This is a great beginning chapter book for late primary/early junior students who like a fun story. Do you know that a monster lives under your bed? Do you know his/her name? Is he/she scary or nice? Leo has a monster living under his bed and he is scared that it will grab his ankles. He is too afraid to get out of the bed to go to the bathroom, until one night he has no choice. He politely asks the monster to stay under the bed and do nothing and surprisingly it listens. That is the start of their friendship. Each chapter has a new adventure for Leo and Fred including naming him, teaching a bully a lesson and going to school for "Show and Tell". This is a short book, but it is a great book for kids to read, showing them that their fears aren't so bad. This is a great book for school, public, classroom and family libraries. Young children will enjoy this book and get a laugh from it as well.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

I hadn't entirely expected this book to be the format it is in. It is still good, but I had expected a picture book, and not a short chapter book. Oh well, more to read then, which I didn't mind at all.

Each chapter is about something different, from the first chapter when we meet our monster to the last chapter when the monster goes to school with Leo. I quite liked that each chapter had its own story, yet also was connected to previous events in other chapters (well OK, with the exception of the first chapter, that only had its own story, but duh).

There was just one thing I didn't quite like at times. And that was the monster, Fred. I found him annoying plus I didn't find it that funny how he acted all tough and scary, but in the mean time was just bored out of his mind or was afraid of x and y.

Leo however was a pretty great character, and I love how brave he was. How he stood up against the monster, how he brought him to school (how often I have read stories in which characters decide that this is a bad plan, but Leo just does it).

The book is filled with fun illustrations, they were quite cute, and I love the colours used. While there was a lack of backgrounds (or just a basic background) I didn't mind it that much. If anything this works best.

All in all, a fun book about monsters under the bed, perfect for little kids, and maybe some nostalgia for adults (since I am sure a lot of adults had, or thought they had, a monster under their bed).

Leo has a monster under his bed. He must be very careful when getting in and out of bed. Until one night Leo asks the monster not to grab his ankles when he gets up to go to the bathroom. From there, a friendship blooms.

This is a fun beginning chapter book, with short, approachable chapters great for children just getting into chapter books.

Most little kids believe in the monster under the bed. In this story that monster is real, and is named Fred. This book is a fully colored illustrated short chapter book. I think the wording is a little heavy for the age it seems to be written. I feel like it is a lengthy picture book with chapters, rather than a true early chapter book. But that does not matter, this book is fun. The escapades are believable for the age group (if you believe in monsters under the bed), and the full color illustrations just make it more entertaining.

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Do you know the name of the monster that lives under your bed? Have you ever met him, or taken him to school for show and tell? Have you even ever asked him his name?

Leo does, in this delightful take on the worries that so many children have in the night. Leo first makes a deal with the monster, that he wouldn't grab his ankles when he has to use the toilet, and then actually meets the monster, and learns his name is Fred.

Great book for kids to read, showing them that their fears aren't so bad. Fred is a delightful monster, and teaches a bully a lesson, as well as appearing at show and tell.

Recommended for libraries and home libraries. Kids need to have fun things to read, espcially in early chapter books.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review

"Everyone should have a name."

This book offers us a wonderful marriage of amusing text and warm and inviting drawings in the service of an upbeat and cheerful tale.

While the book is short there's a lot packed into its few chapters. Leo has to meet and befriend the monster under his bed. There is the naming of the monster. There is comeuppance for a visiting bully. There's a funny turn by Fred the monster at Leo's school show and tell. Through it all the friendship between Leo and Fred grows, and both are wiser and better for it.

It's sort of amazing how much good stuff is packed in here. Messages about bravery, friendship, understanding, facing one's fears, dealing with differences, and on and on. On top of that the two characters are, to put it simply, appealing. In a few words and some dialogue we are taken by Fred's patience, kindness and loneliness and by Leo's generosity and understanding.

This is not at all a frantic or silly monster!! book. By its words and by its charming and calm but expressive pastels and simple lines this is a book with some hidden weight to it. There are jokes drawn in around the edges and Leo/Fred conversations that sometimes read like a double-act comedy routine, but more than any of that this is a kind and big-hearted book. A very impressive find and a lovely addition to the shelf for even the youngest readers, or those we read to.

(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)