Monster Needs His Sleep

March 15, 2014
Czajak and Grieb (Monster Needs a Costume, 2013) pair up once again for a hilarious take on the many creative ways a monster attempts to avoid bedtime. In rollicking rhyme, a young boy narrates the story of how he repeatedly tries to get Monster into bed. Readers will recognize some of their own delaying tactics, from asking to watch television to needing a snack and demanding a drink. But the boy is persistent in moving the nighttime activities along: "I brushed my teeth, he brushed his fangs. / We put our PJ's on. // Then Monster went to grab his books... / 'We'll have a read-a-thon!' " The boy--employing many strategies that parents use--agrees to some requests, firmly moves the monster toward bed, and gives him love and comfort. But in a somewhat surprising turn, it is not just ending the day that Monster is avoiding--he's afraid of the dark. The huge, cartoonish, gray-blue creature with tufty purple hair, long claws and striped horns comes across as a vulnerable softie as he hides under the covers and clutches a comically small monster doll. A night light is retrieved and sets "his room aglow. / Monster pulled his blanket down, and crawled out from below." A final goodnight kiss allows the cuddly guy to finally fall asleep. Although the premise isn't entirely original, young readers will appreciate seeing a child in charge of the situation and providing the solution. Sure to be a welcome choice for the going-to-bed time that never seems to end. (Picture book. 3-6)

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May 1, 2014

PreS-K-In this second installment of the series, the vibrant palette and illustration style reminiscent of Saturday morning cartoons continues to appeal. The monster is Sendakian in spirit, but slicker, more lively, less pensive. It is a typical role reversal set-up: the little boy is parent to Monster, and he tries to get him to sleep, while Monster cooks up a multitude of ideas to avoid doing just that. Might he be scared of the dark? On each dynamic page, readers will find lots of verve, action, and energy, with saturated colors and deep purples, as it gets later and later. Most of the action takes place in Monster's bedroom, decorated with boy-themed paraphernalia: robots, rockets, marine animals, and pirates. The verse gets a bit pedantic: "Monster, here's some water/Now please stop procrastinating/It's time to close your eyes and sleep/No more negotiating." The colorful computer-rendered illustrations are extremely appealing to today's media-saturated kids. Nevertheless, it falls short of being a game changer. Amanda Noll's I Need My Monster (Flashlight, 2009) and Lauren Child's I Am Not Sleepy and I Will Not Go to Bed (Candlewick, 2001) have similar themes.-Sara Lissa Paulson, The American Sign Language and English Lower School, New York City

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