I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. The illustrations were great. The story was fun and unique. Liked the monsters that were chosen and how they were given their own spotlight. Love that Poesy was brave and not afraid. Some children might be a bit afraid, so you should know how your child feels about monsters before starting this book.

This is a really cute book about a kid defeating bedtime monsters. I think every kid could definitely learn something from this book on how not to be scared of monsters.

A really fun story about a very brave girl. Kids who love a little spooky will enjoy this book year round, but it also makes a fun Halloween read.

Cory Doctorow always knows how to make me smile, whether he's writing about gamer uprisings (Little Brother) or unionizing MMORPG gold farmers (In Real Life). His newest book, Poesy the Monster Slayer, is an illustrated picture book about a little girl who's got to contend with her parents giving her a bedtime when she's got far bigger things to worry about: monsters. Dad reads her trusty book on monsters to her every night, so Poesy is prepared and waiting when the slew of monsters arrive throughout the evening: werewolves, Great Old Ones, vampires, even Frankenstein's monster all face off against Poesy's skills, and she deftly navigates dispatching the monsters with carefully selected toys in her room while putting up with her parents' constant interruptions as they tell her to go to bed. 

Illustrated in comic book style, with panels and word bubbles, Poesy is a fun story about a smart little girl taking on bedtime and those irksome bedtime monsters. Shades of black, purple, and blue set a nighttime feel for the story, and the monsters are comically menacing, meeting their defeats at the hands of Poesy and her room full of carefully selected toys. Parents will love the relatability of trying to get one's little one to stay in bed: I know I feel like I log more steps in the hours from 9-12pm than I do most of the day!

Absolute fun for storytime; keep this one handy for bedtime, too - just don't blame me if your little ones add fighting Great Old Ones to their list of nighttime activities!

A tiny little baby monster of a review for Cory Doctorow’s POESY THE MONSTER SLAYER, a new picture book illustrated by Matt Rockefeller. It follows a clever and ferocious little girl (Poesy) whose parents are either zombies or just very tired parents of a child who can’t seem to stay in bed. It may not be the most philosophically nuanced picture book you pick up this year, but the kids will LOVE it. And Poesy’s eyebrows. They’re practically a separate character.

This was a cute story, but the artwork felt so computerized to me. I especially liked how Poesy dealt with the octopus, but honestly, the frankenstein creeped me out. It would have to be a very specific child I recommended this to.

Poesy continues to stay up late to battle various monsters, much to the annoyance of her parents.

There isn't any real substance to this picture book. And yes, not all require it, but this just seemed like a let down. There was nothing to anchor it. I just did not really enjoy it.

I was familiar with Cory Doctorow primarily as the author of technology heavy dystopian novels, so I was curious to see what he'd do with a picture book. It's a cute story and certainly empowers the child hero. Poesy is not looking for her parents to save her. She uses the things she knows about monsters to defeat the things that frighten her.

From the depths of Nicole’s Book Cellar (Instagram.com/nicoles_bookcellar):
(Available July 14, 2020)

Book: Poesy the Monster Slayer

Author: Corey Doctorow

Genre: Children’s books, Fiction

Rating: 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Positives: Poesy is such a lovable character but not in the way that most little girl characters are. She moves to the beat of her own drum and she is a little naughty. I liked seeing a different version of a girl character but still be so likable. I also liked the realness of the story. The illustrations were an A+.

Negatives: I don’t know if I would want or let my young child read this book due to the possible scary nature. Not all kids would be scared but some may be creeped out.

Recommend? To older kids who are not scared easily (4th grade+).

Plot: Poesy, a precocious, vibrant, and clever girl wanted to fight the monsters that she had been reading about. She wants to get to them when they come out at night which poses a problem because she is supposed to be in bed. The book follows her journey of trying to slay the monsters without getting in too much trouble from her parents.

Thoughts: I couldn’t tell the race of the main character but I liked the ambiguity of it. I also liked the funny, tongue-in-cheekness of the book. Poesy was not a “bad” girl but she was determined to slay some monsters no matter that she was disobeying her parents. I’m gving it up to the parents too. I can see myself in their actions, especially the next morning.

