Monster & Mouse Go Camping, written by Deborah Underwood, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Student Reviewer: Arvind E. 
Summary: The book describes the story of two friends, Monster and Mouse who are getting ready to go on a camping trip. Monster is a little hesitant, but Mouse assures him he will have a good time. Mouse promised lots of food and he got to work on a list of items they would need for their camping trip. When they got to the woods, Mouse went to scope out a stream, trail and campsite. Unfortunately, during that time, Monster ate just about everything they had. Mouse was hungry and they were not having a good time. They saw a family telling spooky stories around a campfire and Mouse and Monster thought it would be a good idea to go ask for some food. Readers will find out how Monster and Mouse got to enjoy their camping trip in the book’s exciting ending.

Straight Talk for Librarians: This is a bit of a monster story, with a twist. This captivating book encapsulates the importance of friendship, trust and forgiveness - Mouse really wants this trip to go well and for Monster to embrace camping. The friendly nature of the characters and their vibrant personalities set an example for how kids should act around each other. I like how the illustrator depicted the daytime and nighttime scenes with color. Monster was red, but his personality was really not angry or mean. He was a friendly monster that should appeal to any budding horror genre enthusiast. The reader will quickly start to feel Mouse’s disappointments throughout the story. The author used personification techniques to garner empathy and compassion for Mouse and Monster. Something the family did not discern quickly enough. This book is a good choice for a read-aloud or independent reading. It would also be a good book for a camping display. Definitely a good choice for a school library.