Mostly Monsterly

From Ferdinand the Bull to the heroic mouse Despereaux, children’s books focus to good effect on an
individual whose appearance seems at odds with his or her nature. Bernadette is one of those creatures: a fierce-looking little monster, complete with turquoise skin, fangs, claws, and pointy ears. “On the outside,” the text begins, “Bernadette was mostly monsterly. She lurched. She growled. She caused mayhem of all kinds.” The next spread reveals her dark secret: she also liked to pick flowers, pet kittens, and bake. The rest of the story follows Bernadette at Monster Academy, where she first tries to fit in and then manages to steer the group in her direction. For her crowning achievement, she gets her fellow young monsters to wreak havoc on an arts-and-crafts project. Magoon’s digital illustrations are the highlight of this book—Bernadette’s colorful classmates feature all sorts of appealing extras, like multiple eyes, horns, and feet. A green one even has four heads, and they’re all smiling by the end. - BOOKLIST, July 1, 2010