Ava the Monster Slayer

by Lisa Maggiore, Ross Felten (Illustrator)

Overview

An Illinois Reads Pick (K–2) 2017

Don’t underestimate Ava just because she’s “cute” and wears “adorable glasses”—she’s really a fierce monster slayer. And when her beloved Piggy is left in the dryer in the basement, Ava knows she’ll have to face the ferocious monsters lurking in the dark if she wants to rescue her favorite stuffed animal. So she puts on her brother’s superhero cape, grips his sword tight, puts on her pink rain boots and sparkly princess crown, and creeps downstairs.

Not even the roar of the greenest and hairiest monster is going to stop this spunky girl. Even though she’s scared and the monsters smell terrible, Ava is determined to rescue Piggy. Ross Felten’s brisk, sketch-like illustrations help bring energy and humor to this story of bravery and loyalty. Young readers will relate to Ava’s mission and delight in her victory over the monsters. Ava the Monster Slayer is sure to appeal to children worried about monsters in their own homes and kids devoted to their own stuffed animals.

This action/adventure story teaches children:

• Self-esteem and self-reliance 
• Challenges fears through creative problem-solving
• Bravery and determination

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781634509121
Publisher:	Sky Pony
Publication date:	09/01/2015
Series:	Ava the Monster Slayer , #1
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	23 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

Lisa Maggiore earned her master’s in social service administration from the University of Chicago. She then leaped from her twenty-year career as a social worker to write her first picture book, Ava the Monster Slayer. Lisa loves to travel, watch “da Bears” (do not bother her on Sundays during the NFL season), and be silly with her family. She lives with her husband and four children in Chicago, Illinois.

Ross Felten paints, draws, sketches, illustrates, illuminates, deviates, puts things together, and tears things apart. Aside from art, he is passionate about soccer, music, and making his girls laugh. Ross lives near Chicago, Illinois.

Editorial Reviews

"Perhaps a tad dark for the preschool crowd, Maggiore and Felten's treatment of this familiar story theme not only overcomes a fear of the dark but also kicks it in the head. Nicely done."—School Library Journal

"A triumphant sally in the long-running war against closet and other domestic monsters, with these mildly scary monsters not slain but thoroughly routed." —Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Ava the Monster Slayer: Cousin Power

"The tale is just a little scary, and the illustrations perfectly heighten the fear, fierceness, and love with atmospheric darkness, scary monsters, and the right amount of color to lighten things up. Ava and Sophia marshal their resources, manage their fear, and save their stuffies. Works fine as a stand-alone story." —School Library Journal

"The combination of tenderness for stuffed companions and the fierce bravery required to rescue them is fun and refreshing. . .  Light entertainment for kids who like drama." —Kirkus Reviews

"Ava is a role model for children in that she knows her worth, and allows her experience, best instincts, and available resources to guide her through challenges, and follows through on her actions. Ava the Monster Slayer: Cousin Power succeeds on many levels and would be an engaging addition to any child’s book collection." —Susan Gaspar, Windy City Reviews

From the Publisher

10/01/2015
K-Gr 2—As Ava approaches her bedtime, she realizes that her precious stuffed animal Piggy is missing, left in the dryer in the dark and scary basement. With her parents preoccupied and older brother unwilling to help, Ava puts on her cape and tiara and braves the dreaded downstairs to fight her fears and rescue her friend. By itself, the story is nothing new, but pairing it with Felten's sketch-heavy illustrations makes it something completely different. Black scribblelike inking with minimal solid colors gives a gritty, graphic novel feel to the familiar picture book territory. Rushing backgrounds and swooping action shots of Ava's wooden sword show her literally conquering her fears. Stories such as these usually end on an optimistic note, showing that there was nothing to fear all along; here viewers see that there is plenty to fear in Ava's mind, but she now has the strength to triumph over it. VERDICT Perhaps a tad dark for the preschool crowd, Maggiore and Felten's treatment of this familiar story theme not only overcomes a fear of the dark but also kicks it in the head. Nicely done.—Peter Blenski, Greenfield Public Library, WI

School Library Journal

2015-05-12
Come bedtime, Ava is dismayed to discover that Mom has left her Piggy in the dryer…in the basement…where the monsters are. Mom is answering the phone, Daddy is out in the garage, and big brother (the one who told her all about the monsters in the first place) is naturally unhelpful, so Ava pushes up her glasses, screws her courage to the sticking place, and sets off to the rescue. It's not a quiet expedition, as Ava has several monsters to frighten off before she even gets to the basement door, and once down the dark stairs, she finds Piggy in the clutches of not one but two big, green horrors. Along with oversized screeches and repeated exclamations of "OH NO!" to highlight the all-caps narrative, Felten scratches out a fierce young heroine in heavy-framed specs and heart pajamas, brandishing a homemade wooden sword and recklessly charging a succession of grimacing ghouls to reclaim her beloved plushy. The illustrator is a little cavalier with details—a basement monster licking its lips while holding Piggy "in his yucky hand" has neither lips nor hands in the picture. Also, the pink boots and sparkly crown that Ava pauses to don may be overdoing the girly bit. Still, a triumphant sally in the long-running war against closet and other domestic monsters, with these mildly scary monsters not slain but thoroughly routed. (Picture book. 6-8)

Kirkus Reviews