Brave Little Monster [Hardcover]

Ken Baker (Author), Geoffrey Hayes (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Albert lies in bed one night. Goose bumps cover his hairy little arms. His fangs chatter with fright. Albert is sure there's a scary little girl lurking in his closet. He's convinced there's a mean little boy hiding under his bed. But when Albert's mom tells him again that little boys and girls don't exist, he's on his own to get rid of them once and for all!

Geoffrey Hayes's delightful illustrations make this the perfect bedtime book for brave little monsters everywhere.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

reS-K-This story puts a spin on Mercer Mayer's There's a Nightmare in My Closet (Turtleback, 1968) and James Howe's There's a Monster under My Bed (Atheneum, 1986). Albert, a monster, is terrified of little boys and girls. He knows they lurk in his closet and under his bed, waiting to eat him up. His mother tells him that there are no such phenomena, but this does nothing to alleviate his fears. Finally, with pounding heart, Albert confronts the demons so that he can sleep. Unfortunately, this silly story lacks charm. Baker gives too many plot details that negate any element of fear (a boy playing "piggie" with the monster's toes is not scary). Hayes's colorful artwork is clever, adding details of a bone for a curtain rod and a monster portrait on the wall, but too busy, thus detracting from the story. Telling a tale from the monster's point of view is an enticing concept, but it has been done more creatively in Philippe Corentin's Papa! (Chronicle, 1997) and Jackie French Koller's No Such Thing (Boyds Mills, 1997).

Be Astengo, Alachua County Library, Gainesville, FL

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Ken Bakers love for children's books began during childhood, when his parents and older siblings would relate favorite stories of Peter Cottontail, Dr. Seuss, Epaminondas, Curious George, and the three bears. That love for children's books grew as Ken read and made up bedtime stories for his own children.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1st edition (August 21, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060286989
• ISBN-13: 978-0060286989
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,272,831 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Funny, November 4, 2001

By 

Kelley G. Yearout (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Brave Little Monster (Hardcover)

The only thing wrong with this book is you will have a difficult time reading it alound without laughing. I was brousing children's books for nieces/nephews and I could not put this one down. I also could not help laughing aloud at every turn of the page.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Bedtime Story for Kids!, October 4, 2001

By 

Stephen W Liddle (Orem, UT USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brave Little Monster (Hardcover)

As I type this review, my 3-year-old is begging me, "Just read it, Dad!" My kids love Brave Little Monster. (BTW, me too. :)

The story is a charming twist on the child-conquers-fear tale. Reversing the role of child and monster helps alert little readers think about their fears and put them in a rational context (without realizing that's what they're doing). Brave Little Monster subtly delivers a wonderful message of empathy and appreciation for diversity without being at all heavy-handed about it. (Kids reading the book just have fun.) The illustrations are creative and bring life to the story. There are lots of little details to keep children engaged even after multiple readings.

If your kids are like mine this book is for you. Brave Little Monster is a wonderful addition to my bedtime library. I personally will be giving it as a gift to several family members and friends this Christmas, because I know it will be well received -- it's a fun book!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My son loves this book!, October 4, 2004

By 

B. Llewellyn (Utah) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Brave Little Monster (Hardcover)

We read it over and over (and over) again, and my 3 year old gets a kick out of it every time. After reading this, he's not afraid of monsters anymore. I highly recommend this clever and funny book.