When Bo's brothers tell her she's too little to go monster hunting, Bo sets out alone to prove how brave and strong she is. But she soon discovers that monsters come in unexpected forms, and it's how you treat those around you, not how you look, which makes you truly monstrous.
We loved this story immediately. Bo is a protagonist readers will really warm to. It offers a great twist on fairytale tropes of brave knights and fearsome monsters, encouraging young readers to look beyond what's on the outside. Being an adventurer shouldn't mean hurting things in an attempt to prove you are stronger than they are. The monsters Bo meets - a griffin, a kraken and a mother dragon - are all caring and kind. Bo quickly realises that an adventurer should want to learn about the world around them, not destroy it. It is a lovely message which young readers will hopefully take to heart.
The restrictive colour pallet is really effective. Woolvin uses pink, turquoise and orange to produce illustrations which are bold and striking. Every page is a visual delight. Even the front and end papers tell a story.
Thank you Macmillan Kids for sending us a copy of this story to review.
I Can Catch a Monster is written and illustrated by Bethan Woolvin
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