The Fearsome Beastie by Giles Paley-Phillips

The Fearsome Beastie by Giles Paley-Phillips and Gabriele Antonini
Buy The Fearsome Beastie by Giles Paley-Phillips at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: For Sharing
Reviewer: Keith Dudhnath
Summary: The Fearsome Beastie isn't a must-read, but it has plenty of strong points to counterbalance minor gripes. The undeniable fact is that young children will enjoy it as an appropriately-toned monster tale.
Buy? Maybe	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 32	Date: May 2011
Publisher: Maverick Arts Publishing
External links: Author's website
ISBN: 978-1848860667
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When night comes, the fearsome beastie roams the streets, looking for children to eat. He's quite the monster and gobbles up some little 'uns, but doesn't notice little Pete, who enlists some help to do battle with the beastie.

The Fearsome Beastie is a fun picture book. It brings to mind fairy tales and other familiar stories, where monsters are after children. Plot-wise, there's not too much we haven't seen before - you can pretty much guess what happens. However, interest levels are maintained throughout, and the young audience will enjoy the adventure.

The writing is clear and direct, with appropriate vocabulary for those either side of being able to read for themselves. The rhythm of the couplets is strong throughout, allowing a skilled adult reader to really sell the drama of the story. However, the rhymes rarely excited me: they tend to be the most obvious choices. The writing isn't bad, but it doesn't leap off the page. The line about Pete's gran chopping wood to relax tickled me; some more playful concepts like this would have improved matters

There are a few minor proofing errors. They're not of a severity that I'd comment on in a book for older children. However, The Fearsome Beastie is pitched firmly at those who are just getting to grips with reading, so accuracy is of greater importance. It shouldn't put anyone off checking it out, but it bears noting.

Gabriele Antonini's illustrations are slick and engaging. They're bold and cartoony, with plenty of interest and expression on each page. Children will recognise that the beastie is a scary monster, but won't feel unduly scared of it themselves. The most striking image is the beastie getting chopped in two with an axe, Red Riding Hood stylee. It's dramatic, and describing it makes it sound wholly inappropriate, but even the youngest children will be amused by it, as they would by Tom and Jerry.

The Fearsome Beastie isn't a must-read, but it has plenty of strong points to counterbalance minor gripes. The undeniable fact is that young children will enjoy it as an appropriately-toned monster tale.

My thanks to the publishers for sending it to Bookbag.

For other monster stories, take a look at Mr Chicken Goes To Paris by Leigh Hobbs, Good Little Wolf by Nadia Shireen, and Tappity-Tap! What Was That? by Claire Freedman and Russell Julian.

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