There's a Monster in Your Book

PreS-Gr 1—A monster has invaded this book! He looks innocent enough, and yet he is already tearing it apart. That is where readers come in. The goal is to dislodge the little critter by following the instructions and shaking the book, tickling the monster's feet, blowing on him, tilting the pages, and spinning the book around. The monster rolls and reels around each spread in an adorable "dance," before disappearing altogether. Or at least he would have, if not for the giggle-worthy twist at the end. All the instructions are simple enough for a toddler to participate in, however, some pages ask readers to perform an action "and turn the page." Young readers can also depend on visual cues for clarity, such as the font used for action words, and a single motion line that reveals the results of the actions. The monster, with his blue fur and striped T-shirt, is always easy to spot against the grainy white, yellow, and red backgrounds, which mimic the look of book paper.