A clutch of monsters gets dressed just like humans do, but with a kooky twist.
Brightly hued and not-at-all-scary monsters wake up in the morning and face the task of picking out clothes for the day. The monsters are named, and the clothes they don—from hats to overalls—vary from page to page. Some of the monsters try on nonclothing items, such as a tomato instead of a hat, which is just unexpected and silly enough to tickle a young reader’s funny bone. Bold and playful illustrations pair perfectly with the whimsical and mellow storyline. While the monsters aren’t gendered, one page features a sweet yellow monster named Darrel wearing a cheerful red-and-white polka-dot dress—a subtly inclusive detail. Hirst’s simultaneously published companion book, Monster Food, follows a similar cadence; this time, the monsters are eating surprising items alongside their typical foods. The new element of rhyming text keeps the story moving and enhances the monster fun in an amusing way. Relatable themes of getting dressed and enjoying a meal are made all the more engaging by an irresistible cast of friendly creatures and their hilarious missteps.
Clothes maketh the monster, and these monsters make great characters.
(Board book. 0-3)