Synopses & Reviews
Itand#8217;s almost Christmastime, and Monster needs a tree. But the holidays are filled with joy and so many fun things to do! After snowballs, sleds, and Santa Claus, will he find a tree in time? In this festive, rhyming story, Monster shows young readers that with a little creativity, a tree can be perfect any way you look at it.
Review
and#147;The gifted duo of Paul Czajak and Wendy Grieb has done it again.
Monster Needs a Christmas Tree is a beguiling book. The story is charming, the illustrations are great fun, and the design is superb. I know what I'm getting all the monsters in my life for Christmas.and#8221; and#151; Ben Clanton, author of
Vote for Me,
The Table Sets Itself, and
Moand#8217;s Mustache"Paul Czajakand#8217;s charming, memorable verse and Wendy Grieband#8217;s gorgeous illustrations breathe such life into the sweet relationship of this boy and his monster that it has caused me to re-examine my relationship with everything I imagined was living under my bed as a child. Perhaps I missed out on a lot of fun by hiding under the covers. The Monster and Me books are a treasure."and#151;Dan Povenmire, Co-Creator of Phineas and Ferb
and#147;Monster Needs a Christmas Tree has all the wit and fun of the other awesome books in the Monster and Me series while having the added sparkle of holiday charm!and#8221; and#151; Jill Daniels, Art Director, Disney Animation
"Monster Needs a Christmas Tree is a treasure. Wendy Grieb's gorgeous illustrations are the perfect compliment to Paul Czajak's lively prose. Kids are going to love every page of this; families will want to make this one a permanent part of their holiday traditions." and#151; Mark Crilley, creator of Akiko and Miki Falls
Monster Needs His Sleep reviews:
and#147;Czajak and Grieb (Monster Needs a Costume, 2013) pair up once again for a hilarious take on the many creative ways a monster attempts to avoid bedtime. and#133; Sure to be a welcome choice for the going-to-bed time that never seems to end.and#8221; and#151; Kirkus Reviews
Monster Needs a Costume reviews:
"...Given the jaunty flow of the story and the humorous details on every page, put this at the top of the list for unscary options come October." and#151; Kirkus Reviews
"The rhymes, quite obviously, are bouncy and irreverent, and just as much heck is raised by Grieband#8217;s cartoony illustrations of the enormous, blue, horned beast with the happy underbite..." and#151; Booklist
Review
Monster Needs a Christmas Tree is a Momand#8217;s Choice Awardsand#174; Gold RecipientA Holiday Kids' Book Recommendation by USA Today
Featured in the St. Paul Pioneer Press' Christmas and Year-Round Children's Books Recommendations
Listed as a Best New Kid's Christmas Book for 2014 by The Children's Book Review
"Paul Czajakand#8217;s charming, memorable verse and Wendy Grieband#8217;s gorgeous illustrations breathe such life into the sweet relationship of this boy and his monster that it has caused me to re-examine my relationship with everything I imagined was living under my bed as a child. Perhaps I missed out on a lot of fun by hiding under the covers. The Monster and Me books are a treasure."and#151;Dan Povenmire, Co-Creator of Phineas and Ferb
and#147;Monster Needs a Christmas Tree has all the wit and fun of the other awesome books in the Monster and Me series while having the added sparkle of holiday charm!and#8221; and#151; Jill Daniels, Art Director, Disney Animation
"Every little boy will want this Monster under his bed (or tree!)."and#151;Jocelyn McClurg, USA Today
"Charming, cartoony illustrations add just the right touch to this delightful storybook."and#151;Children's Bookwatch: December 2014, Midwest Book Review
"This follow-up to Monster Needs a Costume (2013) finds the big, blue Sendakesque figure excited as heck about a different holiday. It's Christmas Eve, and he and his buddy, a little boy, need a tree, statand#151;after, of course, waiting to see Santa at the store, going sledding, making snow monsters, and getting into a snowball fight. By the time the fun is done, the trees are sold out. Czajak's "'Twas the Night before Christmas"-cadenced rhymes then turn somber: "We slunk back home without a tree, / exhausted and deflated. / I said to him, 'It's not that bad, / a tree is overrated.'" The cute finale brings to mind Charlie Brown, as Monster gathers up houseplants to cobble together a pretty darn impressive placeholder. As before, Czajak and Grieb make Monster's perpetual overexcitement palpable and identifiable." and#151;Booklist
"Monster makes the best of a bad situation in this well-done installment of the Monster and Me series. ... The tale is told in rhyming verse, and itand#8217;s well doneand#151;the rhythm is tight, and the meter is consistent throughout. Czajak and Grieb partner well, with clear storytelling and creative use of black and white to show 'imaginary' sequences. Grieband#8217;s color illustrations are superb, as one might expect from her rand#233;sumand#233;: She has done work for companies like Disney, Nickelodeon, Sony, and others, and she has won an Annie Award as a storyboard artist. Czajakand#8217;s writing measures up, too, bolstering the enjoyment of watching Monster make the best of a bad situation with his potted-plant solution, and providing children with a valuable lesson in persistence and determination. Monster Needs a Christmas Tree shows that the Monster and Me series is going strong and, from all indications, has a long life ahead of it."and#151;Foreword Reviews, 5 Star Review
"Monster comes up with the surprisingly impressive solution of creating a tree out of all the potted plants in the house, and in the end, Santa comes through with the desired puppy. Colorful illustrations reflect Grieband#8217;s background as a storyboard artist for Disneyand#133;"and#151;School Library Journal
and#147;The gifted duo of Paul Czajak and Wendy Grieb has done it again. Monster Needs a Christmas Tree is a beguiling book. The story is charming, the illustrations are great fun, and the design is superb. I know what I'm getting all the monsters in my life for Christmas.and#8221; and#151; Ben Clanton, author of Vote for Me, The Table Sets Itself, and Moand#8217;s Mustache
"Monster Needs a Christmas Tree is a treasure. Wendy Grieb's gorgeous illustrations are the perfect compliment to Paul Czajak's lively prose. Kids are going to love every page of this; families will want to make this one a permanent part of their holiday traditions." and#151; Mark Crilley, creator of Akiko and Miki Falls
Monster Needs His Sleep reviews:
and#147;Czajak and Grieb (Monster Needs a Costume, 2013) pair up once again for a hilarious take on the many creative ways a monster attempts to avoid bedtime. and#133; Sure to be a welcome choice for the going-to-bed time that never seems to end.and#8221; and#151; Kirkus Reviews
Monster Needs a Costume reviews:
"...Given the jaunty flow of the story and the humorous details on every page, put this at the top of the list for unscary options come October." and#151; Kirkus Reviews
"The rhymes, quite obviously, are bouncy and irreverent, and just as much heck is raised by Grieband#8217;s cartoony illustrations of the enormous, blue, horned beast with the happy underbite..." and#151; Booklist
About the Author
Paul Czajak got an F with the words and#147;get a tutorand#8221; on his college writing paper and after that, never thought heand#8217;d become a writer. But after spending twenty years as a chemist, he knew his creativity could no longer be contained. He lives in Tinton Falls, New Jersey.
Wendy Grieb is a professional working in the Los Angeles animation industry and teaching animation. She is also an Annie Award-winning storyboard artist, who has worked as a developmental artist, illustrator, and character designer for companies such as Disney, Nickelodeon, Sony, Klasky-Csupo, White Wolf, and more. The Annie Award is given for accomplishments in animation by the International Animated Film Association, ASIFA-Hollywood, since 1972.