monsters

Review: Mo’s Mustache by Ben Clanton

| Tasha

mos mustache

Mo’s Mustache by Ben Clanton

Mo just got a brand new mustache in the mail!  But when he shows it to all of his friends, they all get their own mustaches and soon it isn’t special anymore.  So Mo decides to wear a striped scarf instead and leave his mustache off.  Then all of his friends get scarves too.  Mo loses it and shouts at his friends, demanding to know why they are copying him.  Everybody explains to him that he has a great sense of style, so they like to imitate him.  Mo had never thought of it like that.  So he sets up a fashion show where everyone can show off their own sense of style.  And you will never guess what Mo wears to the party!

Clanton’s writing is brisk and brightly funny.  He uses dialogue from the various monsters to tell much of the story and each one has an impressively different voice and tone from the others.  It all makes this book a treat to share aloud.  It is also a book that celebrates being yourself and having your own personal style. 

The art is modern and zany.  Mo himself has a star on the end of his tail, other monsters are furry, still others are tiny with just one eye.  They are all clearly individuals from the start and so it is a treat to see how they all use the new accessory in their own unique way. 

Clever, smart and full of zest, this book will have you picking out your favorite mustache and scarf too.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Henry’s Hand by Ross MacDonald

| Tasha

henrys hand

Henry’s Hand by Ross MacDonald

Get ready for a perfect non-Halloween Halloween book!  Henry is a monster who often loses bits and pieces of himself.  So every morning he goes through a little rhyme to make sure that all of his pieces are there.  Henry’s right hand was his favorite body part.  They played games together and traveled everywhere together.  Then Henry got lazy and started using his right hand to do all of the chores that he didn’t want to do himself.  Hand got more and more upset until finally, he just left.  Hand was off to the big city on his own and Henry was left behind, knowing that it was all his fault.  But how do you apologize to someone who has already left?  And how do you know they are OK and not hurt?  Henry had to figure out not only how to live without his right hand, but how to get him back.

MacDonald has written a wonderfully original book that is unafraid of being wildly wacky.  Behind that wild premise though is a book with plenty of heart.  It is a story of real friendship, the loss of a best friend, and finding a way back to reunite.  MacDonald has a nice feel for pacing and drama, peppering his book with plenty of action. 

This is a book set in a world that has a vintage feel about it, the city is filled with early century vehicles and technology.   Henry himself is an homage to the monsters of that time, yet he is also completely friendly and nonthreatening. 

Add this to your Halloween reads, monster story times, and units on body parts and friendship.  It is sure to come in handy!  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Abrams Books for Young Readers.

Review: Monster on the Hill by Rob Harrell

| Tasha

monster on the hill

Monster on the Hill by Rob Harrell

In 1860s England, each little town has its own monster that terrorizes its population.  And they love it!  In fact, there is money to be made if your town has a popular monster.  It brings in tourism and you can sell merchandise too.  However, the monster at Stoker-on-Avon was not a popular monster.  He barely left his cave anymore, sulking on the hill above the town.  Rayburn was one depressed monster.  It is up to Dr. Charles Wilkie, an inventor whose workshop was shut down by the town and who is willing to do almost anything to get it back, and Timothy, a street urchin who snuck along, to get Rayburn back in fighting spirit again.  This graphic novel is packed with new friends, old pals, big battles, and amazing monsters. 

Harrell took this graphic novel quickly out of any stereotypical themes very quickly by having the populations appreciate their monsters so thoroughly.  The mix of delight and monsters is great fun, adding a real unexpected twist to the story.  Rayburn is a wonderful character with a gloomy perspective that plays nicely off of the enthusiasm of the human characters.

Harrell’s art is filled with color and dynamic movement.  He brilliantly captures monster battles and is equally successful at creating friendship bonds between characters.  The art welcomes children to enter the world of the book, where they will find a great mashup of modern art and humor with a historical fantasy setting.

