The silly title of this book gives no clue to its true subject: how to write an interesting book. But treating this serious topic whimsically is just the way to get a child's attention. On the beginning end pages, a cute, childish blue monster begins a story; on the final pages, a more dramatic monster begins another. In between, we meet a full cast of potential characters: a hungry dragon, a damsel in distress, several kids, a cowardly knight, and, of course, a sidekick. Like all good books, the story goes through several edits as it attempts to become more interesting and complex. The surprise conclusion is just the ticket for young readers, and it offers the potential for more. Bentley's illustrations, created by pencil and pen and colored with digital gouache and watercolor, are muted, with some surreal landscapes, giving the story a dreamlike focus and highlighting the world of the imagination. Pair with Chloe and the Lion? (2012), by Mac Barnett and Adam Rex, for another celebration of storytelling.

A big blue monster and a little yellow monster try to drum up an entertaining dragon story for the audience."Oh, hi, everybody," says the big blue monster at the start of this cockamamie tale. "Want to hear a story? Great!" It is a brief story. "So, there's this kid… // And he gets eaten by a dragon. / The End!" The little yellow monster suggests a slightly longer tale—one without a dragon. But the big blue monster insists on a hungry dragon character. "Dragon stories usually don't end well," warns the little yellow monster. "But, if you insist..." and out comes a story of a dragon that does end well for all concerned, for it was Tuesday, and, as is stipulated on the dragon menu, Tuesday is noodles only. Back in the frame story, the big blue monster says the story is ridiculous, though it doesn't really matter because a hungry dragon arrives on the storytelling scene and, it being Wednesday, when monsters are on the menu, well…"GULP!" This recursive tale invites young readers right into the storytelling process to create their own, as well as to enjoy the efforts of the two monsters. And Bentley's artwork, which has the look and liveliness of animated cartoons, works well with the broad fits and starts of storytelling. Pleasingly, in the story within the story, it is the clever damsel of color who saves the day and not the milquetoast white knight.No matter how silly it gets, this title never loses its engagement with readers. (Picture book. 3-6)