13 Monsters Who Should Be Avoided [Hardcover]

Kevin Shortsleeve (Author), Michael Austin (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up

"Some monsters are charming; as guests they're enjoyed. But the ones I'll describe are best to avoid."

Come along with Professor LeGrand, the world's foremost expert on monster diversity, as he instructs and warns readers about the outrageous habits and appalling behavior of thirteen frighteningly funny, mischievous monsters. The eerie, exquisitely detailed illustrations by Michael Austin will guarantee that readers recognize the fiends they should avoid.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Adults and savvy young readers may recognize the influence of Seuss in this collection of poems. While Shortsleeve's rhymes and rhythmic scan are less sure than the master's, he rounds up a far-out clan of creatures that go bump in the night (and day) in this baker's dozen. His monsters range from everyday bogeymen such as the thieving Three-toed Albanian Snoring Sock Bat ("if in your dresser a nest is constructed,/ Keep count of your stockings so none are abducted") and the Whichwayawawa who can't decide on his destination at the ticket counter ("This scene can go on for a very long time,/ Making life rather grim for the next one in line"), to more alien beings (or are they?) like the Thumple-Haired Land Ants ("found only on Mars") who grab the whole family, "Fly down to Earth and rent an RV,/ Pull up at your door, and demand to have tea." First-timer Austin's illustrations have a surreal edginess, both in the style, typified by elongated shapes, skewed angles and contorted shadows, and in the intriguingly irradiated palette in shades of vermilion, Day-Glo yellow and black-light green (his three-headed "Ralph, Ed, and Joe" sporting a "Kiss the Cook" apron is a highlight). Despite the fact that readers are set up for a scare, silliness, rather than spookiness, prevails; the all-out goofiness may be a bit forced at times, but young readers will likely be entertained. Ages 6-10. (Sept.) FYI: Children can enter a nationwide contest by submitting a drawing of a monster reading a book; the winning illustration will be printed on a special bookmark, and the winner will receive a library of Peachtree titles, along with an autographed copy of 13 Monsters.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6?Thirteen monsters are described, one per double-page spread, in rhyming verse. They are not fearsome creatures, as one might suspect from the title, but rather "mischievous" monsters who might abduct your socks (Three-toed Albanian Snoring Sock Bat) or stand indecisively on a line (the Whichwayawawa) or bite your behind for clipping its hair (a Hedge-Standing Snit). While the author tries to be humorous and inventive in a Dr. Seussian way, most of these monsters are actually too closely tied to the realities of everyday life (Mess Monsters?every household with kids has one!) to hold any interest. It is the eerie, incandescent glow to the illustrations that make the monsters scary. Be they green, purple, or yellow, the hot colors pervade each demented scene where only parts of the creatures are seen. The children are also depicted in these fiendish colors making them look almost as sickly or as frightful as the fleshy, hairy, or skeletal monsters shown. The annoyingly exaggerated scenarios, both verbal and visual, are to be avoided at all cost.?Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MI
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Peachtree Publishers; 1st edition (September 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561451460
• ISBN-13: 978-1561451463
• Product Dimensions: 12.4 x 9.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #946,893 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My family's all time favorite children's story., October 9, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: 13 Monsters Who Should Be Avoided (Hardcover)

I read this to my children constantly. My 4 year old son already knows the stories by heart and is able to read aloud with me. It's one of the best stories to read aloud to your children. The stories just roll off your tongue. It is a very colorful fun book. The illustrations depict who and what the story is talking about. We spend MUCH time pointing and talking about the pictures while reading the story. I'd recommend it to anyone with children. It's a very FUN book.