Milo's monster by Tom Percival

When a new girl moves into the big house across the road, the strong friendship between Milo and Jay fractures. Milo calls to see Jay only to find he is with the new girl, Suzi. He hears them laughing together. When he goes to the playground they are there together playing. Sometime he hears them laughing in the big old garden around her house. He becomes jealous of the new friendship and resents being left out. He is envious that she has a new friendship with Jay.

A green-eyed monster turns up and gives him negative thoughts. These thoughts are irrepressible and take over his life. He spies on his friends, walks away when they appear and feels terrible. 

But one day Suzi tells him that Jay is unhappy and asks him why he does not join them. He realises that the green-eyed monster has taken over his life and he works to suppress it. The more he works at repressing the jealousy monster the smaller it becomes. And finally the three are friends with Milo acknowledging his poor behaviour. 

Another in the fine series, Big Bright Feelings, Percival taps into the feelings of younger readers, exposing their fears and concerns with a deft hand. His stories get to the nitty gritty of the problem, and supported with wonderfully apt illustrations, offer solutions which are simple, straightforward, and achievable. 

His books offer a template for discussion and debate within the classroom or home. Others in the series are listed inside the back cover and include several which touch on mental health.

Themes: Jealousy, Envy, Friendship.

Fran Knight