts & Crosses, Malorie Blackman, this story was originally published as Marty Monster. This new version has been stunningly brought to life by the award-winning illustrator of Look Up!, Dapo Adeola.

Text Rationale:

In We’re Going to Find the Monster, two young adventurers turn familiar home and garden spaces into oceans, mountains, forests and lakes as they set off to find their big brother, the monster. The cumulative structure, bold refrain and richly descriptive language invite children to join in, perform, move, predict and retell. Malorie Blackman, former Children’s Laureate, writes with the clarity, pace and playfulness that make this text especially suited to the EYFS and Dapo Adeola’s expressive illustrations centre a Black family in a joyful, everyday story, offering warm representation, including subtle yet distinct representation of vitiligo.

Links and Themes:

Outside inside, wild things, lost & found

Date written: June 2026