How I met my monster by Amanda Noll, illustrated by Howard McWilliam

It's too bad this isn't released until November, because it's a perfect Halloween storytime book - not too scary, but just scary enough. However, there are plenty of fans of the series who enjoy a good monster story any time of the year and you can always preorder!

When a small Ethan finds a note under his bed, reading "Monsters! Meet here for the final test." he thinks his parents are just trying to scare him into staying in bed. He didn't expect real monsters to show up - or that he's the test! A set of furry monsters show up, accompanied by their spindly yellow teacher, and each takes a shot at scaring Ethan. As the tests continue, only Gabe passes each one, but Ethan eludes him and sneaks down to the kitchen for a snack. It's too bad he doesn't know what happens when you feed a monster...

This is a sweet story of the beginning of a friendship, complete with drool and threats to nibble toes! It's clear from Ethan's grin that he knows it's all a game, but he's enjoying the shivers that monstrous Gabe produces. It will probably remind a lot of readers of Monsters Inc. but it's still its own creation, fitting into the series by adding the origin story of the two friends.

Verdict: This series, and the latest addition, are the perfect choices for kids who like something just a little scary but not too scary. Fun for Halloween or any time of the year.

ISBN: 9781947277090; Published November 2019 by Flashlight Press; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library