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40 pp.
| Farrar |
August, 2023 |
TradeISBN 978-0-37439-005-1$18.99
(2)
PS
Illustrated by
MacKenzie Haley.
An offstage narrator warns readers (à la Grover in The Monster at the End of This Book) about the "ferocious monster" that haunts the pages ahead. "It's not too late for you to choose a different book about something more pleasant." A page-turn reveals the speaker/monster: a terrifying(ly cute) white kitten doing its darnedest to be threatening. "Hey, quit laughing." Enlisting the help of two sweet puppies, a fluffy duckling, and other animal friends, the kitten's subsequent jump-scare attempts yield similar results. And then...from the doorway...a foreboding shadow looms..."Bath time!" The well-paced text, vibrant pencil and digitally painted illustrations, and effective use of page-turns heighten the drama--and the silliness.
Reviewer: Kitty Flynn
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2023