Lila Makes a Monster by Laurie Elmquist

I love the look of the crazy, little inventor on this cover, and if it involves a monster, even better! Today's read doesn't hit the shelves until mid-September, but I find it nice to know what's on the up and coming lists. Let's see if this one will be a winner or not.

LILA MAKES A MONSTER

by Laurie Elmquist

Illustrated by Anna Bron

Orca Publishing

Picture Book

32 pages

ages 4 to 8

COMING SEPTEMBER 15th!!!

It's a rainy day, and Lila is bored. Then she gets an idea: she can build a monster friend!

She uses bits and pieces she's collected, like bolts and hinges and coils and―eureka!―with a bolt of lightning, he comes to life. Soon Lila and Monster are bouncing on the bed, making sticky slime and munching on cereal straight from the box.

But when Monster accidentally makes a big mess, Dad comes running, and he can't help but be alarmed. Lila realizes it might be time to send Monster packing. Still, there couldn't be any harm in leaving her window open a crack. And perhaps she could save some of her sandwich...just in case a friend drops by.

GOODREADS     /    PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

A little imagination, tinkering, and chaotic moments lead to an unique tale with a monsterly twist.

It's storming outside and Lila is bored, but suddenly, she has an idea about what she can do. Digging out her collection of springs, hinges, and such from under her bed, she begins to build and construct. The end result is a square-headed monster. The real surprise comes whenT lightning brigthens the sky outside and her monster comes to life. Now, she has a friend to play with! From bouncing on the bed to heading downstairs for a snack, the two are anything but bored. Unfortunately, though, this monster might be a bit clumsy and cause a few mishaps.

The read begins with the inventor spirit and inspires as Lila lets her crafting skills flow freely. It's a little invitation for readers to let their own imaginations take flight and allow their creative juices get to work. The moment Lil'as monster comes to life, the humor introduces humor and fun let giggles glow...and that with a light sense of caution. This monster is awkward and causes a few, big messes. So while scenes are funny, they also hold a bit of 'oh-no' expectation. This is true with the last large mess the monster makes, and here, the fun ends as the message of consequences kicks in. It's also at this point, where things steered away from the lighter fun. Instead, the message surrounding consequences and knowing when to let go fliters in, and the light-heartedness sinks away. I wondered a bit as Lila seems to turn against her created friend. So, I do recommend adults read through this first to make sure it heads as they hope. It does end on positive notes of kindness and friendship.

The illustrations are well done and bring each character and scene to life. The monster has a friendly appearance and is clearly built together in a creative way. Even when mishaps happen, it comes from sheer clumsy awkwardness without any bad intentions. Readers might even wish they could have that monster as their own friend, too. The text flows well for the age group and creates a lovely read aloud. Those readers, who have a good grip on their words, will be able to pick it up on thier own. 

It's a fun read about friendship with a big nod to creativity, while also working in food for thought about consequences when things go wrong.

And here they are...

Laurie Elmquist is the author of several books for young readers including Where's Burgess? which was short-listed for both the Chocolate Lily Award and the Silver Birch Award. She holds an MA in Literature and creative writing from the University of Windsor in Ontario and has been published in several magazines and anthologies. She lives in Victoria, British Columbia.

Anna Bron was born in Russia and immigrated to Canada when she was nine years old. She was lucky enough to have parents who nurtured and encouraged a career in art. She attended art school in her teens, and then went on to study traditional hand-drawn animation at Sheridan College. Not long after graduating she became a freelance illustrator and animator, working on a broad range of projects, from illustrating children’s books and magazines to animating, designing and directing commercials and short films. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.