THE MONSTER DID IT

In this picture book, a child blames a monster for his disruptive behavior.

A brown-skinned boy explains that there’s a monster in the house who causes “chaos, fuss and RUCKUS!” For instance, the monster jumps on the kid’s bed, ransacks his belongings, eats the Halloween candy, and dunks a ball in the toilet. But when the monster starts drawing all over the walls and windows, he trips, stumbles down the stairs, and noisily breaks a vase. The boy begins crying, and Mommy rushes in. Though the illustrations show that the youngster was actually the troublemaker all along, he blames the commotion on a scary interloper. But Mommy isn’t convinced. She surveys the mess and “finds no monster who’d confess.” After escorting her child to the kitchen for dinner, she instructs: “Eat up little monster.” Dee’s silly but amusing tale features common mishaps that parents and mischievous kids will relate to. Although the boy doesn’t actually admit he caused the turmoil, the story will still remind young readers about the importance of assuming responsibility. Lock’s pleasant, vivid cartoon illustrations show the various misdeeds. Bold colors and textured pages enhance the images that portray the monster. When the narrator describes the intruder’s actions, the illustrations show a creepy figure with a pink, bumpy head.

A playful story of youthful imagination that emphasizes taking responsibility.