Review: Awkward Rhymes Make Reading Aloud Challenging ...
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 30, 2014
Julia Abby Thomas has created a series of "Monster" books that provide positive messages for children about things that may make them fearful.  The books have cute illustrations and the lavender, multi-eyed monsters are fun and funny.  In her latest book "Monsters Stole My Bedroom", the young girl realizes her fears are based on a dream and that the disaster to which she expected to awake was imaginary.As are the other "Monster" books, "Monsters Stole My Bedroom" is written in rhyming form.  The rhymes, however, are often awkward and forced.  In a number of instances, punctuation, that might help the flow of the story, has been omitted.  In other instances, the sentences are so long that they become difficult to read aloud.  By pre-reading the story and making decisions about words to be skipped or pauses to be incorporated, I was able to make this more enjoyable to read aloud to my grandson.Julia Abby Thomas has some good ideas and children may be able to benefit from the messages contained in her "Monster" books.  I would urge her editors to carefully review any future books; to work on the flow of the rhymes; and to read the final book aloud for continuity and rhythm.  Had this been done, "Monsters Stole My Bedroom" would have rated 5 stars.