Caramel reviews How to Catch a Monster by Adam Wallace and Andy Elkerton

Caramel has been reading all sorts of books these days, but picture books are always among his favorites. Today he reviews for the book bunnies blog a picture book by author-illustrators Adam Wallace and Andy Elkerton: How to Catch a Monster. As usual, Sprinkles is asking questions and taking notes.

Sprinkles: So Caramel, what made you want to review this book?

Caramel: I like it.

S: So can you tell us what it is about?

C: It’s about a little boy who is trying to catch the monster in his closet. And then they become friends.

S: That sounds scary first and then fun later.

C: Yep. It is. Apparently the monster practices how to roar!

S: Hmm, kind of like you practicing playing an instrument or singing, right?

C: Yep, I guess so.

S: What else do you think monsters do?

C: This one burps! And his burp smells like strawberries and lime. Which is pretty disgusting.

S: Why do you think so? I like strawberries, and mixed with lime, they might make a neat chewing gum flavor for instance.

C: Yes, but thinking of it as a burp smell makes it pretty disgusting.

S: I can see that. But I am guessing that the monster’s burp smells nice because the monster is actually not a bad monster. Right?

C: Yes. That’s right!

S: Did you notice that on each two-page spread, there are four lines of text, all written in rhyme?

C: Let me see. Oh yes, that is true. There are rhyming words at the end of the second and fourth lines!

S: That would make it more fun to read out loud. Don’t you think?

C: Yes. “Yet” and “net”, “miss” and “this”, “sad” and “mad”, “mistake” and “awake”. You’re right! It would be more fun to read out loud!

S: So maybe when we are done with this review, we can read it out loud together. What do you think?

C: Okay, I like that idea!

S: So what three words would you use to describe this book?

C: “Fun”, “rhyming”, and “colorful”. Or maybe “imaginative”.

S: It is true this is a really imaginative book! A lot of little bunnies think there is a monster in their closet, or sometimes under their bed. And this book seems to play with that idea and make it fun.

C: Yep!

S: I know you close the door to your closet every night. Would you like to think that there is a monster like this one inside?

C: I’ve checked my closet. There is no such thing in mine.

S: But say there was? Would it be fun to have a playful monster like this in there?

C: It could be cool. This monster is fun. Hmm, maybe I should check my closet again.

S: Okay, we can go look together. After you wrap up this review by saying …

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews! And also there are no monsters in my closet!