The ugliest monster in the world

PreS-K--This vivacious competition among a trio of Muppet-colored monsters will have preschoolers giggling at how opposite of "ugly" all of them are. From deeply pigmented blues and pinks to electric greens and yellows, a string-bean blue monster, a bulbous furry red one, and a yellow caterpillar-shaped third try on clothes. They point out features like their googly eyes, attempting upmanship at every turn. When they pose together in front of the mirror, they faint, reviving only to declare that as a group, they are the "ugliest monsters in the world." VERDICT Nonsense at its best, this tale shows children how some competitions are just plain silly, and promises to enliven story hours.--Kimberly Olson Fakih, School Library Journal

Three differently colored and shaped monsters, each claiming to be the ugliest in the world, finally look in a mirror to help them decide how to settle the claim. An exuberantly hairy blue monster with bright yellow eyes, so lanky it has to bend over and spread out across the book gutter and onto the next page, declares, "HELLO! I'm the UGLIEST MONSTER in the WORLD!" Another monster, this one quite round and covered in red fur with dashes of teal, begs to differ: "NO WAY! I'm the UGLIEST MONSTER in the WORLD!" As they dress up with hats and wigs and clothes in wonderful shapes, colors, and styles, each trying to look even uglier, a third monster--with yellow fur, a cute unibrow, and an interesting appendage that could be a nose or an ear--makes an appearance: "[A]ctually…I'M the UGLIEST MONSTER in the WORLD!" Perhaps looking in a mirror will help them decide who is the ugliest. The humorous answer and resulting reaction as all three faint dead away will have children squealing with laughter. Salcedo's highly expressive and lighthearted illustrations keep the focus squarely on these more-lovable-than-ugly monsters, depicting them against a plain beige background. The story hails from Spain, and a Spanish edition, El monstruo más feo del mundo, publishes simultaneously. Delightful proof that there is strength in numbers. (Picture book. 3-5) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.