When Love Monster returns home from his vacation, feeling a little down about his adventures being over, he discovers a box of chocolates waiting for him on his front step, and becomes quite excited. Monsters, as everyone know, love chocolate! After wrestling with his conscience - should he share this largesse with his friends, or keep it all to himself? - Love Monster opts for generosity, thereby discovering just how beloved he is...

The third picture-book to feature this endearing and slightly hairy resident of Cutesville, following upon Love Monster and Love Monster and the Perfect Present, Love Monster and the Last Chocolate highlights the idea that we benefit as much from our own generosity as the ostensible recipients of that generosity. Our titular hero was as endearing as ever here - personally, I do identify with a somewhat scruffy individual who loves chocolates! - and the artwork, created via a process called solar etching, just as cute as in previous installments of Love Monster's story. I was a little confused to see Love Monster being depicted as so popular with the more cuddly residents of his hometown, as I thought the whole point of the first story was that he had no friends and needed to look elsewhere for companionship, but perhaps we are meant to think that his relationship with his special lady friend - who is sadly absent in this installment of the series - has opened him up to other friendships? Whatever the case may be, this is one I would recommend to anyone who enjoyed the first two Love Monster books, as well as to anyone looking for children's stories about generosity and friendship. ( )