Monster Comics by Mike Herrod

Earlier this month I had the opportunity to interview Pam Allyn about her new book, Pam Allyn’s Best Books for Boys: How to Engage Boys in Reading in Ways That Will Change Their Lives and I also reviewed the book in a subsequent post.  I am always on the lookout for great books for boys so when I was offered the chance to review Monster Comics, I agreed.  The title itself screamed “boy” to me.  I gave it to my son and let him read it at his pace.  He recently picked it up and can’t put it down.  It has become part of his nightly ritual.

Monster Comics is not a book that you read cover to cover.  Instead, it provides children the opportunity to read directions and complete them.  Procedural reading is an important type of reading that as adults we probably do seamlessly, but children need practice learning both the purpose of procedural reading as well as understanding how to read that particular type of text.  Monster Comics provides directions for children to complete the comics provided or to create their own comics.  In addition to drawing monsters, witches, ghosts, goblins, and vampires, children can use the “magic pen” and light to “reveal secret messages and draw secret pictures” according to my son.  This book doesn’t have a lot of words, but it draws readers in through comics and once there children want to keep reading!  As my son said, “You can just have fun with this book!”

This book is part of the bestselling series, Comics to Go!.  In his first book, Comics to Go: 19 Stories for You to Finish! Herrod provides the beginning to many different stories, and expects the reader to complete them.  Children also have the opportunity to write their own comic strips from beginning to end.  What a fantastic way to combine reading and writing, especially for those readers who might need a little nudge!

Both books would be fun books to have on hand for summer vacation.  Don’t forget to sign up for the Summer 2011 Reading Challenge to motivate readers!

Disclosure: We received this book to review from the publisher.

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