A terrific message told with style and class.
Written with the feeling and tempo of classic children’s poetry from centuries past, The Night the Monsters Came is a catchy story for new readers that gently stresses the lesson of regular oral hygiene. A fearless little girl and her chivalrous, golden-haired older brother determine to fight the monsters at their doorstep. Though the monsters seem scary at the outset, the colorful cadre of would-be people-eaters are actually a bit bumbling and silly, lessening the frightfulness. The brave siblings, Jack and Joy, invite the intruders into their room where a tea party is underway. Just as the monsters prepare to feast on the dirty, sticky kids, dinner plans are interrupted as Jack and Joy reveal their clean feet and their brushed teeth, averting disaster and disgusting the filth-loving monsters.
Rhyme time comes with a smart lesson in Junia Wonders’s whimsical bedtime book, The Night the Monsters Came. Although these monsters are hungry, growling, grumpy creatures of enormous stature, their playful images and comical underbites make them less than intimidating for young imaginations winding down at the end of the day. For me, their playful shapes and silly faces made the monsters more charming and cuddly than fearsome, a smart choice for a nighttime story. And as the siblings try to handle a potentially scary monster invasion with diplomacy, little readers will surely glean their own ideas on how to deal with challenging situations and fears. The artwork is engaging on so many levels, including fun striped walls and Joy’s frilly fairy dress. Each page catches the eye and elicits a different feeling, but none more than the sleepy-eyed illustration with the siblings finally tucking in for sleep. A terrific message told with style and class, The Night the Monsters Came is sure to be a hit for toddlers.
