While the book may prove a frustrating search-and-find experience for little ones, youngsters will enjoy the familiar...
Friendly monsters play a game of hide-and-seek with readers among the landmarks of New York City.
On each double-page spread, readers are invited to search for the critters and take in the sights of the city. A gray, amoeba-shaped varmint sits camouflaged against the sea lions’ rocks of the Central Park Zoo; googly-eyed creatures ensconce themselves between Manhattan towers; a speckled, neck-tie–wearing monster spooks ice skaters at Rockefeller Center. In every scene, a one-eyed, red beastie wielding a telescope indicates how many monsters there are to find, usually six to eight. While this critter is not to be counted, its presence may confuse literal toddlers, who may use it in their enumerations. Some of the creatures are quite difficult to find even for grown-ups, particularly the monsters who look like people and a hellion shaped like the flame of the Statue of Liberty’s torch. Many of the landmarks are highly identifiable, and the city scenes are surprisingly authentic despite the presence of the friendly fiends. The minimal text, nestled in the opposite corner from the counting prompt, labels the sights and shares a little more about the monstrous visitors. The companion titles in the City Monsters series, Chicago Monsters and San Francisco Monsters, follow the same format.
While the book may prove a frustrating search-and-find experience for little ones, youngsters will enjoy the familiar scenes, whether they be residents or recent visitors. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: May 16, 2017
ISBN: 978-2-924734-02-5
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Chouette
Review Posted Online: April 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017
A spooky house tour, unafraid to redefine what board books are capable of achieving.
Preschoolers, get ready for your first official ghost story.
“There is nobody in this house. There used to be somebody. But there is nobody now.” But is that true? As readers turn the pages of this board book, they pass through an array of rooms. In one, a ghost stands clearly to one side, the unseen narrator pointedly making no mention of it. As the narrative progressives, the ghost continues to peep from within (revealed through cleverly placed die-cuts), never acknowledged, always watching. The effect is both amusing and unnerving—in other words, classic Klassen. For some youngsters, the narrator’s refusal to mention the ghost will be a source of humor (and a chance to yell at the book). For others, it will be just the right amount of creepy, perhaps causing some to question whether a ghost truly is “nobody” at all. To set the mood, Klassen relies heavily on color; the first few rooms are brightly lit in the sun’s rays, but the home grows dimmer as readers proceed. Treating the book itself as a physical location begging to be explored (it’s even shaped like a house), Klassen extends the format beyond its usual limitations, allowing a short story of surprising depth to emerge.
A spooky house tour, unafraid to redefine what board books are capable of achieving. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 14, 2026
ISBN: 9781536248289
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Feb. 16, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2026
A bit of geometry and a bit of physiology add up to monstrous fun.
What do monsters of various shapes eat? Why, food of various shapes, of course!
Quirky red monsters with toothy mouths and made up of different shapes invite readers to figure out what they love to eat. Each left-hand page depicts a plate holding an assortment of food in different shapes set on a cheery checked tablecloth. Each right-hand page depicts a differently shaped monster. Children will soon figure out each monster has a preference for food of a matching shape. They can check their answers by lifting the flap on the monster’s tummy. The correct food items are shown inside the monsters’ stomachs with intestines going off into their nether parts. The usual suspects make an appearance: square, circle, triangle, and rectangle. But there is also a semicircle, a crescent, an oval, and even a heart-shaped monster. What differentiates this book from other shape books comes at the end. If children don’t know it already, they will soon find out that what goes in must also come out. “Yikes! Where is the Sausage Monster running in such a hurry?” As the Sausage Monster sits on the toilet, children can lift the flap on the side of the fixture to reveal—yes! Sausage-shaped poop.
A bit of geometry and a bit of physiology add up to monstrous fun. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: May 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-988-8341-40-5
Page Count: 22
Publisher: minedition
Review Posted Online: April 16, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017
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