Yumi has always loved to run and play. But her body starts becoming awkward and slow, just as a strange-looking Monster appears outside her window. Is Monster the cause of her physical changes? Every day Yumi feels weaker, until she decides to go with him into the snowy woods and lose him there - then, she hopes, life will go back to normal.
As Yumi and Monster travel deeper into the woods, it becomes all too clear that both her frustrating physical changes and Monster are here to stay. She lashes out at Monster, but soon realizes that only by accepting both Monster and her new limitations can she move forward. And as much as she hates to admit it, Monster brings Yumi adventure and comradeship, from carrying her over a raging river to letting her ride on his back as they slide down a long snow-covered hill. Once she is again back at home, with a wheelchair now stationed by her bed, Yumi drifts off to sleep, murmuring to Monster, "I am only me because of you."
With stunning original art and a haunting literary voice, disability advocate Kam Redlawsk has created an unforgettable modern fairy tale that brings hope and affirmation to the narrative of a child confronting disability.