Spike, the Mixed-Up Monster (English With Some Spanish)

Odd-looking little Spike, who lives in a pond in Mexico, is a fierce monster in his own mind. But to everyone else in his ecosystem, Spike is a harmless cutie-pie (he's actually an axolotl, an endangered Mexican salamander). El pato (a duck) calls him "my funny little fish face," While el campanol (a vole) says, "You're almost as adorable as me!" They all change their tune, however, when Spike stands up to a real monster--a Gila monster, to be precise--although readers know that the two creatures actually part ways as amigos. Unfortunately, this story of a mixed-up monster is a mixed bag itself. Sweet (Mrs. Harkness and the Panda) has created wonderful watercolor portrayals of every critter (her Gila monster is positively majestic) with one exception: the clunky hero, who never coalesces artistically (his head looks like a big smiley face) or in terms of personality. As for the Mexican setting, Hood (Pup and Hound) doesn't make much of it except for a sprinkling of mostly familiar Spanish words. Ages 4-8. Agent: Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. Illustrator's agent: Ginger Knowlton, Curtis Brown. (Sept.)

PreS-Gr 1--Monsters with big claws, a pointy tail, and gnashing teeth are supposed to be scary. Spike, an axolotl salamander who has all of these attributes, doesn't frighten anyone, because he is no bigger than a lily pad. He is disappointed that his animal friends (el pato, el armadillo, el campanol) laugh at his attempts to terrify them. When a true monstruo arrives, the others run away in fear, leaving Spike to face the Gila monster on his own. He learns that sometimes looking friendly can be more important than looking scary. "More about Spike and His Amigos" provides useful facts and photos of the various Mexican creatures that appear in the story. A list of basic Spanish words and their English translations is also included. Sweet's colorful mixed-media illustrations showcase Spike's emotions in an eye-catching format that is sure to please young readers. The book is a great addition to most collections and would pair well with Mo Willems's Leonardo, the Terrible Monster (Hyperion, 2005) and The Monster at the End of This Book (Golden Bks., 1971) for an entertaining storytime about timid monsters.--Stephanie Rivera, Naperville Public Library, IL