How to Catch a Monster (How to Catch... Series)

by Adam Wallace, Andy Elkerton (Illustrator)

Overview

A USA Today Bestseller! From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling How to Catch series comes an all-new monster story and picture book for kids!

Get ready to laugh along in this fun children's monster book as a brave young ninja heads into the closet to meet the monster that's been so scary night after night! But what if our monster isn't scary at all? Maybe our hero is about to make a friend of the strangest sort...

Whether you're looking for kids books about fears, spooky basket stuffers, festive gifts for children, a great bedtime story, or inspiration to build your very own STEAM traps and activities, parents, educators, and children alike will love sharing this silly read aloud! This inventive picture book about conquering fears and overcoming anxiety reminds us that things aren't always as scary as they seem!

There's a monster in my closet with claws, and teeth, and hair,

and tonight, I'm going to scare him! He lives just right through there…

Also in the How to Catch Series:

• How to Catch a Witch
• How to Catch the Easter Bunny
• How to Catch an Elf
• How to Catch a Turkey
• How to Catch a Leprechaun
• How to Catch a Dinosaur
• and more!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781492648949
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	09/05/2017
Series:	How to Catch...
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.10(w) x 7.80(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD510L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Adam Wallace is a children's writer and cartoonist living in Australia. His books include How to Catch an Elf, How to Catch the Easter Bunny, How to Catch the Tooth Fairy, and How to Catch a Leprechaun.

Andy Elkerton is a children's book illustrator based in the United Kingdom.

Editorial Reviews

"The rhyming text flows well and the bright illustrations are giggle-inducing, especially when the monster does something VERY unexpected." — Kiss the Book

From the Publisher

2017-07-15
When a kid gets the part of the ninja master in the school play, it finally seems to be the right time to tackle the closet monster. "I spot my monster right away. / He's practicing his ROAR. / He almost scares me half to death, / but I won't be scared anymore!" The monster is a large, fluffy poison-green beast with blue hands and feet and face and a fluffy blue-and-green-striped tail. The kid employs a "bag of tricks" to try to catch the monster: in it are a giant wind-up shark, two cans of silly string, and an elaborate cage-and-robot trap. This last works, but with an unexpected result: the monster looks sad. Turns out he was only scaring the boy to wake him up so they could be friends. The monster greets the boy in the usual monster way: he "rips a massive FART!!" that smells like strawberries and lime, and then they go to the monster's house to meet his parents and play. The final two spreads show the duo getting ready for bed, which is a rather anticlimactic end to what has otherwise been a rambunctious tale. Elkerton's bright illustrations have a TV-cartoon aesthetic, and his playful beast is never scary. The narrator is depicted with black eyes and hair and pale skin. Wallace's limping verses are uninspired at best, and the scansion and meter are frequently off. Only for dedicated fans of the series. (Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews

Narrator Chris Patton's eager, youthful voice is ideal for portraying a boy who's elated at being chosen as the ninja master for his school play. Lively music throughout adds to the fun, particularly when a "fighting spirit" song matches the child's decision to confront the monster in his bedroom closet. A skilled presentation of words like “snap” and “trap” keeps the rhythm flowing. Patton's rendering of the monster when it's confronted is spot-on when he says in a gentle tone that he prefers to play and not to be scary. Listeners will delight in hearing the pair play and form an endearing friendship. This charming bedtime story is over when the boy says he feels safe and the monster utters a loving "good night." S.G.B. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2017 - AudioFile