May 18, 2025: The Page Turner

Nothing is better than reading it out loud.

One of my childhood books still holds magic, and I probably read it a thousand times before sharing the experience with my own kids. They loved it, too.

This Sesame Street legend remains the best-seller in the franchise, popular for over 50 years. The fanbase inspired an app, an animated show, and special editions.

The title? The Monster at the End of This Book, featuring Grover.

What makes this book timeless is the interactive style. Young readers become participants in the tale as the main character begs them to not turn the next page.

The story became a family favorite, especially for Sam. So the night before he left for college, I grabbed our worn copy from the shelf. And just for fun, I read it to him again, milking every dramatic pause and hamming up Grover’s iconic line: “You turned the page!”

The classic stories seem to grow up with you.

Even now, a new generation of bookworms is finding their own beloved yarns. This week I learned about a publisher called 831 Stories that’s creating a frenzy among romance fans.

Their formula is clever, offering short, addictive novellas starring independent women and swoon-worthy I’m-in-love finales. Each launch offers goodies like merchandise and digital extras. Their followers have become superfans who treat each upcoming title like a VIP event.

I vote Grover should headline their next romance… if he ever stops blocking the pages.