THE PATTERSON PUPPIES AND THE MIDNIGHT MONSTER PARTY

Petra wakes up every night because she’s afraid of the monster under her bed. Her three puppy siblings all sleep through the night with their protection. Andy has a T-Rex toy, Penelope has a magic wand and Zack has a super-strength cape; they are all safe, but even Petra’s 16 favorite stuffed animals don’t help her. When Petra admits she’s afraid the monster will eat them, the puppies, with Mama’s help, make cookies (everyone knows monsters love cookies) to divert it. At midnight the monster appears—and the cookies do the trick. This second in the series (The Patterson Puppies and the Rainy Day, 2009) puts a fresh touch on a familiar theme, and the animated acrylic illustrations capture nicely the expressions and reactions of the anthropomorphized puppies. The midnight-blue backdrops stage the tension just right for the white pooches, who are dressed in kids’ clothes, while the large font and up-close scenes lend a preschooler-friendly immediacy. More puppies, please. (Picture book. 3-5)