Grade K–3Humor & Imagination

The Underwearwolf

Written by Gideon Sterer

Illustrated by Zac Retz

When the moon is full and the night is dark, something terrifying lurks — something that howls, something that prowls, something that absolutely cannot stop thinking about underwear. The Underwearwolf is a hilariously absurd monster story that turns the classic werewolf tale on its head, delivering big laughs, wild illustrations, and a monster kids will want to meet again and again.

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From the Library Director

This one is pure, unhinged fun — and kids absolutely lose it. Gideon Sterer has a gift for absurdist comedy that lands perfectly with the K–3 crowd, and Zac Retz's illustrations are gloriously over-the-top. It's a wonderful book for reluctant readers because it's genuinely, laugh-out-loud funny from the first page. It also opens up great conversations about what makes something funny, how authors use surprise and wordplay, and what makes a monster story work. A perfect Halloween read-aloud, but honestly too good to save for just one month.

Big Idea

Humor is a superpower — a great silly story can make anyone laugh, and laughter is one of the best things books can do.

Discussion Questions

1
What makes the Underwearwolf funny? What did you expect from a monster story, and what surprised you?
2
The author takes something scary (a werewolf) and makes it silly. Why do you think that's funny? Can you think of other scary things that could be made funny?
3
What is the Underwearwolf's big problem? How does the story build up to it?
4
How do the illustrations add to the humor? Find a page where the picture made you laugh — what made it funny?
5
The author uses wordplay and silly language. Can you find an example? Why do you think funny words make a story more enjoyable?
6
If you were going to invent your own silly monster, what would it be obsessed with? What would its name be?
7
Do you think the Underwearwolf is really scary? Why or why not? What makes a monster scary vs. funny?
8
What is your favorite funny book? What makes it funny — is it the words, the pictures, the characters, or something else?

Activity: Invent Your Own Silly Monster

Students channel their inner Gideon Sterer by inventing an original absurd monster — practicing creative writing, descriptive language, and the craft of comedy.

1
Brainstorm a list of ordinary, everyday things — socks, sandwiches, pencils, bubble wrap, staplers. Now pick one. That's your monster's obsession. What would a monster who is COMPLETELY fixated on that thing be called? (Example: The Sockula, The Pencilbeast, The Staplerghoul.)
2
Write a short description of your monster: What does it look like? What does it do when the moon is full? What is its one ridiculous weakness or obsession? Use big, dramatic, over-the-top language — just like the book does.
3
Draw your monster in action — caught in the middle of its most embarrassing or ridiculous moment. Make it as funny as possible. Think about what Zac Retz does with expression, movement, and detail.
4
Share your monster with the class. Vote on: Funniest Name, Silliest Obsession, and Best Illustration. Discuss: What made the funniest ones work? What comedy techniques did you use?

Standards Connections

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4 — Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.4 — Describe how words and phrases supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3 — Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.5 — Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
Craft and Structure — Author's purpose: understanding how authors use humor, surprise, and wordplay to engage readers and create specific effects.
Creative Writing — Generating original ideas, developing character and voice, and using descriptive language to create comic effect.