A playful nod to difficult mornings.
A group of impish monsters frustrates a child’s morning routine.
Bartholomew enjoys the monsters that visit nightly—the book opens with a nod to Maurice Sendak as the monsters dance with Bartholomew in a “wild rumpus”—but they are making things difficult in the mornings. The black-and-white illustration on the book’s title page captures the source of the chaos: One monster swallows Bartholomew’s alarm clock. Now in Technicolor, the monsters linger in Bartholomew’s home until morning and intensify the mischief during the child’s morning routine, disrupting tooth-brushing, shoe-tying, breakfast, and even urinating (one monster scares Bartholomew at the toilet, which results in a yellow puddle on the bathroom floor). The wide-eyed monsters, depicted in bright, saturated colors and with rounded shapes, are goofy and fun-loving, never truly frightening. Two of the most meddlesome (small enough to wreak havoc by hiding in toothpaste tubes) are merely fluffy orange and yellow balls of fluff on legs. When Bartholomew breaks down in defeat and tears, Dad saves the day with composure: “Let’s sort you out, Bartholomew.” It can be hard for any child to get going in the mornings, whether the monsters are real or imagined, but when a trusted caregiver can step in to redirect, tears turn to smiles (even if one miniature monster hides in Bartholomew’s backpack, hinting at more mayhem to come). Bartholomew and Dad are depicted with light skin and straight, black hair.
A playful nod to difficult mornings. (Picture book. 4-9)Pub Date: Aug. 3, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-908714-84-8
Page Count: 28
Publisher: Cicada Books
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2021
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
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)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Disconcerting and possibly deadly dealings are afoot; certain to charm younger fans of the macabre.
In the latest installment of the delightfully disturbing chapter-book series, the mundane once more takes on supernatural qualities, this time in the form of veggies.
With this follow-up to Troubling Tonsils! (2025), our host, Jasper Rabbit, once more channels Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling. As Jasper narrates, we meet our heroes: fourth graders Thaddeus Badger and Oliver Possum, who love nothing more than eating junk food, particularly the hamburgers at Hurt-A-Burger (a mildly brilliant corporate name on the author’s part). When Oliver’s parents trick the two into a dinner of salads at their favorite fast-food joint, Thaddeus feels betrayed, but Oliver experiences something a little more dire. Soon after, Oliver starts acting strangely, and his parents begin behaving even more oddly. What’s going on? And does it have anything to do with the full moon? Tone is the true star of the show in this series; the mystery unspools thanks to the buildup of unnerving moments. Reynolds combines suspense with a keen ability to artistically frame both sunny innocent sequences and those rich with dark foreboding. Notably, this is no morality tale about eating your vegetables—this tale is fully on the side of its child readers. Brown’s black-and-white images, punctuated with eerie pops of green, heighten both horrifying and comedic moments.
Disconcerting and possibly deadly dealings are afoot; certain to charm younger fans of the macabre. (Chapter book. 6-9)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9781665961110
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2025
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