Tickle Monster

Starred review from May 15, 2015
Matte black pages with blocks of solid geometric color and a white sans-serif type illustrate a small child's dialogue with an imaginary monster in the darkness before sleep. The tickle monster has yellow horns, green hands and feet, and a blocky orange-and-blue body. The child bravely asserts, "You don't scare me!" Tickling the monster's body parts one by one makes them fall away. After the feet are tickled, it cannot catch the narrator; after its teeth are tickled, it cannot bite; after its tummy is tickled, it cannot swallow. As it falls into its component parts, it becomes clearer that the tickle monster's parts are made of toys that sit in the darkness of the room: an orange car; a little house. At last the child declares, "Phew! I can finally go to sleep"-with the awareness that if the monster returns, it can be tickled to pieces once again. The whole is quite elegant in the execution of its dramatic design and the demonstration of how the child copes with fear independently, without calling on a parent. The book is a French import; the original title is Gros Cornichon, in which "cornichon" means not only "pickle" but also something like "twitbrain." Bonne nuit, cherie. (Picture book. 4-7)

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October 1, 2015

PreS-This French import takes on the familiar theme of overcoming fears. On the first page, readers are introduced to Tickle Monster, a mildly threatening creature made up of brightly colored shapes set against a solid black background. The text begins with the announcement "Hey Tickle Monster! You don't scare me!" The unseen child narrator goes on to tickle each part of the monster, and the scary features are turned into harmless objects. The monster's two yellow horns join together to form a moon, and the monster can no longer poke the child. When the monster's arms are tickled, they transform into trees and the monster can no longer catch the child. This continues until Tickle Monster is gone and only a peaceful night scene remains. At last, the child can go to sleep. The bold white text stands out against the black backdrop. This book has strong visual appeal with illustrations that are simple yet eye-catching. This is an effective tale about independently and creatively overcoming a fear. VERDICT A solid choice as a reassuring bedtime story or a companion to Ed Emberley's Go Away Big Green Monster (Little, Brown, 1992).-Kimberly Tolson, Medfield Public Library, MA

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