MONSTERS DON'T CRY

Little Archie is very brave, but could it really be true that he never cries?

A bad dream awakens orange monster Archie in the middle of the night (his teddy bear has exactly the same frightened expression on its face), but he doesn't cry. He just snuggles into bed between Daddy and Mummy. When his toy boat springs a leak, when he's chased by a goat, when he falls off his swing, and even when he eats too much birthday cake, the story is the same: "Monsters may roar, may growl or just sigh, / But monsters are strong, monsters don't cry!" Archie also gets stuck in a tree, lost in a maze, scared by a bee during a picnic and dizzy after riding his tricycle in circles, and still there are no tears. But when his hug causes Teddy's head to come off, Archie's brave front crumbles, and the tears come. Luckily, Mummy and Daddy are right there to fix things. "Monsters may roar, may growl or just sigh, / But monsters need love if ever they cry." McKee's verse is accessible, and his repeated refrain properly catchy. Burfoot's pictures, in watercolor and colored pencils, are eye-poppingly bright and full of funny touches; Teddy is depicted in every adventure as Archie's Mini-Me, probably the book’s strongest feature.

Cute, but fuzzy in its message, and not memorable.