Jean-Paul Mulders

The little boy in the story loves to swing. He is not allowed to go by himself, so his father takes him to the swing by the farm near the woods. There is a monster that lives in the cottage in the woods who loves to eat children. He follows the smell of the child until he finds him on the swing. He tries to scare the boy with his roars, but that does not work. He stretches up to his full size but the little boy is still not scared. The monster slinks away, sad that he could not scare the little boy and eats leaves instead. A silly story about a boy and his father using their imagination to have some fun.

The illustrations in this book were rather blah. They were simple and mono-coloured. I am not sure if children would be attracted to this book by the illustrations or the story itself.

I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.… (més)

The Pruwahaha Monster is a story told by a father to his son while he pushes him on a swing. The story is a bit scary with a monster who is looking for a child to feast upon. Personally, I thought it was sort of funny in a “morbid” kind of way. However, this story is not meant to scare but to empower the little boy not to fear the monster.

The illustrations are gorgeous. I love the colors used, and all the details throughout. With the words of the story contained to every other page, the reader gets a chance to fully explore the illustrations and see all the beauty within them. My favorite things about the illustrations are the woodland creatures (especially the bunny). As you read the book it is clear that the story and the illustrations go hand in hand. It is a perfect artistic pairing.

The writing is descriptive and beautiful. With a change in font size, the illustrator/author gives the reader a visual cue to remind them to change his/her voice while reading the story out loud. Along with visual cues, the author uses more difficult vocabulary that opens up the opportunity for readers and listeners of the story to learn new words.

One of my favorite things about the Pruwahaha Monster is the feeling of mystery created by the author in regards to the monster. Younger readers are sure to be on the edge of their seats. There will be questions that will arise as to who the monster really is. This can lead to an excellent opportunity to discuss the meaning of the word “monster’. Are there different meanings/types of monsters? How do they differ from the ones created in our own imagination?

At first, I was a bit concerned that this book would frighten little kids. However, the story’s tone does change quickly and the cheerful illustrations also help take away from the “scary” factor. Due to the positive message about conquering one’s fear and laughing at it. As well as the mystery behind who the monster really is. I believe both kids and adults will enjoy and be entertained by this story.

The Pruwahaha Monster is the perfect Fall read as we approach Halloween. A bit scary, fun, and entertaining. It is sure to delight young and old readers alike.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kids Can Press for providing me with an E-ARC in return for an honest review.… (més)

Simple drawings, interesting use of space on the pages, fun typography effects, and fabulous descriptive language make this an enjoyable book. The underlying message that we don’t have to be afraid of things is a bonus.

Possible Objectionable Material:
The little boy is outside alone. There is a monster, even though it is unseen.

Who Might Like This Book:
Those who like a little bit of a scare, and those who laugh in the face of “danger.”

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC. This book also reviewed at http://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2017/08/a-panoply-of-picturebooks.html.… (més)