I Need My Monster
By Amanda Noll
Flash Light Press, $16.95, ages 4–8
We’ll be honest with you: There are kids who aren’t going to let you get past page five of I Need My Monster, because, folks, there are honest-to-goodness monsters in there, with sharp claws, slobbery tongues, and funny accents. But others will relish the just-scary-enough story and lively depictions of under-the-bed monsters. (Future Halloween fans, maybe?)
Pingo
By Brandon Mull
Shadow Mountain, $17.95, ages 4–8
Sure, we all have to give up our imaginary friends at some point, but what if they refuse to give us up? Brandon Mull, author of the Fablehaven series, tells the story of Pingo, the imaginary friend who becomes an imaginary enemy and sticks around long enough to become a friend again. Grown-ups may appreciate the later-life twist more than kids, but everyone will get a kick out of the premise and Pingo’s adorable antics.
The Pink Locker Society
By Debra Moffitt
The Nemours Foundation, $6.99, ages 8–16
The folks behind KidsHealth.org created this book as a companion for its girl’s question-and-answer web site, ThePinkLockerSociety.com, and a vehicle for promoting it. Usually, savvy tween readers will see right through a Trojan Horse like this one. (A novel with a message? No, thanks.) But The Pink Locker Society is creative, surprising, and likely to hit the mark with its target audience. Who wouldn’t want a secret society of smart, kind, knowledgeable girls to answer all their tough questions about growing up?
