A CHILD’S GUIDE TO COMMON HOUSEHOLD MONSTERS

Yup—it’s another book about a little girl making friends with the monsters who inhabit her house. One’s under the bed, of course. Another’s in the closet, as usual. Like the cellar and attic monsters, these two are more cute and colorful than scary. The rhyming text flows smoothly as it follows the girl and her cat from room to room, enumerating the monsters’ quirks and explaining why each chooses to live in a certain spot . . . each is hiding from another monster in or under the house. Attractive double-page spreads, several of which require rotating the book to view it vertically, appear to be executed in oil pastels. The varying perspectives and unusual angles help to freshen this take on a perennially popular topic, but some readers may still wonder whether the world needs yet another monster story. The answer, of course, depends on the listeners. Many of them will likely enjoy this mild adventure once, but few are likely to demand repeated readings. Don’t worry, though; there’s bound to be another like it coming out soon. Fun but forgettable. (Picture book. 3-6)