Love Monster

“In a world of cute, fluffy things” it’s “pretty darn hard” to be a monster. Bright’s hero is determined to find a soul mate, but keeps running into dead ends—a monster costume in a shop window, his own reflection in a pond. Just when he’s ready to give up, he notices that the bus driver is just his type. First published in the U.K., Bright’s underdog story is overly familiar, and her pink, googly-eyed main character is—contrary to the narration—almost undeniably cute, throwing his outcast status out the window. Still, Bright has a brisk but sympathetic voice that’s appealingly British, and her visual pacing is impeccable. Like the monster itself, this story wears its heart very visibly. Ages 2–4. (Dec.)