Monster kids e you ready for this? e just like normal kids! That's the tried-and-true message veteran author Yolen delivers in this whimsical, warmhearted rhyme, which turns bumps in the night into the sweetest sounds of all. "Monsters creep, / Monsters crawl, / Over the meadow / And up the wall," she writes, as a cadre of beasties make its way from school, through the playground, across the park, down the street, and into home for dinner, baths, and bedtime. Murphy's oil, acrylic, and gel illustrations instantly grab attention with their unusual, omniscient points of view: sailing high above the ground or from an angle even lower than a bathtub. The monsters look like they walked off a Maurice Sendak casting call, with their big, wobbly bodies and almost random sprinklings of horns, tentacles, and eyeballs. Yolen winds down her lullaby with night noises ("Burp / Grrrr / Snarl / Snarf") that peter away as the two monstrous siblings finally conk out. Bedtime fare you can count on.

Two youngsters fill their day with familiar school, play, and bedtime routines. Accompanying illustrations depict the not-so-familiar: bulging-eyed, horny-headed, worm-eating monsters. This playful lullaby will entertain bed-goers, as the adorable (in their own way) pair say their "monster prayers, / And into bed / But toss and turn / And bounce instead" before succumbing to sleep.

This brief lullaby-story provides just-right toddler-sized chills. The action begins at 3:00 as school lets out. Yolen describes it all in rhyme with spare sentences and phrases: "Monsters creep, / Monsters crawl // Over the meadow / And up the wall." Murphy chooses a muted palette to illustrate the motley bunch of innocuous creatures sporting a horn or two, various numbers of eyes, an occasional tail or tufts of fur. Preschool monster fans are sure to pore over and giggle at Murphy's droll, detailed paintings executed in a mix of oil, acrylic and gel. They will also easily relate to the depicted routine of coming home, eating dinner, taking a bath and getting into bed, and they will be charmed rather than spooked as the text's gentle cadence begins to work a calming magic. But the monsters show a last burst of energy—of course—as they "toss and turn and bounce" before finally snuggling in for the night. Silly going-to-sleep sounds such as "Growl / Gurgle / Burp" gently bring this soon-to-be popular book to an end.  There's plenty in this scary-sweet book to please children all year round. (Picture book. 2-4)

PreS-Gr 1 A whimsical bedtime story to share again and again. Yolen's rhythmic, sometimes repetitive verse is perfectly matched by Murphy's double-page illustrations. Children will enjoy the contrast of a familiar routine with a cast of bright-eyed and animated monsters. After making their way home from school, two monster children eat dinner, play inside, bathe, pray, and go to bed, reluctantly at first. However, their attempts to keep each other awake with funny noises and silly games eventually prove futile. Through the text and pictures, the mundane machinations are brought to life with humorous and charming details. Background colors fade from light to dark as the sun goes down, and the light at home is less bright but warmer than that of the sun. Descriptions grow shorter and more specific until the only words are the noises the youngsters make as they go to sleep. As monster stories go, this one is ultimately more sweet than scary. Pair it with James Otis Thach's The Tickle Monster Is Coming (Bloomsbury, 2008) for a storyhour or recommend it as a bedtime book. A first choice for any library serving sweet, silly little monsters. Heather Talty, Columbia Grammar &; Preparatory School, New York City