I get this question in my DMs at least once a week. It usually starts with a screenshot from a collector's shelf, a blurry image of a beautiful, hefty-looking book set sitting behind a row of LABUBU figures. "What is this? Where do I get it?"
That, my friends, is the holy grail for many LABUBU fans: the labubu book.
Properly known as The Monsters Trilogy, this isn't just some coffee table accessory. It's the origin story. It's the bible. It's the beautiful, frustratingly rare collection of artwork that started it all, created by the master himself, Kasing Lung. Before the blind boxes, before the POP MART hype, there was this book. And honestly? It's one of the most misunderstood and over-hyped items in the entire designer toy scene.
Let's get into it. Because if you're thinking of dropping hundreds of dollars on one, you need to know what you're actually buying.
*The Genesis: What Exactly is The Monsters Book*?Long before LABUBU became a global sensation, Kasing Lung was a celebrated children's book illustrator from Hong Kong, living in Belgium. His style was already there, whimsical, slightly melancholic, and filled with fantastical creatures. The Monsters series by Kasing Lung wasn't born from a marketing meeting; it was born from his sketchbooks.
In 2015, Kasing partnered with the Hong Kong-based art toy producer How2work to publish The Monsters Trilogy. This was it. The big bang. The set consists of three individual hardcover books nestled in a beautiful slipcase:
1. "My-Home": The first book. 2. "Stru-ggle": The second. 3. "Friend-ship": The third.
Together, they form a wordless narrative. It's a pure labubu picture book, telling the story of these little creatures through Kasing's stunning, detailed illustrations. You see the world they inhabit, their emotions, their adventures. You see LABUBU, Tycoco, Spooky, and Pato before they were vinyl figures. This is their lore. This is the labubu storybook that established the entire universe.
The original release was for art lovers and fans of Kasing's illustration work. It wasn't a mass-market product. It was a piece of art in itself. And for a while, it was just that, a beautiful, niche art book.
Then LABUBU exploded. And this book went from being a cool piece of memorabilia to an almost mythical artifact.
The Great Divide: The 2015 Original vs. The POP MART Reprint
Here's the part that most new collectors don't know, and it's where you can get burned if you're not careful. There isn't just one version of The Monsters Trilogy labubu book. There are two main editions, and they are not created equal.
The OG 2015 How2work Edition: This is the true first edition. The collector's dream. I was lucky enough to hold one from a friend's collection, and the quality is immediately obvious. The slipcase has a textured, matte finish that feels premium. The paper inside is thick, with a slight tooth to it that makes the colors feel rich and deep. The printing is immaculate. On the back, it clearly says "Published by How2work."
This is the version that commands the highest prices on the aftermarket. It's heavier. It feels substantial. It's a genuine art book. Finding a mint condition copy of this today is incredibly difficult. Most have been opened, read, and loved.
The POP MART Reprint Edition: A few years ago, as LABUBU's popularity with POP MART went stratospheric, a reprint of the book appeared. This version was primarily sold in mainland China. From a distance, it looks identical. The same art, the same three-book format, the same slipcase.
But when you get it in your hands, you can feel the difference.
I managed to snag one of these for the shop, mostly out of curiosity. The slipcase is a bit smoother, lacking that distinct texture of the original. The paper inside is noticeably thinner and glossier. It's not bad paper, mind you, it's perfectly fine, but it lacks the heft and tactile feel of the 2015 version. The colors, to my eye, seem a tiny bit brighter, maybe a little less nuanced than the original printing. It feels more like a mass-produced book and less like a limited-edition art piece.
Does it matter? To a casual fan just wanting to see the art, probably not. The story is the same. But to a serious collector, the difference is night and day. The problem is, many resellers don't differentiate. They'll list a POP MART reprint with a price that suggests it's the 2015 original, and a new buyer would never know the difference. Always ask for photos of the publisher information on the back if you're about to spend big money.
Real Talk: The Insane Price and Why I Don't Recommend Buying It
Okay, let's talk numbers. This is where it gets crazy.
I don't know the exact original retail price of the 2015 set, but based on similar art books from that time, it was likely in the $60-$80 USD range.
Today? Hold onto your wallet.
I consistently see the POP MART reprint sell for $250 to $400. For the original 2015 How2work edition in good condition, prices start around $500 and can easily climb to $700 or more. I saw a sealed, pristine 2015 edition listed in a private collector group for over $1,000. It's wild. The search term "kasing lung the monsters book buy" has become a direct path to sticker shock.
So, here's my honest take as a seller and a collector.
For 98% of you, do not buy this book.
I'm serious. The FOMO is real, but you have to be practical. For the price of one monster book labubu**, you could buy: * Two or three full cases of a new LABUBU blind box series. * A highly sought-after secret/chase figure, like the elusive grape from the fruit series. * Several figures from an older, rare series like the first Macarons. I've written about the Macaron hype and its market realities before, and even those prices can seem tame by comparison.
The book is beautiful. It's a piece of history. But it is a static object. The joy of LABUBU for most of us is in the collecting, the unboxing, the trading, and the community. You get so much more of that experience by investing that money into the toys themselves. The hype around the book is a classic case of scarcity driving desire. It's the ultimate flex for a collector, but it's not the core of the hobby.
Who should buy it? 1. The Kasing Lung Art Completist: If you collect Kasing's work beyond the toys, his prints, his other books, his original paintings, then yes, The Monsters Trilogy is an essential piece for your library. 2. The Deep-Pocketed LABUBU Historian: If you have the disposable income and you want to own every piece of the LABUBU story, then go for it. It is, without a doubt, the definitive origin artifact. 3. The Investor (with a warning): Some people buy it as an investment. And yes, the price has only gone up. But the designer toy market is volatile. The LABUBU fever could cool, and the value could stagnate or drop. It's a risky bet.
You Don't Need the Book to Love The Monsters
Here's the good news. You absolutely do not need to own or even read this labubu book series to understand and appreciate the world of The Monsters.
Kasing Lung is a master storyteller, and he tells stories through the figures themselves. Each blind box series is a new chapter. The "Have a Seat" series explores their playful downtime. The "Big into Energy" series shows their adventurous side. Even the crossover with One Piece tells a story of them cosplaying as their heroes. The lore is alive and evolving with every single release.
You can learn everything you need to know about these characters just by looking at them. Their little smirks, their mischievous eyes, the accessories they come with. That's the magic. The book is the prologue, but the story is happening right now, in the palm of your hand every time you unbox a new figure. If you're new to this world, a much better starting point is just learning about the characters and figures themselves; our ultimate guide to LABUBU dolls is a great place to start that journey.
So, the next time you see that gorgeous the monsters trilogy labubu on a shelf and feel that pang of collector's envy, take a breath. Appreciate it for what it is: a beautiful, rare piece of art history. But don't feel like you're missing out on the "real" experience if you don't own it. The real experience is the joy these little vinyl monsters bring us.
And you can get a whole lot of that joy for the price of one very, very expensive book. If you're looking to start or grow your monster family, you can always browse our LABUBU collection and find a character that speaks to you. That's a story you can actually hold.
Disclosure: PopNya may earn a commission if you purchase through links on this page.
