Poesy the Monster Slayer

A sweetly scary picture book about a girl whose nightly monster-catching activities consistently delay her much detested bedtime, Poesy the Monster Slayer is an energetic and descriptive story that young readers are sure to pull out each and every Halloween.

Once her parents have gone to sleep, Poesy anxiously awaits the monsters that creep into her room. With knowledge attained from her beloved Monster Book and the innovative use of a few favourite belongings, Poesy fends off a great gallery of villains with fervor and gusto. Werewolves, vampires, and even the “Great Old Ones” are no match for this spunky young lady. Divided into sections with each nighttime creature receiving its own short-lived battle with our fearless heroine, the story moves swiftly, offering several giggles and some impressively creative means of monster vanquishing including bubblegum perfume and a beaded necklace tripline.

With images that successfully utilize dark shadows of the night as well as a variety of vibrant rich colours to reflect the monsters of Poesy’s imagination, illustrator Matt Rockefeller has created quite a charismatic visual landscape for readers to enjoy. His illustrations have a beautiful buoyancy that helps our heroine and her opponents leap off the page and into our imaginations, including many enthralling images that spread across two full pages. Rockefeller has also thoughtfully applied colour theory to imagine each of the monsters Poesy faces, such as a dark deep blood red for her vampire encounter and a garish ghoulish green for her conflict with Frankenstein.

With a great graphic novel feel and brilliantly coloured cartoon art, Poesy the Monster Slayer is one bedtime tale that is sure to please adventure seeking children far and wide. Although some of the featured monsters may be cause for a frightened reader or two, especially those in the preschool age group, Poesy is an irresistibly charming main character with creative thinking and problem-solving skills aplenty. Poesy the Monster Slayer is a picture book bound to inspire many joyful dramatic reenactments in bedrooms, schools, and libraries alike.