Love Monster and the Scary Something

August 1, 2016
Fears of lurking monsters can be a source of nighttime anxiety for some kids, so it’s slightly ironic that Bright’s adorably big-eyed monster, returning in his fourth picture book, is himself being kept awake by strange noises. Bright generates some real suspense during Love Monster’s dark night of the soul (“There was definitely something out there! And that something... had definitely gotten in!”), and as her hero’s imagination goes into overdrive, readers see a menacing purple fluffball with “terrible, twisterly toenails” tromping up the stairs. Reality proves to be much cuddlier: the intruder, “the tiniest, fluffiest bunny in Cutesville,” was simply scared of the dark, too. The storytelling can occasionally get a bit convoluted (“Somehow, hiding from the something outside... got harder than finding something brave inside”), but nervous readers will be reassured by the nothing-to-worry-about conclusion. Ages 2–4.

Starred review from July 15, 2016
The lovable red monster is back, this time facing something all young children will find familiar: nighttime noise fears. Even though it's "past bedtime o'clock" in Cutesville and Love Monster has gone through his bedtime routine, he's still awake, and the harder he tries to sleep, "the later and darker and spookier it got." (His clock marvelously marks off, at 12, 3, 6, and 9 respectively, "Bedtime," "Late," "Dark," and "Spooky.") He can hear the clock ticking, the wind in the leaves, the owls. But what's that rustle? It seems to move from the yard to downstairs, and the bang certainly means that it has gotten inside! Now he can hear its "terrible, twisterly toenails" on the floor, then coming up the stairs. Love Monster just can't take it anymore. "Somehow, hiding from THE SOMETHING outside...got harder than finding something brave INSIDE." A fling of the covers and a flick of the flashlight reveal another Cutesville resident who couldn't sleep and didn't want to be alone. Snuggles, conquering fears, and, finally, sleep bring the night to a close. Bright's text and her illustrations perfectly capture the terrifying, compounding fear of being alone at night, hearing an unfamiliar noise, and jumping to wild conclusions. The mostly full-page spreads play up Love Monster's fears and feelings, and Bright uses light and darkness to good effect.Yet another outing that will have readers empathizing with and maybe emulating Love Monster. (Picture book. 3-7)

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September 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 2-Popular Love Monster is back for more as he discovers his "brave-inside" by overcoming his fear of the dark. Many children will empathize with Love Monster's plight as he tries to fall asleep and the sounds around him translate into something monstrous. Bright's unique illustrations, created with a technique called solar etching, emphasize the shadows when appropriate, spilling font across the page in a rippling movement that begs to be read aloud. Onomatopoeic words highlight Love Monster's fears, and the clever use of punctuation identifies long, drawn-out pauses. Alliterative phrases like terrible, twisterly toenails trip off the tongue and add to the nimble wordplay. As Love Monster conjures increasingly horrific images from the sounds he hears, Bright presents these imaginings in vivid, bold colors until the hilarious climax. What follows are a series of smaller panels that show how fears can magnify one's reality unless one is willing to face them. VERDICT An endearing first purchase for most collections and a welcome addition to storytimes.-Rachel Zuffa, Racine Public Library, WI

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