Monkey Made Dream by Tom Listul and Heather Listul Hewitt Review

We love books!  I don't know who is more excited about the Scholastic order form from school, myself or the kids.  I think books are so important to developing minds and my children enjoy writing their own books. They have so many books that I had to collect them in a box.  The good great thing is the books they read inspire them to write more.  When this month's book came up to review, I already liked the cover.  Monkey Made Dream was a large book with a shiny cover.  The size is good for my smaller daughter and the cover allows clean up in case there was a spill or messy hands on it.


The book itself is a clever little tale about a girl who wakes up her brother in the morning only to find out that he's gone and there is a monkey in his place!  She is amazed throughout the day that no one really seems to care that there is a monkey with her.   I enjoy books that rhyme because it just seems to flow well and they are more fun to read to my kids.  The book is also short enough for my seven year old to read to her sister.  The illustrations by Jenna Hildahl are colorful and inviting.  I also prefer the large pictures that cover every page.  It's a cute entertaining story that's sure to entertain your children as it did with mine!

You can even fan Monkey Made Dream on Facebook here.

About the Authors:


Tom Listul wrote this story with his daughter, Heather Listul Hewitt, when she was eight years old. A farmer from southwest Minnesota, he is also a singer/songwriter. Listul made Monkey Made Dream into a children’s song and has sang it at numerous coffee houses and children’s classrooms.

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Interview Q/A:

What inspired you to write?

Tom: I started writing just as an outlet to express myself through story telling.  Song writing is the same way for me. I enjoy telling a story that takes a person somewhere that they can relate to.

Heather: I enjoy writing as a way to escape to a different place and look at ideas in different ways. It is fun to see where a story can go.

Do you consider yourself a born writer?

Tom: Not really.  I think once you get past that I have an idea moment, that’s when the writing process kicks in.  It can be frustrating, but rewarding at the same time.  I am just glad I get ideas to work with.

Heather: No. I think everyone has some type of creativity that can be expressed in many ways. Writing is one way that I feel I can use to express creativity. However, I just graduated with my Master’s degree in August 2010, so I have not had much time to be writing recently.

Do your children inspire any of books, characters, or plots?

Tom: Yes they have.  Their personalities and their uncanny way of looking at life inspire me every day.

What is the most difficult part of writing?

Tom: Coming up with an idea for a story is the easy part.  Finishing the story is the hard part.

Heather: I think organizing thoughts and fully developing a story can be difficult.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

Tom: Just keep writing every day.

Heather: Enjoy the process!

I thank you for taking the time to share with me and my readers about being an author.

*Disclosure:  I received a complimentary copy of Monkey Made Dream.