The Story of Growl

“Growl” refers to both the title character—a diminutive purple monster—and the ear-shattering sound she loves to make. Growl's growling isn't an issue as long as she leads a solitary life within the confines of her impressive castle. But when her well-meaning growling spoils teatime for the neighbors, the spiny heroine suddenly finds herself on the receiving end of a NIMBY movement—until she proves her worth as a one-monster neighborhood watch. Horacek (illustrator of Where Is the Green Sheep? ) draws goofy cartoons with a genial, contemporary look, and Growl exudes a Pokémonesque charm: her saw-toothed smile is hard to resist. The text leaves little to the imagination (“Growl was the saddest she'd ever been.... She tried to run around her garden, but running is hard when you're trying not to cry”), but frequent cues to say “growl” as loudly as possible will invigorate readers. Ages 3–8. (Sept.)