Fun, vivid and filled with action, this graphic novel will prove popular in every library.  Appropriate for ages 8-12.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: The Day Louis Got Eaten by John Fardell

| Tasha

day louis got eaten

The Day Louis Got Eaten by John Fardell

When Louis and his big sister, Sarah, were out in the woods, Louis got eaten by a Gulper.  Sarah didn’t panic, she got something she thought she might need and rode after them.  But just as she had almost caught them, the Gulper was eaten by a Grabular.  Sarah continued to follow but just as she almost reached the Grabular, it was eaten by an Undersnatch.  The Undersnatch was eaten by a Spiney-backed Guzzler.  The Guzzler was eaten by a Yumper.  Sarah approached the Yumper as it slept, but how in the world was she going to save Louis? 

Fardell delights in the ridiculous here and young audiences will too.  The series of monsters that feast on one another makes for a very silly read, each monster more strange than the last and larger too.  Sarah is a wonderful heroine and really the main character of the book.  As she chases the monsters, she slowly converts her bicycle into a new and amazing contraption that can paddle on water, run underwater, zoom with the wind, or even walk on stick legs.  She’s not only resourceful but she remains calm too. 

Fardell’s illustrations are detailed and wonderful.  He makes each monster unique and intriguing.  The illustrations are done in pen and ink and watercolor.  Fardell manages to get such detail in his illustrations that it’s a real surprise when the monsters appear against such a realistic background.  At the same time, the detail doesn’t remove any of the playfulness.  It just makes the illustrations all the more fun to linger with.

An ideal read-aloud, this book is one of those that you can use to settle wiggly kids.  They won’t be able to resist the storyline, the monsters, and a great ending.  Appropriate for ages 3-6.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Bedtime for Monsters by Ed Vere

| Tasha

bedtime for monsters

Bedtime for Monsters by Ed Vere

Do you think that if monsters really exist that there might be a monster out there licking his lips and thinking about YOU?  And what if that monster is coming to find you?  Riding his bicycle through a dark forest on his way?  What if he is thinking about what you might taste like with ketchup as he wades through the gloopy swamp?  What if he thinks about you on toast while tiptoeing through thorns?  He’s getting closer and closer… you aren’t scared are you?  Are you?

Filled with great noises and ways to get little hearts pitter-patting, this book is an impressive read aloud.  Vere paces the book just like a traditional campfire tale, it’s the build up that makes the entire thing work along with the fact that this monster is headed for you! 

Vere’s silly artwork provides a lightening effect that will get kids giggling despite the tension of the story.  There are also softening hints throughout like the teddy bear, the bicycle with a bell, and even the pink toenails that make this monster more friendly than frightening.

Pair this one with A Dark, Dark Tale by Ruth Brown for some sinister stories that end well.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: The Monsters’ Monster by Patrick McDonnell

| Tasha

monsters monster

The Monsters’ Monster by Patrick McDonnell

Grouch, Grump and Gloom ‘n’ Doom just knew they were the biggest monsters around.  After all, they lived in a big castle on top of a tall mountain that overlooked a little village.  And to top it off, their favorite word to use was “NO!”  When the three little monsters got into an argument about who was the biggest and baddest monster of all, they decided to settle it.  They built their own huge monster, who came to life after a jolt of electricity.  But this big, big monster may not be exactly who they were expecting.  A great pick for Halloween tales, this is a playful and silly take on monsters.

McDonnell has created three very cross little monsters who would not scare anyone.  Yes, they are loud, grumpy and constantly arguing, but they are not frightening thanks to their small size.  Then to trump that, he has also written a large monster who could be quite frightening with a personality that will surprise.  It makes for a delight of a book.  McDonnell’s writing is perfect for reading aloud, setting the right pace and tone to make it a wild rumpus of a read.

His art is equally fun, sometimes giving full-page spreads, but also intermingling smaller illustrations filled with movement and zing.  The blotches of ink on those pages add to the hustle and bustle of the tone.  The art is playful and filled with humor.  It will work best shared with smaller groups, since so much of the fun is in the illustrations.

