How I Met My Monster

by Amanda Noll

Overview

One night, when Ethan reaches under his bed for a toy truck, he finds this note instead: "Monsters! Meet here for final test." Ethan is sure his parents are trying to trick him into staying under the covers, until he sees five colorful sets of eyes blinking at him from beneath the bed. Soon, a colorful parade of quirky, squeaky little monsters compete to become Ethan's monster. But only the little green monster, Gabe, has the perfect blend of stomach-rumbling and snorting needed to get Ethan into bed and keep him there so he falls asleep—which as everyone knows, is the real reason for monsters under beds. With its perfect balance of giggles and shivers, this silly-spooky prequel to the award-winning I Need My Monster and Hey, That's MY Monster! will keep young readers entertained.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781947277786
Publisher:	Flashlight Press
Publication date:	06/01/2022
Series:	I Need My Monster Series
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	15,874
Product dimensions:	7.80(w) x 7.70(h) x 0.20(d)
Age Range:	5 - 7 Years

About the Author

Howard McWilliam is the award-winning illustrator of I Need My Monster, Hey That's MY Monster!, D is for Drool, When a Dragon Moves In, and many other children's books. He is the cover artist of The Week (US & UK), and he lives with his wife and three sons in Cheltenham, England. The monster under his bed is Brompton. Amanda Noll is the author of the award-winning I Need My Monster, Hey, That's MY Monster, and D is for Drool. She teaches full-time and lives with her husband and four children in Spanaway, Washington. The monster under her bed is Gertie.

Editorial Reviews

09/02/2019

In this peppy prequel to I Need My Monster and Hey, That’s MY Monster!, Noll and McWilliam reveal how Ethan, a child, chose Gabe as his personal monster when he was younger. Three other vividly hued monsters compete for the job, under the direction of their teacher, Mr. Zee, but only Gabe, with his neon-green fur, spiked tail, and bulbous vermillion eyes, has the aptitude for scaring Ethan into bed—and keeping him there. Gabe, whose size increases exponentially after he snacks on some of the boy’s crackers, clinches the role thanks to some secret weapons: the lime-green drool that oozes out from his resting spot under the bed as well as his snorts and gentle threats (“Got any toes I can munch?”), which simultaneously give the boy shivers and lull him to sleep. Like the text, McWilliam’s brassy digital acrylics are more silly than scary, with the characters’ wildly exaggerated facial expressions amplifying the comedy. Ages 5–7. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

"It isn’t uncommon for children to be afraid that monsters are hiding under their beds or in their closets. However, the monsters have met their match with the cute boy in this week’s picture book for children... This picture book might be a great gift for a child you know—who doesn’t like to stay in bed, perhaps?" —Diane Prather, Craig Daily Press 


"One night, before bed, Etan discovers a note under his bed, inviting all monsters to meet there for their final test. Monsters? Good thing he doesn’t believe in monsters. Then he hears rumbling, grumbling, and mumbling coming from under his bed, followed by the most shocking display of four little monsters and their teacher crawling out from under his bed. As each monster gives their best shot at scaring Ethan, he can only erupt in laughter. Will Ethan ever find the perfect monster to keep under his bed? In the most adorable tale exploring and explaining the mystery of monsters under the bed, How I Met My Monster is a bedtime must-read story. Delightfully cute illustrations vividly spread across the pages will keep even the youngest of listeners captivated. The perfect balance of giggles and scares, little ones will no longer be scared of a monster under their bed, but ask for one instead. Taking what used to be a frightful nighttime routine of checking under the bed and in closets, Amanda Noll and Howard McWilliam, instead, turn this routine into the delightful prospect of gaining a nighttime friend." —Amy Shane, San Francisco Book Review 

From the Publisher

2019-06-23
In a tardy prequel to I Need My Monster (2009), candidates for that coveted spot under the bed audition.

As the distressingly unflappable young narrator looks on, one monster after another gives it a go—but even with three mouths, the best roar Genghis can manage is a puny "blurp!", silly shadow puppets by shaggy Morgan elicit only a sneeze, and red Abigail's attempt to startle by hiding in the fridge merely leaves her shivering and pathetic. Fortunately, there's Gabe, who knows just how to turn big and hairy while lurking outside the bathroom and whose red-eyed stare and gross drooling sends the lad scrambling into bed to save his toes. "Kid, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship," the toothy terror growls. Right he is, the lad concludes, snuggling down beneath the covers: "His snorts and ooze were perfect." As usual, the white-presenting child's big, bright, smiling face and the assortment of bumbling monsters rendered in oversaturated hues keep any actual scariness at tentacle's length. Moreover, Monster, Inc. fans will delight in McWilliam's painstaking details of fang, claw, hair, and scales.

Frightful and delightful: a comforting (to some, anyway) reminder that no one sleeps alone. (Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews