View source for Mrs. Mo's Monster by Paul Beavis

{{infobox
|title=Mrs. Mo's Monster
|author=Paul Beavis 
|reviewer=Sam Tyler
|genre=For Sharing
|rating=3.5
|buy=Maybe
|borrow=Yes
|isbn=9781927271001
|pages=32
|publisher=Gecko Press
|date=April 2014
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1927271002</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>1927271002</amazonus>
|website=
|video=
|summary=Ding Dong.  I'd better answer the door, who could it be?  Its only a monster intent on mashing, crashing and gnashing everything in your home.  What is Mrs Mo going to do?
}}
What would you do if you answered the door one day, only to find a mini monster standing there?  Most of us wold probably weep a little and find somewhere to hide, but not the brave Mrs Mo.  She appears to know this monster and will do anything to keep him entertained.  Will he help round the house?  Nope?  How about baking a cake?  That may just get anybody’s attention, but will this book capture your little monster’s imagination?

''Mrs Mo’s Monster'' by Paul Beavis is a fun picture book that shows kids how much chaos a monster can bring if they come to your house, only to reveal that they can be little monsters too!  The illustrations are top drawer; Beavis has a stylised hand that uses dark edges, giving the book a slightly brooding feel.  Thankfully, all this is counteracted with bright backgrounds and a silly storyline, so this is not a scary monster.

The story itself is slightly odd – you enter a world in which a monster comes to the door and an older lady does not seem too worried.  The ending suggests that this is a fable about how children can be destructive, but I am guessing the subtext will be lost to your average 3 year old!  The wording is clearly printed on the page and with a couple of sentences per page, this is a perfect read along title, or for a little one just starting to read some books with you.  

I personally like some sort of moral or direction in my picture books and here ''Mrs Mo’s Monster'' is a little unclear.  It is really just about getting the Monster’s attention with something they enjoy?  What do we learn from this?  I also felt that the character illustrations may be a little too dark for the very young.  The black borders are a little stark and one or two of the full two page spreads are a little spooky.  That said the vast majority of children will have no problem with the imagery, especially noting some of the other books out there!

It is the slight lack of direction in ''Mrs Mo’s Monster'' that makes this a fun picture book, but not a must have.  Those that do borrow or buy it will not be disappointed, but the lack of any lasting impact after reading it will mean that it may not stick in the mind.

If this book appeals then you might like to try [[There's a Shark in the Bath by Sarah McIntyre]] and [[Billy Monster's Daymare by Alan Durant and Ross Collins]]

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