cover image SCARY FRIGHT, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?

SCARY FRIGHT, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?

Scott Gibala-Broxholm, . . Dial, $14.99 (48pp) ISBN 978-0-8037-2588-1

In a 7"×9" chapter book format, first-timer Gibala-Broxholm presents a monster family with an interesting problem. Their young daughter, Scary Fright, starts acting strangely one Friday the 13th: she craves pizza rather than slime, and sings "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" instead of howling at the moon. Her behavior shocks her parents ("Good goblins! What's next?"), who bring her straight to Doctor Ghastly. The examination reveals that Scary has "Human-i-tis," contracted from contact with a human playmate. A little monstrous medicine fixes everything. Well, almost—Scary still wants to go home and play with her pet kitten. The gags here make the Munsters-ish story work. Mama's eyes pop out (literally) when she hears about the pet kitten ("Well, you can have it for dessert," she says at first, "But only if you've eaten all your slime"). Doctor Ghastly looks Scary over "from head to tail," and listens "to both her hearts beat." Gibala-Broxholm's inventive watercolor spot art, framed panels and full-bleed paintings brim with monstrous touches. Toy coffins and tombstone-shaped telephones litter the monster family's home and a skeleton version of Grant Wood's American Gothic hangs on a wall. Kids will love the backwards monster-think ("Sweet nightmares," Papa says at bedtime) and the new twist on the theme of unconditional love ("No matter what you do," Mama tells Scary, kissing her at bedtime, "we still think you are a terrible monster"). 4-8. (Aug.)