My Monsterpiece

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Pub Date 02 Mar 2021 | Archive Date 31 Mar 2021

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Description

A celebration of imagination, creativity, acceptance, and art that will delight children of all ages.

Ever tried to make the meanest, wildest, scariest monster? What if even a green tongue, pointy horns, creepy sharp teeth, and claws won’t frighten anyone away?

Join the frustrated artist on a hilariously hair-raising adventure where the scary and not scary mingle and lead to the discovery that overcoming fear and prejudice can bring about a wonderful FRIENDSHIP.

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What to Expect:

Adorable Art: Entirely engaging hand-drawn cutouts provide a 3D effect with interesting texture and details for little eyes to discover on every page.

A Perfect Mix of Humor and Critical Thinking: With just as much heart as it has wit, this book will make kids laugh and think all at once.

Social and Diversity Learning: Provides teachers, educators, and librarians with a fun read that will provide opportunities to discuss stereotyping, bias, and point of view in the classroom.

Storytime Read-Aloud: With sounds like RAHHHH and GRRRR, this book is perfect for Halloween and monster theme tables.

Exploring Creative Possibilities: Illustrations created with basic materials that children use in making art encourage children to go ahead and make their own monster creations.

A celebration of imagination, creativity, acceptance, and art that will delight children of all ages.

Ever tried to make the meanest, wildest, scariest monster? What if even a green tongue, pointy...


Advance Praise

I LOVE My Monsterpiece! The colors are just perfect, brilliant, creative, and exciting, and the artwork tells so much more than just the words. The words are perfect and I love the way the story circles around at the end to have the monster thinking about children not being scary. The voice is spot on. Great job! I think little monsters are going to love reading this! This book would be a good model for budding artists as well.

- Angie Quantrell

I LOVE My Monsterpiece! The colors are just perfect, brilliant, creative, and exciting, and the artwork tells so much more than just the words. The words are perfect and I love the way the story...


Marketing Plan

National review coverage

Galleys available (physical and digital)

Simultaneous book launch of English edition in the US and Simplified Chinese edition in China 

International, national, and state award submissions

Downloadable activity sheet

Pre-order incentives and giveaways

Online/social media campaigns with children's book reviewers, parenting magazines, art magazines, and mom blogs

National review coverage

Galleys available (physical and digital)

Simultaneous book launch of English edition in the US and Simplified Chinese edition in China 

International, national, and state award...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781953458018
PRICE $16.99 (USD)

Available on NetGalley

NetGalley Shelf App (PDF)

Average rating from 58 members


Featured Reviews

What a fun book with awesome mixed media illustrations!

It’s a bright and colorful book about a kid who keeps drawing scary monsters that just don’t seem to frighten people away. A great book for elementary kids/early readers!

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This delightful storybook will really appeal to young artists!

It features mixed media artwork which really adds colour and depth to the pages. The story is simple, making it perfect for younger children and new readers, and contains a lovely message that art doesn’t have to be just one thing.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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With illustrations that are vibrant and creative and fun, this is a fun book about creativity, trial and error, and redefining what is scary.

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I was surprised at how funny this illustrated art book for children was. I was expecting it to be a little bit scary for my daughter since the book is about drawing monsters, but she was laughing so much while I was reading it to her and she really loved the illustrations. It is a book that I will read again to her and she can copy some of the monster drawings.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for granting me early access to My Monsterpiece in exchange for an honest review.

My Monsterpiece is a children's picturebook full of mixed media illustrations that tell the story of a child who is trying to draw the perfect scary monster to scare their family and friends. I absolutely love the colourful creations on these pages, and I think this book will inspire a generation of artists to let loose and have fun with their creations.

I can't wait for my own daughter to be old enough to do arts and crafts like this with me. I'll definitely be bringing this ARC out for inspiration sometime next year when she's reading, and I will let my sister who teaches Kindergarden know to look out for this one in February.

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If I had one word to describe this book it would be attention-grabbing. The vivid colours and sometimes 3D artwork by the illustrator make this book very appealing. The story was pleasing too. I’m sure kids would pick this book from a pile.

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I enjoyed this book and it had some bright, and fun images!

The book was easy to follow and it was one that my daughter enjoyed.

It is 4 stars from me for this one – highly recommended!

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What a fun, colorful, cute book! This book would definitely engage childrenZ. Very interactive. It could also inspire the little artist to create their own Monsterpiece! I have a grandson who is 2 1/2 who would love this!

