Mind Your Monsters by Catherine Bailey

Mind Your Monsters Reviews

• 
  Jasmine

  Just when all hope seems lost, the main character saves the town from monsters with the power of politeness.
  
  *claps hands like a seal in enthusiasm*
  
  Seriously could I be more Canadian? Probably not.
• 
  Rachel

  I found this book while looking for a Monster storytime book, and enjoyed not only the artwork but also the message: Being polite and saying please really works! Even with monsters. Recommended for ages 4-8, 4 stars.
• 
  Jennybeast

  One of the best manners books I've seen, with really excellent monsters.
• 
  Courtney Huskisson

  A manner's book with monsters, with a lesson on the magical word, 'Please'.
  
  I loved the illustration style -- it has a movie like quality, which makes sense since the illustrator is a storyboard creator and animator. It definitely has the flare (and makes me want to be friends with the adorable monsters).
• 
  Rebecca Colby

  This is a great book for gently reminding children to use their manners! And it's combined with monsters--what could possibly be more fun and engaging for children. A super concept that's been well-executed!
• 
  Christine Turner

  ATA Storytime Kit -- Review
  
  Vampires and werewolves and zombies--oh my! It's a monster invasion, and the stinky-smelling creatures are destroying Wally's peaceful little town. They scare the kids, knock over the lampposts, and make a mess of everything. And no one can stop them--until, fed up, Wally says . . . the magic word, "PLEASE." Learning good manners has never been as monstrously fun!
  
  Subject: Monsters -- Juvenile fiction.
  Etiquette -- Juvenile fiction.
  
  Notes
  Catherine Bailey is an author whose work has been published in children's magazines, including Hello / Highlights for Children . Her next book, Hypnosis Harry , is forthcoming from Sky Pony Press. She lives in sunny FL with her husband and two children.
  
  Oriol Vidal is an illustrator and storyboard artist based in Barcelona, Spain. He graduated from U.B. Barcelona with a degree in Fine Arts. Including illustrating books and magazines, Oriol has worked in animation where he developed character designs and storyboards for clients in the US, France, UK, South Korea, and Spain. He happily works and lives with his little daughter, his wife, his cat, and his rowdy budgie.
• 
  Sheri

  Here's a story with a subtle message about asking for things from monsters and getting your wish. These monsters make messes, knock over lampposts, chase mailmen, stink and scare everyone.How will they get them to stop or go away. The answer is in a request that you will find when you read the story and learn the secret. Good choice for a monster story.
• 
  Lauren

  This is a super cute book about manners disguised as a book about monsters. Who knew that the magic word to get people to listen to you is always please.
  
  I plan to use this in a preschool aged storytime.
• 
  Mandy

  (3.5 stars)
• 
  Julie

  A cute reminder to mind your manners and say please to get what you want!
• 
  Ruth

  An interesting twist on manners. Great Read-A-Loud!!!
• 
  Tracey Brown

  A lighthearted and fun way to show the importance of manners.
• 
  Elizabeth Moreau Nicolai

  Okay but not amazing as a storytime book. Works for monsters or manners theme.
• 
  Craig Schorling

  A cute and fun story that revisits the concept that manners go a long way in helping resolve issues. The illustrations are also very nice.
• 
  Dawn

  Watched this one on RyanandCraig.com
• 
  Jaidab

  5 stars for the illustrations, 0 for the didactic prose.
• 
  JoLene Mcfarland

  Cute social story
• 
  Katie Fitzgerald

  The illustrations in this book are very eye-catching and colorful. A couple of cliches creep in (there are several monsters who look exactly like characters from Monsters, Inc., and there is nothing particularly original about the artist's depiction of werewolves and zombies), but the colors are rich and the characters' faces wonderfully expressive. Unfortunately, the artwork is far more sophisticated than the story. While the pictures can easily appeal to an elementary school-aged audience, the storyline is clearly geared toward very young kids (ages 2-3). The disconnect between the content of the story and the style of the illustrations does a major disservice to the book overall.
  