Thank you to @NetGalley for this advanced reader copy of #PoesyTheMonsterSlayer

#childrensbooks #childrensfiction #bookreviews #stronggirlcharacters #diversebooks #NetGalley

This book isn't for everyone. It's definitely has scary elements and there a couple of parts that will make some readers uncomfortable and some children frightened in a bad way. That said, for the right reader, this is a great book. The protagonist, Poesy, is strong and when she thinks there are monsters coming, she researches what to do to combat them. How can a librarian not love that?

Poesy is my new favorite monster hunter! Biracial Poesy is supposed to be sleeping, but instead she's awake fighting monsters and she LOVES it. A perfect book for the kids who are always asking for one more scary book to read!

A fun story with great illustrations. I have younger students asking me for "scary" books and this would fit the bill. I also like that it is a biracial family and a strong, brave girl who is facing the monsters. Bits of humor mixed in make it an engaging read.

Okay, first of all, I would like to say that the concept, artwork, and story are all excellent... I just don't understand why this was written for kids so young. I think that this book would have excellent as an early graphic novel with additional text on each page or split more into panels. I think that the monsters and action are a little too violent for a picture book. I do not think this will do well with those things considered, but it is a lovely book and the story is fun.

The oft-told story of a child resisting her bedtime gets a graphic novel twist in this picture book. Posey loves to have Daddy read to her from the book of monsters at her bedtime. Because when the lights go out, the monsters come, so Posey uses her knowledge to defeat them. But with each defeated monster, she also has to deal with an increasingly exasperated Daddy and Mommy. Warm colors and bold lines blend together for a cozy feel. Sweet and fun adventure story for small fans of classic monsters.

Posey may just be a little girl, but she’s been studying up. Come nightfall she is ready to take on the monsters that come her way. But her parents may not exactly be thrilled with the nighttime activities.

This book needs just the right kind of reader. The right reader has to appreciate a touch of dark humor, the ability to know that monsters are fiction versus really hiding in your closet, and appreciate the suffering of two parents who have to constantly tell their little girl to quiet down throughout the night. In fact, I think this picture book is much more likely to be thoroughly enjoyed by someone over 12 than under, though I am sure there are some 5 year olds out there who will be enthralled with the thought of doing battle with monsters while their parents sleep. (And just FYI, the battles involve things like bubblegum perfume in the eye and other non-bloody things...though Frankenstein's head gets unstitched from his body and repurposed.) The illustrations do a great job matching the tone of the book. They often start with the monster looking more sinister and end with the monster looking a bit ridiculous and not nearly as scary.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a story of a girl and nightmares that she is fighting during the night. Overall it is a great story and the illustrations are wonderful.

Originally read thinking it was a graphic novel but this is more of a picture book. Delightful story about a little kid with a big imagination, especially when it comes to bedtime. The parents repeatedly asking the child to go to sleep and then being zombies in the morning for lack of sleep.... perfect!

Wonderful illustrations capture the vast imagination of the young protagonist. Wonderful take on the monsters under the bed theme.

Poesy's bravery is bound to delight children who are afraid of monsters, while Doctorow's descriptions of the monsters show each more of a nuisance than an evil, child-harming being. The beheading of Frankenstein at the end might be a little too much for younger children, so proceed with caution.

I received an electronic ARC from First Second Books through NetGalley.
Poesy knows how to do her research. Her bedtime story choice is the Monster Book. She listens and learns so she can defeat the monsters when they arrive during the night. Though successful at defeating the various monsters, she is not successful at staying out of trouble. Her parents arrive after each battle to tell her to go to bed.
Colorful illustrations bring her bedroom and the monsters to life. Her facial expressions show the determination a child can feel. Readers will see the humor and adults will appreciate this battle for sleeptime. A bit disturbing to see Frankenstein's head sewn on a stuffed animal but readers will get the humor there too. The book ends with her preparing to battle two zombies who did not get enough sleep.
Could be used as part of a lesson on doing research.