Monster Needs a Costume

First-timers Czajak and Grieb pair up for a gently funny story about a boy and his furry blue monster, who can’t decide what to wear for Halloween. Three options tickle Monster’s fancy, but none lasts for long: after donning a tutu and pirouetting around the family kitchen, “He kept on dancing, day and night, until his feet were sore./ But then he didn’t want to be a dancer anymore.” Czajak’s rhymes give the story energy and humor, as do Grieb’s digital caricatures, which emphasize the comedy of Monster’s cowboy ambitions and attempts to be a stealthy ninja—not easy when “he’s nearly nine feet tall.” Outside-the-box thinkers should enjoy the lighthearted ending, as Monster proves that sometimes one costume isn’t enough. Ages 2–6. (Sept.)