Munschworks 4: The Fourth Munsch Treasury

Dosi Cotroneo is a freelance writer living in Manotick, Ontario.

Three of the five stories in Munschworks 4 are classic Munsch. In “50
Below Zero,” a young boy cannot get to sleep thanks to his
sleepwalking father. In “The Boy in the Drawer,” a little girl must
deal with a troublemaking boy who lives out of a drawer and delights in
leaving a trail of messes for her to clean up. In “Moira’s
Birthday,” Moira drives her parents crazy with her idea of inviting
the entire school to her birthday party. All three stories are in the
usual wild and crazy Munsch and Martchenko style, with great
illustrations and a hilarious text.

Co-authored by Saoussan Askar, “From Far Away” is the touching tale
of a young child who is forced by the ravages of war to emigrate from
her homeland to Canada. Saoussan and her family must adjust to a new
school, new language, and new faces. With the support of a wonderful
teacher she will never forget, the little girl gradually adjusts to her
new life.

“Millicent and the Wind” is a beautiful tale about a young girl who
lives on a mountaintop. With no other children to play with, Millicent
soon discovers a new friend—the wind. When Millicent and her mother
leave on a three-day walk to the village, the wind searches all over the
world for her. The village children tease Millicent when they learn that
her only friend is the wind. Suddenly the wind shows up and scares the
children away. When Millicent returns home, she asks the wind to bring
her a friend, and sure enough, the wind delivers.

Appealing to readers of all ages, Munschworks 4 is highly recommended.