Bartholomew and the morning monsters

Mornings can be difficult, and peach-skinned Bartholomew is having a particularly tough one. After a group of monsters have a "wild rumpus" in the child's room each night, he must somehow get ready for school. But the monsters aren't ready to quit, and Bartholomew's morning routine quickly disintegrates: a yellow monster slimes his school clothes, and the creatures gang up to keep the kid from brushing his teeth, eating breakfast, or even peeing in peace. Dad can't see the monsters, but he recognizes that his child is tearful and frustrated, and provides the assistance Bartholomew needs to feel confident and in control again. This is a solid children's debut for both creators: Berger's text offers dry commentary ("Breakfast was, frankly, a disaster"), and cartooning by van Vliet, with its black outlines and flat, bright colors, packs both a vivid spontaneity and an emotional punch. It's a spot-on depiction of what it's like to wake up on the wrong side of the bed, and the chaos is funny and relatable for anyone who has temporarily misplaced their morning get-up-and-go. Ages 3--6. (Aug.)

A group of impish monsters frustrates a child's morning routine. Bartholomew enjoys the monsters that visit nightly--the book opens with a nod to Maurice Sendak as the monsters dance with Bartholomew in a "wild rumpus"--but they are making things difficult in the mornings. The black-and-white illustration on the book's title page captures the source of the chaos: One monster swallows Bartholomew's alarm clock. Now in Technicolor, the monsters linger in Bartholomew's home until morning and intensify the mischief during the child's morning routine, disrupting tooth-brushing, shoe-tying, breakfast, and even urinating (one monster scares Bartholomew at the toilet, which results in a yellow puddle on the bathroom floor). The wide-eyed monsters, depicted in bright, saturated colors and with rounded shapes, are goofy and fun-loving, never truly frightening. Two of the most meddlesome (small enough to wreak havoc by hiding in toothpaste tubes) are merely fluffy orange and yellow balls of fluff on legs. When Bartholomew breaks down in defeat and tears, Dad saves the day with composure: "Let's sort you out, Bartholomew." It can be hard for any child to get going in the mornings, whether the monsters are real or imagined, but when a trusted caregiver can step in to redirect, tears turn to smiles (even if one miniature monster hides in Bartholomew's backpack, hinting at more mayhem to come). Bartholomew and Dad are depicted with light skin and straight, black hair. A playful nod to difficult mornings. (Picture book. 4-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.