Silliness abounds when a boy meets the monster under his bed in Monster and Boy, a fun-filled debut early-reader chapter book by Hannah Barnaby (There's Something about Sam; Wonder Show).
"Once there was a monster who loved a boy." Having never met the boy, though, the monster decided to introduce himself. Understandably surprised, the boy started to yell, and "the monster panicked. He did the only thing he could think of. He swallowed the boy." When finally freed from the monster's stomach, the boy has mysteriously shrunk, and the two new acquaintances must find a way to make him big again. Having never been anywhere but under the bed, the monster is timid, but with the encouragement of the boy, he bravely traverses the rest of the house. Hilarious antics ensue--introducing the monster to everyday objects, bargaining with an interfering little sister and an accidental swim in a toilet. This sweet and silly romp is made even more fun by the inclusion of a playfully eccentric narrator, whose entertaining asides provide additional monster-related context. And never fear, both monster and boy have a happy ending for, as the helpful narrator says, "if the ending isn't right, it's probably not the end."
Author Hannah Barnaby's whimsical story of an unusual friendship is enhanced by Anoosha Syed's dynamic line drawings in three colors. Syed (Bilaal Cooks Daal; I Am Perfectly Designed) uses loose, broken lines to create a monster (cuddly and yeti-like with antlers) and boy full of personality and life. Adorable and expressive illustrations, goofball humor and a story full of friendship and hijinks make this a fun, gentle adventure. --Jennifer Oleinik, freelance writer and editor