I Need My Monster

April 6, 2009
This debut picture book for both author and illustrator offers a droll take on the monster-under-the-bed theme. Ethan is distressed when he peers under the mattress for his monster but finds only a note: “Gone fishing. Back in a week.” How can he fall asleep without Gabe's “ragged breathing. His nose-whistling. The scrabbling of his uncut claws” and the “spooky green ooze” he emits? Concluding that he needs a substitute, the bug-eyed boy knocks on the floorboards to summon one, but the beasts that appear one by one aren't sufficiently menacing (“The whole point of having a monster, after all, was to keep me in bed, imagining all the scary stuff that could happen if I got out”). Ethan engages in spry repartee with the monsters he rejects before Gabe reappears, having cut short his trip. Dramatic in perspective, McWilliam's exaggerated, digitally colored art renders the monsters in a spectrum of neon hues and outlandish shapes. The collaborators ably balance some bedtime chills with humor, and Ethan's enthusiasm for his monster should prove infectious. Ages 4–8.

April 1, 2009
Gr 1-3-When Ethan's resident "under the bed" monster named Gabe takes an unexpected vacation, a host of substitutes applies to fill in for him. However, none meet the boy's very picky requirements. Noll has great fun describing the interview process: "Do you have long teeth and scratchy claws?" Ethan asks the first candidate, Herbert. "No, but I have an overbite. And I'm a mouth breather." Ralph has the requisite claws, but he polishes them so they are not scary enough. So it goes with all the candidates, until Gabe returns home early, allowing Ethan to get a good night's sleep. The dark humor is perfectly matched to McWilliam's creepy-cute artwork. Any potential scariness in the text and art is offset by the silly details that are included, making for a fun nighttime read for those who enjoy a bit of shiver as they are tucked in to bed. This would also make a great read-aloud for a slightly older audience at a night-themed storyhour."Maura Bresnahan, High Plain Elementary School, Andover, MA"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2009
Grades K-2 Noll turns the tables on monster fears by introducing readers to Ethan, a little boy who cant fall asleep without the ragged breathing and claw-scratching of his favorite monster, Gabe. But Gabe has left a note that hes gone fishing, so Ethan knocks on his floor to summon a series of substitute ghoulies. Herbert, a horned green thing in a vest, doesnt even have claws. And Ralph, a four-eyed, six-armed blob, has claws, but theyre painted and manicured. And Cynthiawell, no hard feelings, but a boy wants a boy monster, not a girl. Nolls slyly humorous text is a suitably wry counterpoint to McWilliams dark-hued, exaggerated paintings of the bobble-headed Ethan and hisalternately scary and silly beasts.The entire effort strikes a nice balance between creepy and comforting, but especially endearing is Gabes early return home as he huddles beneath the bed like a faithful dog and says, Now, if you dont mind, Id like to start the evening with an ominous puddle of drool. Thats friendship for you.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2009
Ethan's under-the-bed monster has "Gone Fishing." Missing the creature's familiar "ragged breathing," "nose-whistling," and "spooky green ooze," Ethan wonders how he'll ever get to sleep. Substitute monsters apply, but none passes inspection. The humorous text diffuses bedtime fears (though the joke goes on too long). Synthetic-looking digitally painted illustrations bring the sort-of-scary, mostly-silly monsters out of their lairs.

(Copyright 2009 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)