The Yark loves children – with the love of a gourmand! This hairy monster dreams of child buffets – ham of boy, orphan gratin, schoolchild purée, breaded babies, girl rillettes. But he has a problem: his delicate stomach can only tolerate the flesh of nice children; liars give him heartburn, savages spoil his teeth. There are not nearly enough good, edible children around to keep him from starvation. Then the Yark finds delicious, sweet Madeleine. Will he gobble her up? Or will she survive long enough to change his life?