  There is very little text on each page, making this book a decent choice as the final read-aloud of a story time session, or a good bedtime read on a night when the kids are extra sleepy or extra late getting tucked in. The writing is somewhat uneven. There is very little in the text to describe each monster, other than generic details, like a "rotten egg" smell, or vampires who "scare kids at the park." It would have been fun to have some more original descriptions to set this book apart from countless other monster-themed books. I didn't have any trouble reading it aloud, but it does not have any special features that would specifically recommend it as a read-aloud either.
  
  I realize there is a need for books which teach manners, but with the illustrations clearly depicting an older child (Wally looks to me to be at least 9 or 10), the lesson of this book - that it's important to say please - comes across as way too obvious. I think the book would appeal to kids who like the "How do Dinosaurs...?" books by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague, as well as to readers who have enjoyed Betsy Bird's Giant Dance Party, but it works better as a lesson on manners than as a monster story. One plus, though, of the mild subject matter, is that story time presenters and preschool teachers looking for monster books to share in celebration of Halloween now have one more decidedly non-spooky option to add to their repertoires.
• 
  Kellee Moye

  Full review with teaching tools:
  http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=8192
  
  I love the realistic setting and character illustrations mixed with the huge, imaginative monsters in the book. It really brings the book to life. I also think the protagonists will be kids that readers can connect with because they just seem so real and easy-going. Also, this book will be a very fun book to read with kids because it really doesn’t go the way you think it is going to go when you start reading it (and the message is one that we want all kids to learn).
  
  Side note: I appreciate the author including diversity in the town featured in the story. There are all different types of people which really does reflect society realistically.
• 
  Juliana Lee

  Wally’s life was pretty ordinary until his town was invaded by monsters. The monsters terrorized the citizens. And they were loud and smelled bad. Wally tried ignoring them, talking to them, and tricking them, but nothing worked. Eventually, the townspeople voted to move away, but the monsters blocked their way and wouldn’t let them leave. Then Wally tried something new, he said ‘please’. The monsters did everything Wally asked when he used the word ‘please’. Soon everyone used the magic word and they didn’t have to leave town. The people and the monsters got along just fine until the monsters got homesick and decided to return to their own homes. Everyone said good-bye and the monsters promised to come back and visit soon.
  
  http://julianaleewriter.com/books-ali...
• 
  Kendra

  If the goal is to teach kids to say please this definitely aims to accomplish that task. It's a cute book, but a little over the top. Wally says at the beginning he tried talking to the monsters (reasonably from the looks of it) and they wouldn't stop terrorizing the town. But "Please?" works? I'm not a fan of training kids to say words to open doors for them like keys. It sets them up for failure and gives the the false notion that anyone who uses the magic word should get what they want. Why wouldn't we want them to use logic and explain themselves instead of simply asking "Please?" Not the book for me but I imagine many will find great use for it.
• 
  Laine

  a good moral - that saying "please" is important and can move even the most scary monster to help clean up a town it just destroyed - but i take big issue with the fact that there is a girl present in most of the pictures with wally, and no mention of her whatsoever in the text. like...was there some miscommunication between the author and the illustrator? either don't have her featured so heavily in the book's illustrations or fucking give the character a mention or two in the text. for crissake she's on the fucking cover.
• 
  Kristina Jean Lareau

  Monsters invade Wally's town and nothing works to dispel them until they are asked politely.
  
  While the digital illustrations are strongly reminiscent of excellent animation, the story itself is heavy-handed and dull. There are so many monster books available that this one does not stand out among them all.
  
  Fun and dynamic illustrations are the saving grace of this book.
• 
  Nikki Glassley

  I really enjoyed this book until I was punched in the face with the lesson. Gorgeously illustrated, but didactic. No thanks.
• 
  Jennifer

  Please really is the magic word!
• 
  Kala

  Lovely illustrations.