They run and jump, taking the long way home from school, then hurry when the snacks are in sight. They try to escape at bath time, and wiggle while saying their prayers. They ask for drinks of water and make funny noises as they’re tucked in. They say they’re not sleepy…then snore the night away!
Children (and their parents) will find this story amusingly familiar to their own days, and it may just calm some fears about monsters when they see that monsters are just kids like they are!
Intended for young children age 3-5, Creepy Monsters is anything but creepy. Kelly Murphy’s illustrations are playful and fun. After reading it with my kids (who fit perfectly in this age range), we went back through the pages and looked for the smallest monster, the monster with the most eyes, and the silliest or most familiar scene on each page.
The rhyming pattern is not only cute and funny, but makes it easy for early readers, or those following along, to anticipate the next page—but sometimes they’re surprised! The sleepy ending makes this a perfect bedtime story.
Kelly Murphy is an accomplished children’s author and illustrator, with her twelfth book released this year (2011).