My Monster Moofy (Hardcover)
There’s a monster under my bed who changes like a chameleon. He can be motionless like a rock with a tail, or he can strike with blinding speed, like a lightning bolt with claws. My monster’s name is Moofy. His ears are as pointy as tortilla chips. His tongue is as pink as bubblegum, and his teeth are as sharp as swords. By day, Moofy is a fur rug in the sunshine. By night, he’s a pair of glowing headlights in the darkness.
With those opening lines, we’ve already encountered similes using like, similes using as, and metaphors.
Personifications, idioms, hyperboles, allusions, and much more lie ahead. But this isn’t a writing guide, it’s a picture book story about a little monster who oozes personality. The first pages leave us guessing, but kids will soon figure out, to their delight, that Moofy’s a cat. And what else could this furball of mischief be?
Fun is the order of the day, but an unobtrusive banner on each page lets interested readers know which figure of speech is being featured. This is a book a young reader and future writer can grow with.
Eric Zelz is a designer, illustrator, and educator whose work has been recognized by organizations including the Society of Environmental Journalists and the Society of News Design. His illustrations for three Tilbury House picture books (Pass the Pandowdy, Please; Read This Book If You Don’t Want a Story; and My Monster Moofy) have received awards and starred reviews. See more at ericzelz.com.
— Kirkus Reviews
The lists and definitions of figures of speech (alliteration, metaphor, allusion, onomatopoeia, etc.) traditionally distributed in English classrooms have felt burdensome for generations, so one appreciates Watson’s desire to enliven the lesson. Third or fourth graders, already deep into writing, may appreciate this book most.
— Naomi Shihab Nye - New York Times Book Review
Humor and instruction are the watchwords with “My Monster Moofy,” an illustrated primer. Comic scenes show a girl and her fluffy pet monster exemplifying 17 literary devices. The pace is swift. As an adjunct to other reading, the book should help children develop some sensitivity to linguistic devices and be better able to notice them in the wild.
— Meghan Cox Gurdon - Wall Street Journal
If I gave out stars, this savvy picture book would get many stars. Besides being a humorously illustrated mystery about what sort of monster Moofy might be, it illustrates 17 literary devices — figures of speech — from simile and metaphor to paradox and pun. It's effectively a junior high grammar cheat sheet translated for first-graders and really quite deftly done.
— Celia Storey - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette