In time-honoured fashion, Billy asks 'Why' in the simplest way and thereby changes the whole history of monster-hood. Billy is pleased to be going to Monster School, but when he is confronted by his scary teacher, a witch who cackles and is going to teach the little monsters tricks and potions, he says: 'Why do we learn to be nasty, and to scare all the people away. Wouldn't it be better to have fun, be helpful, make friends and play?' The teacher is flummoxed. She has never been asked that before. Her only answer is to go to Mr Frightful, another teacher and ask him. He doesn't know the answer either, and on they go through the different classes until there is nothing for it but to visit the headmaster - the 'scariest creature'. He turns out to be an amiable character, who immediately sees Billy's point, and monster school changes forever. The great point of this is not that there are no monsters, but that the ones that exist are pleasant, playful characters and nothing to be frightened of. The other general and very important point is that friends should be friendly and not try to scare or be bad tempered: 'Why would anyone want to learn about being mean, scary and snappy. When if we're all nice, make friends and play, then everyone will be happy.' The ghosts and ghouls and monsters are all wonderfully colourful and fun and children will enjoy the rhymes and busy pictures.