Alfred is happiest locked away in his study, where he can read his book of monsters. Care to take a peek? A turn of the page shows readers the spread Alfred, himself, is examining on Nixies. Sensitive youngsters should return to the shelves before this, perhaps for something charming like Jessie Sima's Not Quite Narwhal (2017), because the slimy, black-ink creature staring from the page with acid-green eyes might not be their cup of tea. Speaking of which, Alfred finds few things more annoying than having his reading interrupted by his aunt calling him to tea, which is always udder lightful. Over the next few days, Alfred gleefully reads about the beastly Black Shuck and the sinister Lantern Man and decides to jazz up his daily tea by inviting these three monsters to a tea party. Whether the event is a success is debatable n to Aunty slumped in an armchair t it's clear that Alfred had a terribly good time. And readers who go for mildly scary stories will, too.

Working in a minimalistic palette of browns and grays, Streed introduces a boy who, much to the chagrin of his proper, tea-loving aunt, loves reading about -terrible- monsters in his favorite book. As the book-s ragged, antiqued pages (and Alfred-s hands atop them) fill the spreads, readers encounter the monstrous characters: the cold-skinned, stream-dwelling Nixie; the shaggy, one-eyed Black Shuck; and the Lantern Man-a floating spirit with skeletal limbs who carries a sinister lantern (-the light of one thousand stolen souls-). After another -delightful- tea pushes Alfred too far (-I want MONSTERS!-), wordless panels show him racing to the graveyard to deliver an invitation to the monsters-who are not only very real but barge into the house for a wonderful, -terrible- tea time. Streed conveys a child-s love for frights while delivering a blend of droll humor and chilling creatures. Ages 3-7. (Aug.)