Product Description

Meet Marlon the monster as he finds an inventive way to deal with a difficult situation. Endearing and funny, Marlon faces situations every child will recognize, and approaches them in a humorous and inventive way.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #414961 in Books
• Published on: 2003-09-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
All For One continues the adventures of award-winning writer and illustrator Jill Murphy's endearing creation, Marlon the monster, first seen in The Last Noo Noo. In this story, Marlon is now slightly older and is faced with the problem of how to amuse himself, having exhausted all the appeal of creating intergalactic battles with his long-suffering mum's furniture. "I wish I had someone to play with" complains Marlon, and goes off in search of companions Alligatina, Boomps-a-daisy and Basher.

He finds the friends dressed as the three Musketeers, but they're reluctant to let him join in their fun—"We'll think about it" being their refrain. Marlon persuades his mum and grumpy Granny to help him put together a dressing-up costume, but finds that his monster friends keep changing their game and he's still excluded! However, the tables are turned when Marlon's luxurious paddling pool appears in his back garden.

Murphy depicts in an instantly recognisable way the rivalries and complications of childhood friendships, interspersed with Marlon's granny's humorously dour observations. Although all the characters are (distinctly un-scary) monsters, Murphy's highly detailed illustrations capture very human mannerisms and behaviour. Marlon's creative approach to occupying himself will also inspire young readers with ideas for "make-believe" games of their own. (Ages four to seven.) --Alison Drury

Customer Reviews

For when children feel "left out" teaches them to be themselves.
Featuring Marlon from The Last Noo Noo (another classic Jill Murphy)in this whimsical tale his friends won't let him join in with their games, everytime he runs home to change into a pirate, or spaceman, or musketeer they change the rules and say they are playing something different now. Eventually Marlon gives up trying to be part of the crowd and invents his own game and once the other monsters see it of course they are then asking him if they can join in. "I'll think about it" he says. A lovely book to share with a child teaching them not only about friendship and not excluding other children but also that by relying on themselves and their own resources they can often turn a situation round. What I really love about both marlon books is the mother and grandmother relationship "One word from you and he does what he wants" says strict gran to soft mum - reflecting perfectly the generational tensions that sometimes come through during child rearing!