Review by Booklist Review
Ages 4-8. In a world not so long ago, monsters were a part of the social landscape. They farmed the land, milked the cows, played ball, and sat on the shore alongside humans of every shape and size. There aren't many left nowadays, at least not by the light of day. But as the night falls, and strange sounds screech and scratch and tick, monsters step in to lend a helping hand so little ones can drift quietly back to sleep. The story is slight, mostly a recitation of monsters then and now. But Brown's illustrations, which repaint monsters as helpful friends and imbue them with charm and tenderness, give the book its appeal. --Kelly Milner Halls
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Kids learn to greet their fears with a hearty howdy-do in A World Full of Monsters (1986) by John Troy McQueen, illus. by Marc Brown. Brown's humorous illustrations portray monsters as local firefighters, farmers and ballerinas. "When you saw one, you just said, `Hi, Monster,' and kept on walking." (HarperCollins, $15.95 32p ages 4-up ISBN 0-06-029769-7; Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2 A welcome addition to satisfy the never-ending demand for ``monster'' books. Seated on his grandmothers's lap, a little boy tells of monsters long ago when his great-great grandparents lived. In the Victorian era of bicycles, candles, and water pumps, monsters and people mixed and mingled, and shared a similar way of life. Brown's rendition of the Victorian era is accurate and provides visual insight and information about the times. Illustrations are detailed, boldly colored, and humorous. The little boy draws readers back to the present when he tells them that monsters are almost nonexistent today, except at nighttime when they wash the windows (``screech, screech''), repair the clock (``tick, tick''), sweep the floor (``scratch, scratch''), fix the faucet (``drip, drip''), and smile a friendly smile when you say, ``Hi, Monster!'' before going back to sleep. McQueen's approach to a child's fear of monsters is as funny as Mayer's You're the Scaredy Cat (Four Winds, 1974), but more subtle and sensitive. Author and illustrator explain away the noises of the night, reassuring children that these noises are not to be feared. A clever approach to a timeless topic. Janice Amicone, Downingtown Area School District, Uwchland, Pa. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
This reissue features new jacket art by the illustrator. A young narrator explains that monsters used to be everywhere. There aren't many monsters left nowadaysà. But when the boy hears noises at night, he knows they're the sounds of helpful monsters doing chores while everyone sleeps. BrownÆs cartoony illustrations feature friendly looking characters and complement the slight, understated text. From HORN BOOK Spring 2002, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
This superficial attempt to allay a childhood fear fails to provide either comfort for those in need or satisfaction for monster-book gourmands. The very brief text describes a 19th-century society wherein monsters worked, played and lived alongside people; if you met one on the street, you were supposed to say, ""Hello, monster,"" and keep walking. Today, for unexplained reasons, there are not many monsters. Those that are left come to your house at night and make odd noises, so don't be anxious, even if one walks into your room. The breezy tone carries over to Brown's bland illustrations; unscary, slightly crocodilian monsters, bearing fixed, idiotic smiles, are all portrayed as awkward imitations of their human neighbors, incapable of holding a football or a baseball bat correctly, largely relegated to menial tasks. Other picture books on the subject treat their audience with more respect; even the achingly sweet Clyde Monster (Crowe, Dutton, 1976) doesn't trivialize a child's fears. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
