A Monster Wrote Me A Letter - book review

              "I would define, in brief, the poetry of words as the rhythmical creation of Beauty."
                                                           - Edgar Allan Poe




We still have National Poetry Month for a few more days. I will be featuring rhymes until the calendar hits the month of "May."

                                                  Author and Illustrator:  Nick Bland



A boy accidentally received a letter from a monster inviting himself over to play.  The boy, afraid to offend, accepts the invitation.  The monster's original letter was intended for his cousin, who lives under the boys bed.  Both monster and child prepare for the visit each coming up with ways that they think will help live up to each other's expectations.  The boy tries to add some gross factor to himself and his home, while the monster is concerned with his grooming....

"My fingernails will need some file.  I haven't bathed in quite a while. I'll take a bath. I'll learn to smile.  I'll comb my hair in "people" style.

The visit turns all their worries and anxieties into a great friendship between the unlikely two.

The illustrations are elegant black and white pencil accented with colour throughout. This charming story is cute, fun and written in rhyme  It is a story begging to be read over and over again.

The book won the CBCA Notable Picture Book of the Year - 2006

Other books by the author:  I Lost My Kisses, The Magnificent Tree, The Runaway Hug, The Aunties Three, Twinkle HB, Donald Loves Drumming, Some Dads, The Very Cranky Bear, The Very Hungry Bear, The Very Itchy Bear, The Wrong Book and Aussie Jingle Bells.

About the Author:     

  

Nick was born on a farm in the Australian Yarra Valley in 1973.  He is the son of an artist and a primary school teacher.  He spent his early childhood climbing haystacks and making mischief in his father's studio.  He moved to "the bush" at the age of 6 and he discovered a wonderful new world and his creativity bloomed.  He always told his family and friends he was going to be a cartoonist and writer.  In 1996 he stumbled upon a bookshop job and he finally found the medium that would bring these two loves together.  Untrained, he spent the next couple of years reading every picture book that hit the shelves and began honing his style as a storyteller and illustrator.  He lives in tropical Darwin, where he works as a guardian for 120 aboriginal boys who board nearby.  He loves both of his jobs and hopes to combine them in the near future.  

Book Review Rating:   9  ( Close to perfection!)

Read on and read always!