POESY THE MONSTER SLAYER

Poesy has been put to bed, but she’s got monsters to fight.

Brown-skinned Poesy has her toys and her snack. Daddy has read the monster book with her and tucked her into bed, asking her to “PLEASE stay in bed,” to which she responds sweetly, “Good night, Daddy.” The lights are out, and the battle begins. She knows the monsters are coming, and she has a plan. First, the werewolf appears. No problem. Poesy knows the tools to get rid of him: silver (her tiara) and light. She wins, of course, but the ruckus causes a “cross” Daddy to appear at her door, telling her to stop playing with toys and go back to bed. She dutifully lets him tuck her back in. But on the next page, her eyes are open. “Daddy was scared of monsters. Let DADDY stay in bed.” Poesy keeps fighting the monsters that keep appearing out of the shadows, fearlessly and with all the right tools, to the growing consternation of her parents, a Black-appearing woman and a White-appearing man, who are oblivious to the monsters and clearly fed up and exhausted but used to this routine. Poesy is irresistible with her brave, two-sided personality. Her foes don’t stand a chance (and neither do her parents). Rockefeller’s gently colored cartoon art enhances her bravery with creepily drawn night creatures and lively, expressive faces.

This nighttime mischief is not for the faint of heart.