No More Monsters Under Your Bed!

Many readers will relate to this story of a boy who is terrified of the monsters that visit his bedroom each night. The monsters are a diverse group, all equally frightening: “He was afraid of one-eyed monsters with pigtails, dressed in tutus... three-headed monsters with curly horns and sticky claws... and monsters that looked like his grandpa.” In Or’s candy-colored illustrations, however, the monsters are decidedly more silly than scary, and it’s apparent that the chaotic nightly visitations cannot stand. A remedy comes in the form of a “magic monster patch” presented to him by his resourceful parents as a sort of invisibility cloak that requires the boy’s bravery and belief in its magic. Chouteau suggests that mind over matter goes a long way toward putting the monsters to bed—and the book includes a patch for readers. Ages 3–6. [em](July) [/em]