This week, I have chosen I Need My Monster for Perfect Picture Book Friday.
Written by Amanda Noll and Illustrated by Howard McWilliam
Publisher: Flashlight Press 2009
Ages: 4-8
Themes: Monsters, Humor, Imagination
Opening Lines: Tonight, when I looked under the bed for my monster, I found this note instead. “Gone fishing. Back in a week. —Gabe” What was I going to do? I needed a monster under my bed. How was I supposed to get to sleep if my monster was gone?
Synopsis: (from Flashlight Press) I Need My Monster is a unique monster-under-the-bed story for all monster-loving kids. The perfect balance of giggles and shivers will keep you under your covers, and you’ll soon be sleeping soundly.
Resources: Comprehensive Lesson Plan at Empowering Writers, Activities from Flashlight Press, How to Make Your Own Monster, Monster Maker by Think Bank
Why I Like This Book: First off, I love the idea of a monster named Gabe. It’s so un-monsterly. And, the idea of a kid who NEEDS his monster is very creative. Ethan tries to replace Gabe, so that he can go to sleep. But it’s hard to replace a monster that has such wonderful characteristics…ragged breathing, nose-whistling, crabbling, uncut claws, and spooky green ooze. As you can see, the language is perfect for a monster book. Don’t you love the word crabbling? Although polite, Ethan turns down several monsters who would really like to sub in for Gabe. They aren’t quite up to his “monster” standards. The dialog between Ethan and those “applying for the job” is hilarious. . A plethora of well-timed action verbs, along with reach-out-and-grab-you illustrations, keep the anticipation at a monster level. You will NEED to turn the pages:-) The fact that Gabe is so picky about his monster and its level of scariness will have kids giggling, which will hopefully help them deal with their own monsters under the bed. And let’s face it, some kids just love monsters no matter where they are. In that case, this book NEEDS to be added to their collection of monster books.
Extras: Visit Christie Wright Wild‘s blog for an interview with the author, Amanda Noll.
Susanna Leonard Hill features Perfect Picture Book Friday on her blog. This is a wonderful resource if you are wondering what books to give as gifts, needing material for a lesson, and mainly just perfect for those who love to read picture books. Here is a list of books by category. This is very handy for finding books for lessons in the classroom, or for finding books on a particular topic to discuss with your children at home. Each book listed has a link to a review and information about that book. There is also an alphabetical list if you scroll down past the category list.