Diary of a Monster's Son

From School Library Journal Grade 2-4-Bradley Fentriss describes life with his father, who is far from ordinary. In fact, he is a large, hairy monster with fangs and claws. Though his appearance is alarming, in all other ways he is a gent who is punctiliously polite to everyone and a loving father to his son. Bradley's diary entries are arranged into five chapters that detail buying school clothes, Parent-Teacher night, trick-or-treating, home repairs, and a winter picnic. While the events are rather tame, a monster dad gives them an unusual, often humorous twist. Conford taps into the popularity of horror fiction but with a light touch. While at times her message that behavior matters more than looks gets somewhat muddled, it is clear that Mr. Fentriss is liked by everyone who knows him. However, the diary format doesn't fit the narrative: all of the entries are told in the present tense and rely heavily on dialogue. Neither Bradley nor his father comes across as a fully drawn character, but the relationship between them is warm and funny. Newsom's eye-catching jacket and full-page pen-and-ink illustrations will attract and hold young readers. While this is not Conford at her best, children will be drawn by the premise of the story and find the father-son relationship appealing. Maggie McEwen, Coffin Elementary School, Brunswick, ME

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0316152455

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