Mommy's Little Monster

PreS-K—When Mother Troll puts on her clodhoppers and pondweed cloak to go out for a party, Tiny Troll knows she's "the prettiest mommy ever," and when Mrs. Hag arrives to babysit, his tantrums set in. But a "mugful of mudmilk" in the "swamproom" and a grand storybook make his crying go away. When mom comes home, she brings him a lovely bag of worms and tucks him in gently. McNiff misses no opportunity for creative language celebrating monster culture; Mommy slimes her scales and curls her bristles. Willis-Crowley keeps the pace with enchanting scenes of affection, balanced with background details like a cupboard with Essence of Bog and Leech Treacle. Her cartoon watercolor, gouache, and pen and pencil illustrations depict a homey cave, complete with a googly-eyed headboard and itchy mats. This is one of those rare books that make children and adults get giggly.—Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA