Monster Nanny

September 1, 2017
Magical nannies, pig nannies, mixed-up nannies--sure...but monster nannies? Halley, Koby, and Mimi's mother has won a spa trip to Lapland. Dad (or Invisible Voice, as the kids call him, since he's always traveling for work) won't be home to care for the kids. A nanny has been promised as part of the package; when it arrives, the white family is surprised. It's a huge, half-human, hairy, dirty, dust-covered monster. It seems nice enough, though. Mom goes on her trip, and the monster installs itself in the tiny hall closet. Halley brings home a book from the library about monsters, and the trio researches the uncommunicative caregiver. Seems monsters eat no meat and can be trained to understand humans and do simple tasks. Halley, Koby, and Mimi name their monster Grah. Reading on, they discover that monsters are social creatures. Observing both that Grah seems sad and that other kids are being tended by monster nannies while their parents are in Lapland, the kids hatch a plan to get all their monster nannies to their monster home, but there are other, more inimical magical creatures afoot. Finnish author Tolonen's tale leaves many unanswered questions (why does Mimi's bathrobe talk?) and relies too heavily on the monster book for exposition. A cultural detail or two might need explaining, but this may serve as a diverting and different read-aloud. A quirky spin on a familiar trope. (Fantasy. 7-11)

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September 25, 2017
In this off-kilter fantasy from Finnish author Tolonen, Halley, Koby, and Mimi Hellman’s mother heads off to Lapland for two weeks after winning a contest. The prize includes a live-in nanny for the children, but this nanny is a monster, part of a “secret special experiment... researching new options for child care work.” Since the children’s father is expected home imminently (the siblings call him “Invisible Voice” because he travels so much), their mother reluctantly leaves them in the care of the monster, a supremely hairy and dirty creature that can’t communicate with them. Mimi’s talking bathrobe (in case nonhuman nannies weren’t unexpected enough) offers clues about the monster, and a library book comes in handy, too. But when a flying “monster mosquito” shows up and the children meet other kids who have been left with monster nannies, it becomes clear that something nefarious is going on. The upbeat tone, oddball details, and Pitkänen’s humorous b&w cartoons combine to create a strange but entertaining romp that will surprise readers at every turn. Ages 7–10.

September 15, 2017
Grades 3-5 With their mom vacationing in Lapland and their dad stranded in an airport, the three Hellman childrenHalley, 11, Koby, 9, and Mimi, 6are unprepared for the monster who is sent to be their nanny. Whatever are they to do with a monster? How will it care for them, or must they care for it? A shroud of secrecy envelopes the situation, like the cloud of gray dust emanating from the monster's fur. Add Mimi's talking blue bathrobe to the mix, and the hilarious action begins. The kids, ever resourceful, make a library run and find Runar Kalli's 80-year-old book about monsters, which proves the key to resolving their beastly situation. The first in a duology, Tuutikki's book won the Arvid Lydecken prize in Finland and will have wide appeal among young readers. Within its pages, children outsmart adults, sense the vulnerable emotions of the monsters, and come to depend upon themselves and new friends. Loose-lined ink illustrations add extra humor to this imaginative fantasy, and plentiful dialogue makes it prime for reading aloud.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)