Counting, naps and monsters. Oh my

One Little Monster does not stay one very long. In fact, wait long enough and you will count up to 10 monsters. Or is that last one a real monster?

Mark Gonyea has created an abstracted story about how one child sees the monsters in the room start to multiple in some interesting, unique, clumsy and even stinky ways. Are these monsters real or a little boys imagination? Is this a child who should be taking a nap and is playing instead or did a monster really show up on his window?

This book is a fun learning book as you can talk to your child about things like that as well as count to ten. Sadly, while there is nothing new (we have all had a counting book and we have all seen books about monsters) but there is something about this book that makes you want to have a copy for your child, grandchild, niece, nephew or classroom.

The art work is overwhelmingly bright and just pop off the page. Each illustration is not overly detailed, but there is still a lot of stuff going on. The very last page when the boy and his new friends finally take that most needed nap, finally is the calmest page but does not shy away from this sensation of colors. The text is bouncy and rhyming. This moves the story along and allows for no question to what happened (that stinky monster? Yes, one cut the cheese and number 5 came along).