I Loathe You

November 5, 2012
This forked-tongue-in-cheek parody pokes fun at the "I love you more" genre as Big Monster and Little Monster debate who detests the other more. "I loathe you more than slimy rats,/ more than frostbite, skunks, or bats" the elder monster assures its offspring. "More than fuzzy mold on cheese,/ more than fever or disease!" Working in acrylic and charcoal, Slonim (It's a Dog's Life) revels in the mucky, smelly scenarios his fuzzy horned monsters envision, whether it's Big Monster lying "sunburned, red and sore" on an inflatable raft or the two sharing a meal atop a garbage heap. Slonim's artwork tends to be literal, though, picturing every small detail mentioned. Like the books it mocks, this one includes a moment of self-doubt: Little Monster wonders if good behavior might cause Big Monster's loathing to fade: "What if I stop chewing chairs, or bouncing goldfish down the stairs?" Even as Slonim studiously avoids all things saccharine, readers will recognize the affection between the two characters and enjoy poring over the comically unpleasant details in Slonim's labor of loathe. Ages 4â7.

November 1, 2012
This full-of-loathing story is a welcome twist on the often saccharine how-much-do-you-love-me genre. Slonim substitutes the word "loathe" for "love" and truly runs with it. His characters are two amiable horned monsters. The younger orange one quizzes the older and bigger creature about its true feelings. Just how much does it really loathe the little one? The rhyming text rollicks along: "I loathe you more than chicken pox, / more than stinky, sweaty socks. / More than garbage in a dump, / or splinters sticking in my rump. / Mosquito bites? I loathe them, yes, / But next to you, a whole lot less." As the monsters sling increasingly gross and endearingly disgusting claims of loathsomeness, readers will alternately screech with "ewws" and laughter as they pore over the hilarious cartoon illustrations executed in acrylics with charcoal. At one point the monster child becomes a little quiet and wonders, "But what if I goof up someday, / or if my warts all fade away? / If I blurt out 'THANKS, ' or 'PLEASE'? / Or take a bath and kill my fleas? / If I should slip and just obey / then would your loathing go away?" Of course, the grown monster reassures his young one, as all good parents do. "Nice or nasty, kind or mean, / I loathe you up, down, and between." Share this silly and satisfying title with all little monsters. (Picture book. 3-6)

COPYRIGHT(2012) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 1, 2012

PreS-Gr 2-A rhyming variation and a play on words revolve around the theme of a mother's love for her child. Little Monster "loathes" his mother, and she loathes him right back. When he asks how much, she answers "more than chicken pox, /more than stinky, sweaty socks" and even "more than garbage in a dump." What about bad sunburns? Is Little Monster loathed more than that? Big Monster answers that she dreamed of him even before he was born, and she loathes him "more than what the cat dragged in, /with what the dog threw up thrown in." She will loathe him even if he slips up and says "please" or "thank you" one day, even if he stops chewing chairs or loses his stink. A mother's love/loathe truly knows no bounds. Children will enjoy discovering the joke that even if these monsters' world is backwards by comparison, parents everywhere still love their children. The colorful cartoon illustrations, created in acrylic and charcoal, are not particularly scary, but rather goofy-looking, keeping with the humor of the tale. Little Monster's underbite makes him a prime candidate for some orthodontia down the road. A cute twist on a familiar theme.-Roxanne Burg, Orange County Public Library, CA

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.