Jolly Monster Town: The Party Pickle

The Pickle Party is the first title in a new chapter book series for emerging readers set in Jolly Monster Town. The second title - The Treasure Hunt - is set to be published in the Autumn.

Jolly Monster Town is a bizarre, colourful, and exuberant place inhabited by a cast of weird and imaginative creatures, who as the title suggests, are monsters; not scary intimidating ones but cheerful, friendly, and kind.

In this story, Twiggy, the Log Monster, invites all her friends to a sleepover and is determined to organise it all herself, but Ralph, the Pufferfish Monster, causes a serious problem; he eats all the food. Twiggy refuses all offers of help to fix this problem, until she has no choice but to accept and in a not-so-subtle message she learns that it is okay to ask for and accept help and things do not have to be perfect. Even the great Sun Monster, who wears a blue tam O'Shanter-style hat, needs help getting back into the sky after enjoying a fishing trip and is catapulted back.

The illustrations are anarchic, zany, and highly original. In some ways, Jolly Monster Town reminds me of Richard Scarry's BusyTown and there is also an element of Dr Seuss. I think young children who enjoyed the more nonsensical programmes like In the Night Garden will find these surreal books appealing and fun.

112 pages / Reviewed by Natalie J McChrystal Plimmer, librarian

Suggested Reading Age 5+

Jolly Monster Town: The Party Pickle is a wonderfully creative story which will engage young readers from the very first page. The author has carefully started with a topic that the readers are likely to have experienced and then added the adventure and drama.

Every child who has had a party or sleepover has wanted it to be perfect and it very rarely turns out exactly as they had planned it. This means that they will be able to directly empathise with the characters as the story develops.

The colourful illustrations add detail to the narrative and engage the reader in looking for elements as they turn the pages. The speech bubbles increase the sense of pace and action throughout and the choice of a pale colour palette means that the pages do not become overwhelming, despite being busy. This is clearly a well thought through book aimed at young children to support their development of pleasure in reading.

I know that it will be a popular book in book corners and libraries. The characters will inspire children to create their own imaginative creations and bring them to life in their own adventures. The author has taken the concept of monsters and developed it in a fun and friendly way, demonstrating that monsters do not have to be scary.

112 pages / Reviewed by Amanda Shipton, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 5+