The snappy rhymes of Karl Newson (How to Be Brave) are paired with the fun visual clues of Zehra Hicks (Cheeky Monkey)in Watch Out! There's a Monster Coming!, an exuberant tale that turns fear of a monster into anticipation of a party.
A tan pup and a child of color with adorable, red-ribboned pigtails track the approach of a green monster. Despite its large lime-green eyes, the monster doesn't look too scary--the purple nails on its front paws plus a bright red satchel take the edge off the terror. But the monster's words are fearsome: "You're out there somewhere,/ aren't you now.../ Delicious as can be.// Waiting to be gobbled up/ by someone just like me." The monster moves to a rooftop ("I'll sprinkle you with chocolate chips") and the child hero and dog peer up out of windows as the monster climbs onto their own roof: "I'll drizzle you in jam./ Who's hungry for a chew on you?" A page turn reveals a show-stopping double-page spread in which the monster is surrounded by a saturated golden hue, its paw raised and its toothy smile revealing a purple tongue to match its nails. "ME!/ I am!"
Eagle-eyed readers will pick up on subtle hints throughout the book (such as ribbons, confetti, and glitter on the copyright and title pages) that show what the monster really wants: cake. Repetition of text--the monster sings a refrain of, "Here I come to fiiind you!/ Creeping up behiiind you!"--will likely make this book a read aloud favorite. --Jennifer M. Brown, reviewer