Even Monsters Go to School

by Lisa Wheeler, Chris Van Dusen (Illustrator)

Overview

In the vein of the bestselling How Do Dinosaurs…? series, this follow-up to Even Monsters Need to Sleep is a fresh and humorous back-to-school picture book.

What’s a school day like for you?

Bigfoot rides a yellow bus.
Frankenstein shows off his new shoes.
Troll loves playing tag at recess.
And aliens go gaga over school supplies.

Just like you, even monsters go to school!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780594151296
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	01/06/2022
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 12.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Lisa Wheeler is the author of Someone Builds the Dream, illustrated by New York Times bestselling artist Loren Long, as well as other popular and award-winning picture books, including Even Monsters Need to Sleep, Mammoths on the Move, One Dark Night, and the Dino-Sports series. She lives near Detroit, Michigan. You can visit her online at lisawheelerbooks.com.

 

Chris Van Dusen is the author/illustrator of many picture books, including A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee, If I Built a Car, and The Circus Ship. He also illustrated the popular Mercy Watson series written by Kate DiCamillo. He lives with his family in Maine. You can visit him online at www.chrisvandusen.com.

Editorial Reviews

06/24/2019

When a blue-horned monster girl (first introduced in the co-creator’s Even Monsters Need to Sleep) is reluctant to go to school, her father reminds her that every monster—even famous ones—attends classes. Van Dusen’s vivid, action-filled art shows the cast of friendly monsters taking part in typical school tasks. Bigfoot rides the school bus; Frankenstein impresses his peers with iron-soled Chuck Taylors; and Troll runs out from under his bridge to enjoy recess with a group of goats. The blue monster child is encouraged by the examples of other pupils—as readers may be, as well: “You’re ready! And you know the rule... All little monsters go to school.” A fun read for readers who are thinking about Halloween monsters a bit early. Ages 4–8. (June)

Publishers Weekly

Even if it doesn’t send kids straight off to dreamland, it will keep them looking; snuggled close with a grown-up, that’s not all bad.” — Kirkus Reviews

“The book is sure to do the trick at bedtime, and it’s gentle enough even for readers who find monsters intimidating.” — Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

08/01/2019

PreS-Gr 1—On the first day of school, the little blue, furry monster child from Even Monsters Go to Sleep, trudges downstairs to breakfast. Dad regales his reluctant pupil with exuberant descriptions of how other monsters are enjoying their big day: Bigfoot hops onto a yellow bus and gives a thumbs up from the back window; Frankenstein's brand-new jacket and cool, platform, metal-studded sneakers garner admiring glances from his classmates; and tousled-haired Troll has a ball at recess, playing tag with billy goats. Each fun-filled scene is relayed in jaunty, rhyming verse with a repeated concluding line that names the individual monster showcased and delivers the message that "Even ["Yeti", "Nessie", "giants" etc.] go to school." Van Dusen's colorful, gouache illustrations are packed with comical details, like three-eyed aliens who "go gaga over school supplies" and chow down on crayons and massage glue onto their noggins. By the time breakfast is eaten and fangs are brushed, the formerly hesitant child eagerly embraces "the rule … All little monsters go to school." VERDICT A witty and encouraging pep talk to ease back-to-school jitters.—Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ont.

School Library Journal

2019-05-08
A grown-up monster describes in rhyming verse how monsters of all types go to school, and so must this child monster, no matter how glum about the prospect.

The copyright page and first spread show a very reluctant monster coming down the stairs, dragging a bouncing backpack, to a breakfast of mush. No text sets up this situation. Instead, the text reads "When Bigfoot wakes, he combs his hair…," which is confusing since none of that is shown. The page turn then syncs text with image, showing Bigfoot jumping out of a tree to catch the bus: "and steps out in the morning air. / Yellow bus is waiting there. // Even Bigfoot goes to school." The rhyming, smartly scanning stanzas continue, showing that Frankenstein (the monster, wearing Converse-like shoes), dragons, Yeti, bridge trolls, the Loch Ness Monster, Jack's giant, and aliens all go to school. The last few spreads return to the titular monster, blue-furred with yellow horns and purple stripe and sporting a pink dress and purple backpack, getting ready and then happily waving goodbye while headed to the bus. Van Dusen's gouache illustrations are spring-bright and cheerful, every (nonscary) imaginary beast delighting in some aspect of school. Once past the opening narrative hiccup, young readers will delight in the premise and in the myriad visual details, which do include gender-binary restrooms in one scene.

Every monster, imaginary or not, will enjoy this and hopefully also find something to enjoy about school. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews