FOR FAMILIES READING BEAST FEAST BY EMMA YARLETT
Keep the Feast Going!
You've got the book! Here are a few easy ways to keep talking, creating, and reading together. Everything here is free, and no sign-up is needed.
This page goes with the copies of Beast Feast given to local schools by Mind Over Matter Kids and Thomas More University students during Saints Serve.
Meet Emma Yarlett
Emma Yarlett wrote and illustrated Beast Feast. In this short video, she remembers reading with her family every night, and copying the pictures in her favorite books to learn how to draw.
"Emma Yarlett on the Role Books Played in Childhood" (1½ minutes). Video by Kane Miller Books, Beast Feast's U.S. publisher.
Try what Emma did! Draw your favorite beast from the book, or invent a brand-new one.
Let's Talk About It
Pick one or two questions at bedtime, in the car, or over a snack. There are no wrong answers.
What was the funniest part?
What changed Beast's mind?
How was Beast different at the end?
What makes someone a good friend?
If you could write Beast a letter, what would you say?
Grown-up tip: Share your own answers too. Kids love hearing what you think.
Try Something Fun
Grab some paper and crayons. Pick one, or try them all!
Write Back to Beast
Beast gets lots of letters in this story. Now it's your turn! Write or draw a letter to Beast. You could give him a cooking tip, invite him over to play, or tell him about a good friend.
Just starting to write? Draw a picture and tell a grown-up the words to add.
Create Your Own Beast Feast
Make the silliest menu ever, and give every dish a name!
Appetizer: a small first bite
Main course: the big dish
Dessert: the sweet treat
Together: Choose one real snack or meal you could make or share as a family.
Invent a New Beast
Draw a brand-new beast for the feast. What's its name? What does it love to eat? Would it make a good friend?
Bonus Printable: Beast's Word Search
Walker Books, the book's UK publisher, offers a free activity sheet. The Beast word search is on page 3. In the UK, this story is now called Monster Post, so that's the name you'll see on the sheet.
For Grown-Ups: Keep Reading Aloud
Reading aloud still matters after children start reading on their own. Just a few minutes together helps with:
New words and richer language
Understanding stories and learning about the world
Hearing what smooth, expressive reading sounds like
Time to connect, laugh, and talk
Picture books like Beast Feast are perfect for this at any age. Try a different voice for every beast!
Learn more
More From Emma Yarlett
Emma Yarlett's website: the author's own site
Beast Feast at Walker Books: the book's UK publisher
Emma Yarlett at Kane Miller: the U.S. publisher, with more author videos and free coloring pages for her other books
About This Page
Copies of Beast Feast for this project were provided by Mind Over Matter Kids and prepared for local elementary schools by Thomas More University students during Saints Serve, the university's annual day of service.
This free family resource was created to go with the gifted book. Beast Feast and its characters are the work of author-illustrator Emma Yarlett, published by Walker Books (UK) and Kane Miller (U.S.). This page is not affiliated with or endorsed by the author or her publishers. The doodles on this page are original artwork, not illustrations from the book. The videos and printable are linked from the publishers' own websites.