Get your hands on this one for Halloween reads, it’s sure to be a favorite and asked for again and again.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: The Mother of Monsters by Fran Parnell

| Tasha

mother of monsters

The Mother of Monsters: A Story from South Africa by Fran Parnell, illustrated by Sophie Fatus

This second in a series of monster tales features a story from South Africa retold for young readers.  It is the story of Ntombi, the mischievous and brave daughter of the chief, who is determined to see the dangerous Ilulange River with her own eyes.  Her father allows her the trip to the river as long as she takes the other girls along with her.  When they finally reached the legendary river, the girls are disappointed.  Instead of danger, they have found a river that looks perfect for swimming.  Leaving their clothes on the bank, the girls splash in the water.  Then they discover that their clothes are missing.  It could have been the Mother of Monsters who took them!  One-by-one the girls pled with the monster to return their things, and the monster does.  But Ntombi is not willing to beg for her clothing, so the monster swallows her whole.  But that is not the end of the story!  You must read this book to find out how Ntombi survives the Mother of Monsters.

Parnell has broken the story into chapters, making it all the more pleasant for beginning readers who can take the story a bite at a time.  The chapters are short and filled with action.  The star of the book, Ntombi, is both brave and foolish, often at the same time.  Throughout the story, she learns about humility but also about love.  The book is clearly from another culture, which makes it all the more interesting to read.

Filled with bright colors, the paintings by Fatus have an intriguing folk quality to them.  The scenes of the girls without clothing are handled with skillfully placed leaves, hands and flowers.  The illustrations have humor to them, which makes the book very playful, something that is welcome with a monster devouring people.

A welcome addition to folktales, this is a story I had never heard before and really enjoyed.  Appropriate for ages 6-8.

Reviewed from copy received from Barefoot Books.

Review: Larf by Ashley Spires

| Tasha

larf

Larf by Ashley Spires

Larf is a sasquatch who is left entirely alone because no one believes he exists.  He’s pretty sure that he’s the only sasquatch in the world, since he has never met another one.  He lives a very quiet life in the woods, alone with his pet bunny, Eric.  So when Larf hears that a sasquatch is to appear in the nearby city of Hunderfitz, he is astounded.  After all, he wasn’t planning an appearance.  Larf then realizes that he might not be the only sasquatch in the world.  Larf disguises himself as a human and heads off to the city by bus.  But when he gets there, he finds that the sasquatch is actually a guy in a costume.  The give-away was the zipper and the small feet.  Never fear though, Larf is in for one more big surprise.

Spires has written a picture book that is clever, full of little touches that add to the humor, and a delight to read.  As with all of her books, this one reads aloud beautifully, thanks to her light touch in the writing and the pleasure of the pacing.   The setting is firmly modern, but Larf’s life is rustic and warm, with the added touch of his vegetarian lifestyle.

The illustrations with their friendly depiction of a big, hairy sasquatch are also filled with fun.  They too carry small touches that add to the fun.  I love the disguise that Larf wears to the city, particularly the front bunny carrier that he has on. 

Perfect for a not-scary-at-all monster story time, this book is a big-hearted, enormous success.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Kids Can Press.

Review: The Monster Returns by Peter McCarty

| Tasha

monster returns

The Monster Returns by Peter McCarty

This sequel to Jeremy Draws a Monster continues the story of Jeremy, who is continuing to draw up in his room alone.  Then he got a note from his monster saying that he should draw a compass and a telescope and look out the window.  When he looked through the telescope, he saw his monster!  The monster immediately called on the phone and announced he was bored and headed over to Jeremy’s house.  Jeremy had to think quickly.  He invited all of the children playing outside up to his room, gave them each a fancy pen, and had them each draw their own monsters.  When Jeremy’s monster arrived, he was met with a big SURPRISE!

McCarty turns this book into one about making friends, whether through inviting them over to play or by creating them.  It is also a book about creativity where the act of creation is also one of making friends and connections. 

The delicate lines of McCarty’s illustrations add up to bright colors and plenty of fun.  The mix of the human characters done in one style and the single-color monsters done in a different style make for a clever and memorable combination. 

A stylish and fun book about friends, creativity and monsters.  This will have children drawing their own monsters, so make sure to provide plenty of fancy pens and paper.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Henry Holt and Company.