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THE ONLY MONSTER

Name: THE ONLY MONSTER
Author: Matt Coyne
ISBN: 9780711298774

by Matt Coyne ; illustrated by Matt Coyne ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 18, 2025

Quirky yet warmhearted fun.

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Being an only child can feel lonely.

In Bonglibod, a land inhabited by endearing monsters, lives a loving family consisting of a dad, mom, and a child. On photo day at school, everyone shows up looking picture-perfect: with messed-up hair, unbrushed teeth, and “bogies” in their noses! After individual pictures are taken, the students pose for “brother-sister photographs”—everyone except our protagonist. She’s heartbroken at missing out. Dad can’t help noticing his little one’s sadness as he walks her home after school. She replies that their family is “odd”; other families have many kids, but theirs has only one. Daddy thinks before answering, then responds that families should be measured by love instead of numbers. In fact, their family is “bigger than the Earth, the moon, the sky, and stars above!” Joined by Mom, Dad adds, “You’re MONSTER PERFECT to your monster mom and me.” Dad also reminds his daughter that in their large, loving community, one’s “never short of family when / you’re blessed with such good friends.” This winning tale, told in sometimes awkward verse, nevertheless offers “onlies” some much-needed reassurance that families come in all sizes. Kids will giggle at the riotous monster names and at the comical digital illustrations, filled with adorably kooky, wide-eyed creatures.

Quirky yet warmhearted fun. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: March 18, 2025

ISBN: 9780711298774

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Frances Lincoln

Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2025

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S PARANORMAL & SUPERNATURAL

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A THOUSAND YEARS

by Christina Perri ; illustrated by Joy Hwang Ruiz ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2025

A sweet notion that falls flat.

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A hit song reimagined as a book about parental love.

Featured in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 1, Perri’s “A Thousand Years” deals with the speaker’s fear of romantic love. In picture-book form, it explores a parent’s unwavering love for a child, who grows from an infant into a toddler over the course of the narrative. The caregiver expresses awe when the youngster learns to stand and fear that the child might fall while beginning to walk. “I have spent every day waiting for you,” the parent says. “Darling, don’t be afraid.” What the child might fear isn’t clear from the joyful balloon- and rainbow-filled illustrations. The story borders on cloying, and words that might work when sung and accompanied by music don’t sound fresh on the page: “Time goes by. / You grow ever stronger as you fly.” The refrain, however, is a lovely sentiment: “I have loved you for a thousand years. / I’ll love you for a thousand more.” Perri’s legion of fans may flock to this version, illustrated by Ruiz with sparkling stars, bubbles, and big-eyed toddlers, but it doesn’t hold together as a narrative or an ode, as it’s billed, and it’s a long way from the original song. The child is tan-skinned, the parent is lighter-skinned, and other characters are diverse.

A sweet notion that falls flat. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: April 1, 2025

ISBN: 9780593622599

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Viking

Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

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IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.

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A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.

Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)