Alfred's Book of Monsters
Sam Streed, author & illustrator
Sam Streed is a children's book author and illustrator, game artist, and animator. He recently graduated from Rhode Island School of Design and lives in Boston, Massachusetts.
- Coming soon!
Kirkus Reviews
A young boy who detests "delightful things" shakes up teatime.Alfred prefers to spend his time in his study with a book of monsters, gruesome knickknacks perched on his desk and shelves. While Alfred detests such pleasant occupations as teatime, his aunt (the only other human in the book) is horrified by his ghoulish fancies, claiming that "Polite young boys do not hate tea parties, and they certainly do not want monsters!" But Alfred does, and he issues invitations to tea to each of three monsters in his town. For once, Alfred's teatime is "terrible," just the way he likes it. And his aunt? The disheveled woman kicks back in a chair, her "Whoa" echoing those Alfred utters when he reads his book. This is one pretty spooky picture book, with skulls, a jar of eyeballs, and talk of stolen souls. The Nixie's poison green eyes, the Black Shuck's single red one, and the Lantern Man's bright yellow ones add some brilliant color amid the art's otherwise muted tones, which are dominated by the sepia backdrop. The old-fashioned feel is emphasized by the subdued backgrounds and the setting: floral wallpaper, the candle and inkwell on Alfred's desk, and the duo's rather formal clothing. Streed offers thrills and chills, though Alfred's behavior may seem to straddle or even cross the line of naughtiness. A delightfully spooky book for sturdy young readers.
BayViews
Alfred loathes his aunty’s attempts to tame his manners. He suffers through delightful tea times only to escape to his study where he can pore over his book of monsters. One day, Alfred devises a ghoulish plan to search out three of the terrifying monsters portrayed in his book and invite them to tea. Sepia-colored pages, old-timey dress, and creepy knick-knacks like jars of eyeballs and skulls contribute to the spooky vibe of this naughty tale. The narrative breaks periodically to give readers a view of Alfred’s book of monsters from Alfred’s perspective. Here we learn about terrors like the Nixie, whose “skin is as cold as the water that flows over her, and her icy tendrils of hair are the growth of one hundered years.” Large font and limited text make the storyline accessible for brave young readers. Illustrations are described by the author as “done in Photoshop™ by scanning and combining old paper, ink splotches, and spooky sketches influenced by antique books and an old-fashioned Victorian world.” Human characters have nondescript ethnicity. Stout-hearted young readers will delight in this inventive and eerie comedy.
Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-58089-833-1
E-book
ISBN: 978-1-63289-719-0 EPUB
ISBN: 978-1-63289-720-6 PDF
Ages: 3-7
Page count: 40
8 x 10