Whatever you do, don’t turn the page.
For 55 years, Grover has pleaded, begged and gone to increasingly ridiculous lengths to keep generations of kids from discovering the monster waiting at the end of his book. Naturally, generations of kids have completely ignored him.
Published in 1971, “The Monster at the End of This Book” became one of those wonderfully simple children’s stories capable of transcending the era in which it was created. Around 15 million copies have been sold in North America alone, introducing generations of young readers to Grover’s increasingly frantic attempts to keep them from reaching the final page and discovering the rather adorable truth waiting there.
Now Sesame Workshop is celebrating the book’s 55th anniversary by bringing that adventure into just about every medium Grover probably wishes it wouldn’t.
Beginning September 7, “The Monster at the End of This Story” will debut on Netflix and YouTube. The animated special takes the basic idea generations already know and expands it for the screen, once again finding Grover doing everything possible to prevent viewers from reaching the end. Along the way, the adventure explores courage, self-acceptance and facing your fears with a little help from your friends.
Yet television is only one part of this particular trip to the end.
“The Monster at the End of This Album” will also arrive through Warner Music Group’s Arts Music, featuring songs from the special including “Afraid,” “Courage” and “Monster at the End.” Meanwhile, kids can become considerably more active participants in frustrating poor Grover through “Monster at the End of This Obby,” a new Roblox experience inside “Sesame Street Neighborhood Adventures.”
The game has players helping Grover navigate increasingly silly obstacles as he once again desperately attempts to stop everyone from reaching the end. Considering how well that strategy has worked for him since 1971, we suspect things probably aren’t going according to plan.
The anniversary is also bringing the idea back to where everything started: books.
Random House Children’s Books is releasing “The Cookie at the End of This Book,” a new Big Golden Book written by “Sesame Street” head writer Halcyon Person. This time Cookie Monster takes center stage as he races through the pages in search of the treat he is convinced is waiting for him at the end. Earlier this year, Chronicle Books also released “Momster at the End of This Book,” featuring Grover, Elmo, Cookie Monster, Abby Cadabby and the moms of “Sesame Street.”
Grover’s original adventure will continue across social media with a digital retelling of the story, clips, memes and new content featuring the live-action character. A special YouTube playlist will also include celebrity read-alongs featuring Hailee Steinfeld, Lil Nas X, Jason Sudeikis, Ciara, Stephen and Ayesha Curry, among others.
Naturally, something that has endured for 55 years is also getting plenty of ways to leave the page entirely. Anniversary products include plush from GUND, apparel and accessories from Out of Print, hats from Super Retro, clothing from Bentex and RSVLTS, along with a newly recorded two-card Yoto audio pack arriving September 10.
It is an impressively large celebration for a story built around an incredibly simple idea. Yet perhaps that simplicity is exactly why “The Monster at the End of This Book” has endured for more than half a century.
Kids are curious. Tell them there is something waiting on the final page, then repeatedly insist they absolutely cannot see it, and suddenly turning that page becomes irresistible. Beneath all the jokes, however, Grover’s adventure also offers something reassuring: sometimes the scary thing waiting ahead isn’t nearly as frightening as we imagined.
Fifty-five years later, kids are still turning those pages, and Grover is apparently no better at stopping them.
Sorry, Grover.