FICTION

Beware the Monster

by Michaël ESCOFFIER
tr. from French by Paula Ayer. illus. by Amandine Piu. 40p. Annick. Apr. 2018. Tr $18.95. ISBN 9781773210223.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 1—Warning: this book contains a child-eating monster! Packed with anticipation and amusement, this detail-rich picture book warns readers at each page turn to beware the monster. As the narrator humorously cautions children, the colorful sketchy illustrations show the monster quickly gobbling up all of the apples on the trees, followed by the leaves, the trees themselves, and even the grazing cows! Once there is nothing left but white space on the page, the monster eyes readers. Right before the monster can get any closer, he lets out an enormous burp, and returns all of his previously devoured meals back to the page in a comical arrangement. The result is a playful mash-up of Mo Willems's That is Not a Good Idea and Lucille Colandro's "There Was an Old Lady" series.
VERDICT With plenty of read-aloud appeal, this picture book is an engaging choice for a silly storytime. Recommended for purchase where young children clamor for "scary" material.
Reviewed by Brianne Colombo, Fairfield Free Public Library, NJ , Apr 01, 2018

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