Book Review: Monster Slayer

Monster Slayer ~ Exterminadora de monstruos

by Gladys Elizabeth Barbieri

I have two children that are two years apart in age. Pretty much every day they alternate between playing and bickering. While I know how much they love each other, they still have those occasional moments when one of them wishes he or she were an only child. Sometimes it drives me nuts. So that's why I could totally relate to this new bilingual picture book.

Monster Slayer is the story of little Gladys Elizabeth who has one very annoying problem: her little sister Annaliz! Every day it is something: On Monday, when they go shopping for dresses, Mami wants to buy a matching pair for both girls...but Gladys Elizabeth is not a fan of the idea. So on Tuesday, she tries to pay her neighbor $1.25 plus her little sister in exchange for one of her neighbor's new puppies. The week drags on with Gladys Elizabeth getting in trouble day after day. Until Friday night arrives and with it a terrible nightmare! Green monsters are on the attack, but Gladys Elizabeth shouldn't be afraid because her champion is close by.

This book is beautifully illustrated by Lina Safar who also illustrated Barbieri's other books: Rubber Shoes...a Lesson in Gratitude and Pink Fire Trucks. As you can see, the watercolor drawings are vibrant and a great match for this story.

Monster Slayer also comes with full text in both English and Spanish. It is the third book in this series featuring Gladys Elizabeth as a child. I love that all of Barbieri's books focus on values and lessons that children must learn. Parents and teachers will appreciate this book as a tool for teaching about family relationships, tolerance, and sibling rivalry.

Visit Barbieri's website (Chucho's Books!!) to learn more about her books and to make a purchase.