Big Scary Monster, a square of blue hair with large hands and googly eyes, lives on a mountaintop. He knows he’s the largest, scariest creature around. He likes to hide, and when the little animals who live around him least expect it, he leaps out to holler BOO! Soon the little animals learn to hide, and BSM gets bored without anyone to scare. He spies more little creatures down in the valley, but something strange happens on his way down: The rocks and plants get larger the farther he goes. In the valley, the animals are huge! When he least expects it, the boulder he’s hiding behind (a rabbit) turns to holler BOO! He returns home scared, sad and lonely...thank goodness, the little creatures know just what a bummed-out BSM needs. Brit Docherty, shortlisted for the Greenaway Medal last year, offers this traditional turnabout tale with added monster silliness. The cartoon watercolor-and-ink illustrations never approach scary. Best read to younger, less-questioning, more-elastic minds; older audiences will wonder just what gives with the odd shift in perspective. (Picture book. 2-4)
Pub Date: July 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4787-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Templar/Candlewick
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2010
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A spooky house tour, unafraid to redefine what board books are capable of achieving.
Preschoolers, get ready for your first official ghost story.
“There is nobody in this house. There used to be somebody. But there is nobody now.” But is that true? As readers turn the pages of this board book, they pass through an array of rooms. In one, a ghost stands clearly to one side, the unseen narrator pointedly making no mention of it. As the narrative progressives, the ghost continues to peep from within (revealed through cleverly placed die-cuts), never acknowledged, always watching. The effect is both amusing and unnerving—in other words, classic Klassen. For some youngsters, the narrator’s refusal to mention the ghost will be a source of humor (and a chance to yell at the book). For others, it will be just the right amount of creepy, perhaps causing some to question whether a ghost truly is “nobody” at all. To set the mood, Klassen relies heavily on color; the first few rooms are brightly lit in the sun’s rays, but the home grows dimmer as readers proceed. Treating the book itself as a physical location begging to be explored (it’s even shaped like a house), Klassen extends the format beyond its usual limitations, allowing a short story of surprising depth to emerge.
A spooky house tour, unafraid to redefine what board books are capable of achieving. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 14, 2026
ISBN: 9781536248289
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Feb. 16, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2026
Treacle drips from every page. Find self-esteem elsewhere.
The voice of an omniscient narrator, who may or may not be a caregiver, speaks directly to an unhappy child with an invitation to a very special place.
The child follows directions to the beautiful title isle “just across the bay.” Ferried across by a toy elephant in a sailboat, the child is given an enthusiastic welcome by more adorable animals and some other children. The little one swims in a waterfall, rides a giant eagle, relaxes in a hammock, and happily engages with some of the other children. Several of the activities are stereotypically girl-associated, and the other children appear to be girls with varying skin tones and hair textures; the little protagonist has light skin and a brown pageboy and is only suggested as female. After elaborate entertainments and a sweet feast, the child is assured that “someone loves you very, very, very much” before being borne safely home. Deep purple, bright pastel pink, and yellow watercolors dominate the color palette, creating a magical, otherworldly atmosphere. But it is also somewhat creepy as well. The Isle of You exists only for the protagonist’s happiness, even the other children there, who appear to have no existence in the real world. Apparently intended to build self-esteem and comfort, it seems to encourage self-centeredness instead, as does the ending play on the pronunciation of the title words.
Treacle drips from every page. Find self-esteem elsewhere. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: Dec. 11, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9116-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Sept. 16, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2018
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