A slick, well-intentioned package that offers nothing new to the dispelling-monsters genre, though it may be of some use in...
Can a magic monster patch make the monsters go away?
“There once was a boy with a monster problem.” Monsters lurk, waiting for him to bed down—hiding under the bed, in the closet, in the laundry, under the rug, and even in the fishbowl. He is so scared he can’t fall asleep. “He was afraid of monsters with zillions of eyes watching him, monsters with zillions of hands grabbing him, / and monsters with cavity-filled teeth gobbling him up.” This little boy is so afraid of so many monsters (exhaustively enumerated) that his parents give him “a magic monster patch to put on his pajamas” that makes him invisible to monsters. It works, of course, and the monsters grow bored and leave to find a more susceptible kid. The protagonist shares the badge with a friend, who shares it with another friend, and now—the protagonist points straight out of the book, like Uncle Sam—it’s the reader’s, included with the book. (A downloadable patch will also be available on the publisher’s website.) Chouteau’s picture book teaches its lesson with clunky, mundane prose, and, even though the monsters look more funny than scary in Even Or’s unsubtle cartoon illustrations, the catalog of hiding places and monster types may serve to scare youngsters with real fears. The narrator and his family present white; his friends are children of color.
A slick, well-intentioned package that offers nothing new to the dispelling-monsters genre, though it may be of some use in homes with persistent monster problems. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: July 9, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-316-45388-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson/Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2019
Leave this on the shelf and take the kids outside to really move.
An interactive board book promises a variety of experiences.
A book that gets kids up and moving sounds like a great idea. The half-circle cutout of the spine and large handle formed by another die cut on the right side are intriguing. Unfortunately, the rhyming instructions for using the book as an exercise prop are confusing. Even adults will find themselves puzzled when told to “paddle the floor,” or to “hang on the handles. Step over the book. / You're a turtle in its shell! Go peek out and look.” The busy pictures shift perspective according to each scenario presented but give few visual clues. For example, the only hint of a dinosaur on the page where readers are told to “put this book to your mouth and let out a roar” like a dinosaur are the teeth that line the edges of what is meant to be a gaping maw. It’s not always obvious whether the book is meant to be facing readers or turned away from them, adding another layer of confusion. Furthermore, many of the instructions run counter to how young children are typically taught to treat books, as when they are told to step on it and then waddle or to lift it with their feet. The relatively thin board pages and weak handles will soon be torn by normal handling; following the directions in the text will only hasten the destruction.
Leave this on the shelf and take the kids outside to really move. (Board book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 3, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-7611-8733-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Workman
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
Appealing and interactive, kid-friendly spooky fun.
Readers are invited to help the Boo Crew save the Monster Ball on Halloween.
Luna, Bones, and Fang—respectively, a wispy, gray-tinged ghost; a skeleton in a top hat and scarf; and a brown-skinned vampire—are the Boo Crew, working to fix disasters, from a witch’s malfunctioning broom to some smashed pumpkins, in time for the Monster Ball. Each page asks readers to assist: There are switches to push, candles to blow out, and claps of encouragement to give. After readers lend a hand, helping all the spooky creatures and getting materials fixed and ready, the Monster Ball goes on as planned. The rhyming text and interactive requests make this a worthy lapsit read-aloud. The Boo Crew are darling and kid-friendly, as are all of the illustrations. There are lots of charming details—the witch’s ride is a high-tech gadget labeled the Vroom Broom 5000; Frankenstein's monster is the proprietor of a boutique called Frank’s Frocks. The big-eyed, sweet-faced creatures are adorable, not scary; a teeny-tiny frog tucked into an eye socket makes even a skull look cute. Like Hervé Tullet’s Press Here (2010), this one encourages readers to turn the book, press buttons, and applaud. These inclusions are popular for a reason: Kids love them. This title will be no exception. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Appealing and interactive, kid-friendly spooky fun. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2023
ISBN: 9781728264561
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2023
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
