PreS-Gr 3–Desi, a young brunette girl, fears a monster under her bed. Is her brain playing tricks, or is it so busy that it forgets to relax, giving way to thoughts of sadness, shadows, darkness, and other scary things? Desi’s mom helps her navigate her fear and find empowerment by being the boss of her brain. This picture book focuses on how a mom helps her child reach inferences about the power of positive thoughts and facing fears. The English edition, set in a small font of one-to-five lines of text, is interspersed with a handful of Spanish terms. The Spanish version flows effortlessly with a literal translation that works well in a bilingual bedtime story time. Bryant presents pleasing, digitally created art that accompanies the narrative with simplicity; thoughtful details underscore the characters’ expressions and the familiar nighttime setting. The primarily single, full-page illustrations give way to sporadic spot illustrations, highlighting a soft palette of colorful art that merrily conveys the story’s plot and the young girl’s imagination.
VERDICT This joins a long list of picture books addressing the “monster under my bed” topic, but the focus on the mother provides a realistic setting that may appeal to adults tasked with putting their kids to bed.
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