Sunday, 23 August 2015

Stop Those Monsters! By Steve Cole and Jim Field (Children's, 9 years +, 9/10E)

 June 2015, Simon and Schuster, 224 pages, Paperback, Review copy

Content: madness, monsters, grossness, snakes, humour  

Summary from Simon and Schuster
I'm Bob, a human boy stuck in a land of MONSTERS. I'm trying to get out with the help of three - count them, three - incredible creatures.
There's Verity, who looks like a giant hamster. Alfie, who's about as scary as a bag of crisps. And Zola, a gorgon who can't turn people to stone (though she can manage cardboard at a push).

We're on a crazy, death-defying quest to escape with our lives. And all around us, the cry goes up: STOP THOSE MONSTERS!!! - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.co.uk/Stop-Those-Monsters!/Steve-Cole/9780857078742#sthash.7cQpazUR.dpuf
I'm Bob, a human boy stuck in a land of MONSTERS. I'm trying to get out with the help of three - count them, three - incredible creatures. 

There's Verity, who looks like a giant hamster. Alfie, who's about as scary as a bag of crisps. And Zola, a gorgon who can't turn people to stone (though she can manage cardboard at a push).

We're on a crazy, death-defying quest to escape with our lives. And all around us, the cry goes up: STOP THOSE MONSTERS!!!

Nayu's thoughts 
This book is frequently cross with crazy goings on, and entirely hilarious. I hate snakes, so Zola's hair-do freaked me out no end but even I had to laugh at her snake's reactions to what happens in the story. If this had been written by any other author I would have passed because Bob is the main character (prefer girls who I at least can relate to more easily), and there are snakes in, but I am a bit of a Steve Cole fangirl, I love Steve's humour so had no hesitation in wanting to see where his imagination took Bob and friends.

I loved the sheer volume of pages which had me giggling away at Bob's adventure. He ends up in lots of hot water, sometimes because of his ignorance of the monster world, and frequently because of mishaps (both of his own making and others). I liked the similarities and differences between the monster and human world (most being gross, some being rather logical). The concept of different levels to the monster world leaves plenty of room for exploration in future stories, and let my own mind wonder as to what Zola and the other monsters' lives must be like pre-Bob.

The illustrations are numerous, funny, although most of them weirded me out (I'm very particular with the style I like), and some I had to cover the page, they help make the amazing story more amazing. I have to say that I partly brought the grade down because if reading the book on a hot day in one sitting you will end up with blackened hands from holding the heavily inked book. The problem can be solved by a) wearing gloves b) reading it on a cold day c) reading the ebook version. However you read this book rest assured you will love the zaney characters all of who have secrets to reveal to you (and Bob). I suspect there'll be significant time before the next monster book (I think there will be one) for me to get over the ickier parts of the tale and enjoy Bob's misadventures in monster world. 

Find out more on Steve's website

Available from bookstores including NRC affiliate Foyles

Suggested read 
An equally mental read (but with a better female side-kick) is Galactic Hot Dogs: Cosmoe's Wiener Getaway by Max Brallier and Rachel Maguire (Children's, 7 years +, 10/10E) 

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