Mon, 23 Dec 2024 00:25:53 GMT
Close ✕
Mon, 23 Dec 2024 00:25:53 GMT
Close ✕
Only for dedicated fans of the series.
When a kid gets the part of the ninja master in the school play, it finally seems to be the right time to tackle the closet monster.
“I spot my monster right away. / He’s practicing his ROAR. / He almost scares me half to death, / but I won’t be scared anymore!” The monster is a large, fluffy poison-green beast with blue hands and feet and face and a fluffy blue-and-green–striped tail. The kid employs a “bag of tricks” to try to catch the monster: in it are a giant wind-up shark, two cans of silly string, and an elaborate cage-and-robot trap. This last works, but with an unexpected result: the monster looks sad. Turns out he was only scaring the boy to wake him up so they could be friends. The monster greets the boy in the usual monster way: he “rips a massive FART!!” that smells like strawberries and lime, and then they go to the monster’s house to meet his parents and play. The final two spreads show the duo getting ready for bed, which is a rather anticlimactic end to what has otherwise been a rambunctious tale. Elkerton’s bright illustrations have a TV-cartoon aesthetic, and his playful beast is never scary. The narrator is depicted with black eyes and hair and pale skin. Wallace’s limping verses are uninspired at best, and the scansion and meter are frequently off.
Only for dedicated fans of the series. (Picture book. 5-8)
Chapter 1
In chapter one, the reader is introduced to the main characters—the kids, Billy and Problem—as they explore the city’s swamp. They stumble across a strange creature, which they believe to be a monster, and decide to capture it. They discuss their plan of how best to catch the creature and construct a trap using some of the items that they have found in the swamp. As Billy and Problem continue their search for the monster, they come across several other creatures, which they discover to be not dangerous but rather harmless.
Chapter 2
In the second chapter, Billy and Problem come up with a plan to catch the monster that they found in the swamp. Billy devises a plan to make a rope lasso out of vines, which they can use to snag the creature. Problem suggests using a baited trap to lure it in. With the help of some animal-friendly traps and bait, Billy and Problem are able to capture the monster safely and without injury to either side.
Chapter 3
In the third chapter of How to Catch A Monster, Billy and Problem begin to study the creature that they caught. They nickname it Bob and eventually learn that Bob is not a monster, but rather an intelligent and friendly alien who flew to Earth in the form of a spaceship. Bob turns out to be an extremely interesting discovery for Billy and Problem, since they now have more questions about life in space and the creatures that live there.
Chapter 4
In chapter four, Billy and Problem decide to take Bob back to their home so that they can learn more about him and his species. After a few attempts, they manage to build a safe area for him in their backyard, and they start to introduce food and activities that he can engage in. As they further their research, they build a strong bond with Bob, who eventually reveals his true identity as a kind and loving creature from another planet.
Chapter 5
In the final chapter of How to Catch A Monster, Billy and Problem take their newfound friendship with Bob a step further and decide to build a model spaceship that looks like Bob’s ship so that he can take off and return to his home planet. With the help of some spare parts, a blueprints, and their newfound understanding of Bob’s culture, they successfully build a mini-version of his spaceship and eventually witness the goodbye as Bob heads for home. Through their journey, Billy and Problem have learned the true meaning of friendship and adventure.
