GO TO BED, MONSTER!

Lucy, unable or unwilling to go to sleep, takes out crayons and paper and begins to draw. An oval body, square head, rectangle legs, circle eyes and several triangles form themselves into a not-so-scary and very playful green Monster. Drawing away, Lucy and her alter ego build castles, fly an airplane, march in a parade and have a stomping, jumping, grand time. Now Lucy is tired but Monster refuses to go to bed. Delaying the inevitable with all the familiar excuses of thirst, hunger, bathroom needs and storytime wishes, weary Lucy uses her artful ability to place her dreamy-eyed, sleepy Monster into a cozy bed before closing her own drowsy set and finally falling asleep. Child-like drawings and lettering done in crayon colors using oil paints and pastels accentuate the time-honored premise through Monster’s exaggeratedly droll expressions. Knowing toddlers will eagerly reach for their own box of crayons. (Picture book. 2-4)