Go Away, Big Green Monster!

This striking picture book takes a hands-on approach to dealing with nighttime fears. In fact, it may be hard for parents to pry their kids' hands "off" the book and get them to bed... this picture book promises to jazz up any story time and to give individual children a measure of control over at least 'one' monster.

The Caldecott Medalist makes wonderful use of innovative production techniques in this ingenious offering. Differently diecut and boldly colored pages reveal increasingly scary features of a big green monster—on the first spread, we see two big yellow eyes; on the second, the eyes plus a long blue nose; and so on, until the monster is fully unmasked. But that's only half the story. "You don't scare me!" reads the caption after the monster is shown in all its horror. Turn more pages and, one by one, the scary features disappear, as does, of course, the monster. "And don't come back! Until I say so," the text concludes. A joy to read aloud, the simple story entertains even as it helps its audience master common fears. Emberley's striking approach should win him new fans aplenty. Ages 3-8. (Apr.)

Copyright 1993 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission

A graphic delight. In the tradition of Lois Ehlert's Color Zoo (1989) and Color Farm (1990, both HarperCollins), this is a clever series of die-cut pages that lets children construct and then deconstruct a big green monster. The book starts with a black page, and two round eyes gleaming through the text. "Big Green Monster has two big yellow eyes." Each page adds a new adjective-laden element, including a "long bluish-greenish nose" and "scraggy purple hair" until the culmination of effects prompts a response of, "YOU DON'T SCARE ME! SO GO AWAY . . . ." Each subsequent page subtracts one of the scary pieces until the last page is entirely black, featuring the words, "and DON'T COME BACK! Until I say so." This imaginative original work is a most friendly way in which children can take control over their own "monsters" or nightmares. It also has great visual appeal because of the bold interplay between shape and color. —Elizabeth Hanson, Chicago Public Library

Copyright 1993 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission