Monster and Boy

Monster and Boy #1

by Hannah Barnaby, Anoosha Syed (Illustrator)

Fall in love with the friendship between Monster and Boy in this exciting new chapter book series from writer Hannah Barnaby and illustrator Anoosha Syed.



When Monster (who lives under the bed) meets Boy (who sleeps in the bed), Boy starts to scream--and Monster promptly swallows him. It's the beginning of a beautiful friendship!

Told with a warm, cozy voice, the story is brought to life with adorable two-color illustrations. Filled with adventure and humor, this chapter book is perfect for sharing with kids just aging out of picture books and for newly independent readers.

Genres: Fantasy, Humor, Childrens, Fiction, Friendship, Chapter Books, Middle Grade

144 pages, Hardcover

First published July 28, 2020

About the author

Hannah Barnaby is a former children's book editor and indie bookseller, and was the first-ever Children's Writer-in-Residence at the Boston Public Library. Her debut young adult novel, Wonder Show, was a William C. Morris Award finalist, and her second novel, Some of the Parts, received a starred review from Publisher's Weekly. Hannah makes her double picture book debut in 2017 with Bad Guy, illustrated by Mike Yamada, and Garcia and Colette Go Exploring, illustrated by Andrew Joyner. Hannah lives in Charlottesville, VA with her family.

Reviews

[Ethan · Rating 5 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT

This awesome book is about a boy and a monster the boy end up getting eaten by the monster the boy gets shrunken. The monster is incredibly sorry. They try to un shrink the boy and the boy gets un shrunken.

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

What happens when a boy finds a monster under his bed? There are scary moments and funny moments in this story about for young readers who are looking for chapter book stories about monsters.

[Bonnie Grover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine getting swallowed by the monster who lives under your bed! For the boy it’s the beginning of a great friendship. For young readers, it’s the beginning of an exciting new illustrated chapter series. I loved how a narrator jumps into the story occasionally and gives the reader some insights into the story.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boy is sure there's no such thing as monsters. But monster, who lives peaceably under boys bed (of course) decides it's time to show boy that he's wrong. Hilarity ensues when monster gets scared and accidentally swallows boy. Oops! From them on everything turns upside down. Totally delightful in every way. Great read for kids transitioning from early readers to chapter books. Fun illustrations, too. Totally delightful in every way. Reads like a future classic that kids will turn to again and again.

[Jodi Escalante · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been looking for some chapter books for my 8 and 10 year old. This one is cute, funny, and heartwarming. There were some funny parts I thought my 10 year old would appreciate. But the content/illustrations are probably geared more towards my 8 year old. I think they would both enjoy it. But I don’t know if it’s one that would leave a strong impression or impact on them.

[KatieCatlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an AMAZING book! fantasy and magical! monster meets boy, is a wonderfully fiction and friendly story!
The pictures are a great illustration and the words are easy to read.
I recommend for children and adults to consider reading this wonderful book!!

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a certain whimsy that I adore about this story. That, and the perfection of the last chapter. <3

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this chapter book with my son and we had a blast. I love stories like this that give you a pallet cleanse while also being entertaining and atmospheric.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

We loved this one! It was a really fun story.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

We LOVED this book. The monster under the bed loves the little boy and wants to be friends. We can’t wait to go back to the library to get book #2.

Eliana’s review: “I like this book. My favorite part is when they help the sister get the candy.”

[Renée · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute beginner chapter book.

[Carrie Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This adorable chapter book is full of fun pictures, a sweet monster and a little boy who end up on a surprising little journey. My five year old son loves The Princess in Black and Mercy Watson series but lately has struggled to get into any other chapter books. Every night at bedtime he was excited to read this one and often asked for one more chapter. We are headed to our local bookstore tomorrow to pick up number 2

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

First sentence: Once there was a monster who loved a boy. The monster had never met the boy because monsters are nocturnal and boys (well, most boys) are not. But he knew the sound of the boy’s voice, and he loved that sound. He knew the smell of the boy’s dirty socks, and he loved that smell. He knew the sight of the boy’s slippers by the side of the bed, waiting for the boy’s feet, and he loved those slippers and those feet. Monsters don’t know much about love. Or maybe they do. The monster had lived under the boy’s bed for many years. He listened to the boy playing during the day. He listened to the boy talking in his sleep at night. He heard bedtime stories and songs, he heard snoring and snuffling, and he loved the boy more and more.

Premise/plot: Told from the perspective of a monster under the bed, the book showcases their misadventures after the boy sees the monster for the first time.

My thoughts: Never has a book started with so much promise and potential. The opening paragraphs hooked me. Unfortunately, the book's plot was flimsy--at best. Flimsy is the wrong word. It is. Whimsical is a better fit. And I hope a fairer fit. I see 'whimsy' as describing the kind of silly/nonsensical happenings that unfold while you are in a dream state. So long as you are in the dream and going with the flow and not questioning too much exactly what is happening and how it is happening and firming up the details, it makes its own kind of sense. The plot and story details just don't hold up (at least not for me) in an awake state of mind. Now some readers may enjoy venturing into whimsical adventures and praise the imaginative narrative.

I seem to be in the minority here. It seems that almost all readers on GoodReads rate it FOUR or FIVE stars.

What matters is not what adult readers think of the book--if they like it or not--but whether kids--the target audience--enjoy reading it. Is it appealing to kids? Do kids find it funny? Do they enjoy it enough to want book two in the series?

[Annamarie Carlson (she, her)]

The monster under the bed loves the boy who lives in the world above. The monster listens when the boy plays, when his mom reads him bedtime stories, and when the boy softly snores while he sleeps. After the boy's mother tells the boy that monsters are real, the monster is determined to do something about it-so he reveals himself to the boy. The boy is understandably shocked and possibly about to scream...so the monster eats him.

The monster isn't so sure about this outcome, as he really just wanted to be friends, but he isn't sure how to get the boy back out now that the boy is in his monster tummy. The monster decides to sleep on it, rather liking the idea that the boy is with him always, but when the monster wakes up, he discovers the boy is no longer inside him. The monster starts to cry, and suddenly he coughs up the boy, who is now very, very small. Can they return him to his original size?

This is a charming, humor-filled story that took many unexpected turns. Told from the perspective of the monster under the bed, the book adds an extra level of humor by letting the narrator add their own commentary throughout (such as explaining why the monster and boy are never given names). Lots of fun, including little-sister antics and the budding friendship between the monster and the boy. This would be a great story to recommend a caregiver and child read together before bedtime.

[Joanne Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is obviously is well plotted, well-written, well-edited, and cleverly illustrated. While it did not delight me personally, it will definitely charm a large segment of the target audience. Monster and Boy is about a nine year old and is heavily illustrated. I would categorize it in the middle of the target category, emerging independent readers. The prose is completely clear and age-appropriate. She uses a conversational style and breaks the forth wall right from the beginning. The book is full of two-color art which has a quirky appeal. From a reviewers perspective, the only complaint I have is sometimes the designer used colored text and a fluke font which was often difficult to read. There are instances of white on pale turquoise, and type on a weird dark green for night scenes, and opening chapters with a tight squiggly font not unlike comic sans, but much less scannable. The different colors are meant to help tell the story, but I can imagine some readers having difficulty. As a reader, the irreverent and slightly illogical world-building would not have appealed to the kid I was, and neither does it to the adult/parent I am. I will say that the first paragraph is one of the best I’ve read in a chapter book in a long time. I may never read this book again, but I will definitely come back to those opening five sentences. Spoiler: halfway through, the author misses a brilliant opportunity. Let’s just say, the sister recommends a solution which they don’t even try, and then later we find out she has been exposed to a similar situation, and the text glosses over it in a random attempt at humor. Too bad

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite simply fantastic. Wouldn't you like to meet the monster under your bed?

In an unusual twist, the boy (named whatever you like) meets the monster under his bed (also named whatever you like). Unfortunately, in an effort to quiet the boy who is about to scream, the monster eats him up. And hijinks ensue, including a Honey-I-Shrunk-the-Boy-I-Just-Swallowed vibe, some late night sneaking, a little sister/monster, a (clean) toilet adventure, a sneaky vegetable candy bowl, a fish net, and some dreaming. Altogether delightful, and the turquoise highlights to the black and white illustrations are superb. They remind me a little of LeUyen Pham's The Princess in Black style, and are full of humor and fun.

This would be a fun read aloud short chapter book. Lots of opportunities for audience participation.

[Dad's Novel Idea · Rating 5 out of 5]

DAD SAYS: This is great for any kid who can read or sit and listen to a story. Yes, there’s a monster in it, but it’s not scary.

****

What a delightful find! My daughter picked this out from the library as we were hurrying out one day, and we both absolutely loved it.

It’s a cute story of a monster under a boy’s bed who very early in the book eats him. But I swear it’s not scary! It’s more cute and adorable, really.

The author adds some metafictional commentary in the “green” chapters (they’re literally green pages), and this dad greatly enjoyed those parts.

Not that the story isn’t good - it definitely is - but I had fun reading those because it seemed the author had such fun writing them.

I won’t spoil any of the story, but it’s a cute, funny read, and boys and girls of most ages will enjoy it.

I give it 5 stars, and my third-grader gives it 10 out of 5.

There are more books in this series, and we definitely will be reading those, too.

[Burlington Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Monster and Boy made me laugh out loud and coerce my teenage daughter, who had the misfortune to be sitting next to me on the couch, to listen to me read passages aloud. Offended when the boy's mother asserts that there is no such thing as monsters, the monster who lives under the boy's bed decides to come out and introduce himself. When it looks like the boy is about to scream, the monster panics and swallows him. Thus begins the quirky and delightful romp of a story that unfolds as the monster and the boy try to figure out how to put things to rights. Written in short chapters and illustrated in tri-color line drawings, Monster and Boy is a thoroughly enjoyable read-aloud chapter book, or a good read-alone book for independent early to middle elementary readers. -April

[Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cute story about a boy who discovers a monster under his bed, and the monster accidentally makes the boy smaller and figuring out how to make him the same size again. This a perfect book for new readers who are trying to read chapter books for the first time as the chapters are short, there are plenty of charming illustrations. It makes of an ideal read aloud for parents at bedtime as it could be finished in two to three nights. The boy's incorrigible sister makes an appearance through the last half of the book, who is looking for help getting the bowl of candy stashed on top of the refrigerator. This book is for 1st and 2nd graders who like their monsters on the adorbable and funny side.

[Misty Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Monster and Boy is a sweet story about the “true story” about the Monster who lives under the bed. It is told with a silly spirit that ages 6-9 would really enjoy and understand. It is a story filled with adventure and excitement – that happens all while the mother is asleep. I highly recommend this book as a started chapter book. It is a great story that will keep them guessing till the end. It also has great illustrations that work with the story to keep the readers attention. The illustrations will pull the reader along providing the support that a beginning reader needs to continue to feel successful. Overall a super cute and easy to read story!

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a quirky little quick read! I kinda loved it, and I think it will be a perfect read for 2nd and 3rd graders wanting to push into chapter books but not quite ready for the long fiction options. I loved the characters (I choose to call them Reginald and Grover :) ) and I loved the way the narrator breaks the fourth wall and communicates with the reader. Lots of humor, fantastic illustrations, a fun new imaginative monster-under-my-bed kind of world. My only gripe about the book has to do with my old librarian eyes... I wasn't a fan of the white text on teal pages. There wasn't a lot of it, but what there was proved tricky for my eyesight.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review is for Monster & Boy Books 1-3. In this series, a young boy's under-the-bed monster introduces himself one night, and they become great friends. Each discovers from the other what it means to be a boy and what it means to be a monster. In the short chapters and charming illustrations, the boy and monster explore topics children will relate to such as friendship, sibling rivalry and jealousy, and competition among peers. Perfect bedtime reads for children just moving into chapter books. Readers ages 5-8 will delight in the silly narrator's direct addresses that invite interaction with the story. (Very similar to Hale's Princess in Black series)

[Kristin Crouch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to MacMillan Kids for sharing a review copy with Collabookation.
A sweet story about a monster who lives under the bed of a boy - and loves him. When they finally meet after the boy declares that he isn't afraid of monsters, a series of mishaps cements their friendship.
I enjoyed this whimsical story of new friendship. Illustrations convey emotion beautifully, and I loved the sporadic chapters addressing the reader directly.
Highly recommend this book to all students! Would be a great nighttime story.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this ARC from the publisher.

The monster under the bed loves the boy so much that he reveals himself. When the boy almost screams the monster panics and swallows him. This is the beginning of a fun story where the monster must confront his fears of the mysterious downstairs and bathrooms.

This is such a fun story that will be a great addition for kids who want to make their way into chapter books. With lots of pictures and an interactive style of writing, Hannah Barnaby's book will definitely be a hit with the K-2 crowd. I enjoyed the way she spoke to the reader and drew them into the action of the story. Perfect for fans of Narwhal and Jelly or Monkey and Robot.

[Denise Kettering · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when a monster comes out from under the bed? This book details the first encounter between Monster and Boy (no other names) and how they get to know each other. There are some funny moments in the story. There are places where the narrator also interrupts the overall plot to give an opinion or directly address the audience, which provide some nice moments to speak about perspective, although my daughter was not a fan of those. This is a fun book about facing fears and making friends that elementary-aged kids will probably enjoy.

[Emma]

Monster and Boy by Hannah Barnaby it is the illustrated chapter book I’ve most enjoyed recently. Boy is surprised to see Monster under his bed, but maybe not as surprised as Monster is, because Monster promptly swallows him whole. The story is a funny adventure, with a whimsical, 4th-wall-breaking style, but it is also a sweet story of friendship. This book is perfect for 1st-3rd graders.

(1/18/20 Facebook Live book talk)

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute! The illustrations really make this story, which is not really a story, just “What if there was ACTUALLY a monster under your bed but it was CUTE!” It does have that Chronicles of Narnia style of narration where the narrative is constantly addressing the child reader like “Wow! Was that unexpected? I bet you really were not expecting THAT. Now back to our story,” and I can remember being a kid and finding that so condescending. But the illustrations in this book really are great.

[Julie Reeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, love this one. Hannah Barbaby created what felt like almost an interactive story. I now know what I would and would not need to do If I found a monster under my bed. I loved the different directions she took readers in. I.e boy needing to navigate eating, trapped in the bathroom, etc. with a monster who has never experienced those things. Super funny and heartwarming at times. I can absolutely see why it is up for an OTTER award this year.

[Erin · Rating 1 out of 5]

This children's book is absolutely terrible. One of the worst most destructive children's books I have every read. Her language is overtly pornographic. The entire story line hinges on a "monster" "eating" a boy... there are so many gross analogies and creepy grooming descriptions. This author should be ashamed and needs mental help. Why would anyone write a children's book like this? Amazon should stop selling it and all libraries should take it off their shelves/

[Kyra Carmack · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was nominated for the Blue Hen award for 2023 in Delaware and it was on the list I have to read. I enjoyed this cute story and really think that children will enjoy this story about how a monster meets the boy who he cares about so much. The story has a few twists and turns in it that I found funny but overall it was a heartwarming book.