cover image The Monstrous Book of Monsters

The Monstrous Book of Monsters

Libby Hamilton, illus. by Jonny Duddle and Aleksei Bitskoff. Candlewick/Templar, $17.99 (20p) ISBN 978-0-7636-5756-7

“Written” by Dr. Thomas Jelly, this is a tongue-in-cheek, interactive guide to avoiding, identifying, capturing, and disposing of monsters, should the need arise. Goony cartoons depict monsters hiding behind flaps in a cutaway of a human home (“A fridge boggart is a real pest”); another spread presents the winners of the “Monster Record Breakers” competition, which include a cute pink beast, whose mouth opens to reveal a pop-out cave of ferocious teeth. From monster defense (a “Home Defense Kit” includes a mirror, garlic, and soap) to the debunking of monster myths—werewolves don’t exist, but watch out for werefish—monster hunters will have the tools they need to survive. Ages 5–8. (Sept.)