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GABE AND GOON

Name: GABE AND GOON
Author: Iza Trapani
ISBN: 978-1-58089-640-5

by Iza Trapani ; illustrated by Iza Trapani ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 5, 2016

A familiar message, but also a crucial and timely one, charmingly presented

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Could the sleeping child and the monster in the closet possibly become best friends?

Unlike most children, young Gabe is not scared of monsters, a nice coincidence, since a big purple monster named Goon lives in the little white boy’s bedroom closet. Goon, however, is scared of children. He finds them “odd and kooky,” even “absolutely spooky.” Gabe happens to have a cold, and when Goon hears him sneezing and blowing his nose, the sneeze booms like thunder, and the honk sounds like a terrifying tuba. Goon’s knees knock, and he makes the hangers in the closet clatter. So Gabe discovers Goon, who promptly bolts from the closet and hides under the bed. Goon tries to scare Gabe, but the more gruesome the face he makes, the harder Gabe laughs. Goon tries stomping and doing his zombie walk, but neither move shakes the giggles out of Gabe. The tables are turned when a spider walks by, and Gabe hides in the closet. In the same instant, the pair realizes that they’re not so different and become the best of friends. Since it’s bedtime, the new besties share a nice scary story about monsters before lights out. The Muppet-like Goon is both goofy and adorable, and Trapani’s rhyming text bounces blithely along.

A familiar message, but also a crucial and timely one, charmingly presented . (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: July 5, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-58089-640-5

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Charlesbridge

Review Posted Online: April 12, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
BORN INSIDE A NEST SO SMALL
by Iza Trapani ; illustrated by Iza Trapani

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VOLE AND TROLL
by Iza Trapani ; illustrated by Iza Trapani

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OLD MACDONALD HAD A…ZOO?
by Iza Trapani ; illustrated by Iza Trapani

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I AM A SPICY NUGGET

by Loryn Brantz ; illustrated by Loryn Brantz ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 8, 2026

An instructive tale about big feelings, lightened up by a furious kid’s theatrics.

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An angry child attempts to calm down.

A kid with paper-white skin, clad in a blue dress and striped tights, makes an absurd request: “Can we get a pet penguin, name it Marshmallow, and feed it carrots?” Mom, off-stage, says simply, “Not today,” and the tot transforms into a rather odd creature: a spicy nugget! The nugget is imperfectly ovoid in form, with red rosy cheeks, rage-filled dot-eyes, and a spiraling black-hole mouth. The sight gag works beautifully: When one feels truly angry, all poise disappears, leaving only a flailing ball of rage. Our protagonist hurls a teddy bear, unsuccessfully tries out a list of calming methods, and finally retreats to bed, where “I can feel my breathing; I know that I am safe.” The youngster reverts back to human form, and Mom arrives with kind words: “You are not your big feelings. You are not your angry thoughts.” The takeaway is unmistakable, especially at the story’s conclusion: It’s OK to get mad and important to practice coping strategies. The young narrator expresses emotion with fabulous vigor, though the story’s lilting rhyme scheme occasionally distracts from these outbursts with cuteness. Nonetheless, this increasingly enraged nugget-child is irresistible; anyone who’s grappled with overwhelming emotions will relate—in a word, everyone.

An instructive tale about big feelings, lightened up by a furious kid’s theatrics. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2026

ISBN: 9798217042142

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Viking

Review Posted Online: May 18, 2026

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
NOW THAT YOU'RE HERE
by Loryn Brantz ; illustrated by Loryn Brantz

- BOOK REVIEW
FOR YOUR SMILE
by Loryn Brantz ; illustrated by Loryn Brantz

- BOOK REVIEW
IT HAD TO BE YOU
by Loryn Brantz ; illustrated by Loryn Brantz

- SEEN & HEARD
Brooklyn Readies for 2026 Book Festival

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IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.

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A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.

Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)