MONSTER BABY

A little monster becomes a big sibling when the titular baby arrives.

The first-person text details a monster-child’s ambivalence about its mother’s pregnancy. Playful, cheery, mixed-media–and-collage illustrations depict a humanlike existence for this family, though not all characters are fully clothed: the protagonist wears no clothing, and the father wears only a shirt collar, for example; the latter’s gender is indicated by an absence of eyelashes, a convention that continues through the book. When the baby finally does arrive, the family dog accompanies the little monster to visit him and Mommy in the hospital. Ultimately, the status of the characters as monsters simply ends up adding visual interest to an otherwise conventional story. There are no major instances of jealousy when the baby comes home, though the narrator admits, “I feel a bit left out” and then adds that the dog does, too. The book’s conclusion shows the new big sibling delighting in the baby and wanting to “share EVERYTHING” with him.

While this book doesn’t offer a new treatment of this well-trod theme, it’s a gentle addition to a high-demand topic.