Go to Sleep, Monty!

August 15, 2015
In this British import, a little boy named Max acquires his first pet, a large puppy named Monty. As the story opens, Max is holding his favorite stuffed animal, a blue dog named Snuffly Poo. Max's parents tell him that he is old enough now to have a real dog, but he will have to care for his new pet himself. Max chooses the largest puppy available, an energetic black-and-white dog as big as Max himself. Monty the pup is full of energy during the day and doesn't want to sleep in his dog bed on his first night in his new home. Max tries repeatedly to get Monty to sleep, employing tactics similar to those used by parents to get their children to sleep. The exhausted boy finally crawls into the dog's bed (along with the family cat) to cuddle up together with the big puppy. The final spread shows boy and cat asleep, with Monty still awake and winking at readers. And that's pretty much it. An extra-large format and bright, cheery illustrations in citrus shades provide visual appeal, but the simple plot is predictable and the text, less energetic than the exuberant puppy deserves. Attractive illustrations don't make up for a less-than-compelling story. (Picture book. 3-6)

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October 1, 2015

PreS-K-Max has always loved his stuffed dog and is thrilled when his parents say he can have a real one, if he takes care of it. He soon learns that a puppy is more work than he dreamed it would be. Max tries different tactics to help Monty go to sleep on his first night home, but to no avail. He "howled and he hooted, and he yapped and he yelped, and he wailed and he whined, and he sniffled and he snuffled, and he...peed on the floor!" The bright and colorful cartoon-style illustrations match the text to a tee. The story has a broad appeal for the preschool crowd, since so many kids want puppies, and adults will like the emphasis on the responsibility of pet ownership, if not the model parenting. VERDICT An engaging storytime read-aloud, and a solid general purchase.-Heather Massa, East Rockaway Public Library, NY

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