Beware the frightful tickle monster! This silly, atmospheric bedtime story is one part wriggly anticipation, two parts fun as a little monster gets ready for bed—all the while dreading the arrival of the infamous Tickle Monster, who’s known for his relentless attack on toes, bellies, and every other ticklish place a young child—oops—a monster might have. Just right for bedtime giggles, this is a tuck-me-in story with a delightful twist.
K-Gr 2
At bedtime, a young monster anxiously awaits the arrival of the Tickle Monster, a nocturnal creature that is never directly depicted in the artwork but nevertheless seems omnipresent: "His nose knows the scent of your toothpaste./His ears hear your pj's unfold./He senses your dread as you climb into bed-/he can see through your ceiling, I'm told." Peeking hesitantly from beneath his covers, the youngster notices ominous dark shadows on the wall. The rhyming verse builds anticipation of the impending attack. The Tickle Monster will show no mercy: "You'll squirm! You'll dance!/(You may wet your pants)." When the defenseless imp has had enough, the intruder will offer a hug, "wiggle under the rug,/and sink through a crack in the floor." The acrylic illustrations' somber brown and dark-green palette creates a spooky atmosphere. Although there are "giggles and grins" at the end, readers may be left with more of a sense of trepidation than of tongue-in-cheek playfulness.-Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada
momcps
Posted October 19, 2010
Delightful story. A group of kindergarten students at the school where I work visited with author, James Thach,by a videoconference program. James read the book to our students and they loved it, along with this author's latest book, The Seal Pup. I highly recommend this both of these books.
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Overview
Beware the frightful tickle monster! This silly, atmospheric bedtime story is one part wriggly anticipation, two parts fun as a little monster gets ready for bed—all the while dreading the arrival of the infamous Tickle Monster, who’s known for his relentless attack on toes, bellies, and every other ticklish place a young child—oops—a monster might have. Just right for bedtime giggles, this is a tuck-me-in story with a delightful twist.