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Through amazing artwork and a cute story, follow a child’s journey to create their ultimate “Monsterpiece.” My Monsterpiece is a colorfully illustrated, fun and hilarious story about a child just trying to get a scare out of someone in their family.
In this book, follow a young child as they create some of the most imaginative monsters to share with their family members to try and get a scare out of them. Unfortunately for the young child, their family do not see the monsters as monsters, but as other animals, creatures, or magical beings. This does not make the child happy so with each let down, they come back with more determination and an even more creative monster.
I found the frustration of the child cute as it reminded me of my own young children when they create artwork that I, as an adult, do not entirely understand or see in the same way they do. One of the reasons why I often ask them to “tell me about your art!” Luckily, the child does not let this get them down and they continue to create their monsters with the monsters becoming more and more colorful and imaginative each time.
Eventually, the child comes to the realization that monsters do not need to be scary to be fun or enjoyable for others and themselves. They begin to create monsters representing each person in their family who did not understand their original monsterpieces. One monster enjoys cookies like mom, another popcorn for dad, a monster like their sister who loves to color and more. Also, the child wonders what if there is a monster out in the world who loves to make scary things as much as they do? Would this monster make pictures of a scary kid? Maybe the monster would realize something like what the young child does? Does the child eventually create their Monsterpiece? You should read and find out.
I will say it again, I can not get over the illustrations in My Monsterpiece. They blew my mind. Full of color, they literally were children’s art projects on the page and looked as though I could grab them straight out of the page. My children adored the pictures and even wanted to try and create some of the monsters on their own. Which I think would be a perfect activity to go along with this super fun and cute book.
My Monsterpiece is set to release February 23, 2021. I give it five stars because it is a well thought out idea and story with some fantastic illustrations.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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My kid and I LOVED this book! There was just the right mix of art, humor, and messaging on acceptance. We had a great time talking about the silly features of the different monsters, and he even came up with a few ideas for his own monster! I love a book that sparks creativity.

I will absolutely purchase this and recommend it to friends.

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This was an adorable book about a kid trying to scare their family with pictures of scary monsters...only for the family to them how cute all of the drawings are. So the kid imagines what would happen if a monster tried to do the same thing, and failed the scare their family with pictures of scary children.
The art is collage style and my kids loved it! The colors are bright and fun, and the monsters both fit the scary and cute descriptions given.
This was a great book, and I highly recommend it! My kids had a blast reading it with me (and the 6 year old read it to us!)

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'My Monsterpiece' is a fun book with wonderfully vibrant illustrations! The narrator draws amazing monsters and imagines ways his monsters can connect him with his family and friends. Preschooler to 1st graders will love this one!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC.

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Amalia Hoffman made this amazing children's picture book that helps us to find our own creativity and let's us know that it doesn't matter what others think about our piece of art. It shows us - or children - that it's perfect just the way it is! That it's okay, even if someone else thinks it's something different than you wanted it to be.

A perfectly good message that every child and educator should remember. In creativity there is no right or wrong, let's remember that.

Besides that this book shows children that scary is a very subjective thing - what I find scary doesn't have to be scary for anyone else. What scares us makes us who we are - and here it also is just fine! We are who we are and that's okay. Let's never forget this.

The beautiful illustrations will let many children see that what they make is great - because it looks a like. A childrens piece of art in a childrens book - what else do we want!

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The book is funny, endearing, and beautifully illustrated. I like how the story is told from a child’s pov, in the way that makes you feel like you’re actually there too, being shown all these quirky monsterpieces!

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My Monsterpiece is an abstract art book that my daughter just loved. She loved seeing the transition of the monster as the artist continued to modify and change its creation. She instantly went off and built her own monsterpiece.

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This is a fun mixed-media piece that is meant to teach children... and maybe all of us... that the expectations we have about the world around us might not be as you think they are. What if the preconceived notions you have can be turned on their head?

This short, colorful, creative book tells the story of a child trying to create a scary monster but doesn't quite succeed. But the lessons learned along the way are really cute and exactly what I'd want to have on hand for my nephew.

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My Monsterpiece by Amilia Hoffman is a creative and colorful visual experience with a wonderful, positive message. It's a book ripe for a read aloud, invitation to young writers and makers, and wide sharing with growing readers. Enthusiastically recommended!

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In this story, an unseen narrator is on a mission to craft the scariest monsters to frighten their family and friends. The narrator finds that everyone views their creations as adorable and silly. She begins thinking about if monsters craft scary kids and what could happen if they all start to embrace the silliness and love and explore the possibilities.

It takes a lot to get me visibly excited about a new children's book. Have an extremely voracious reader for a child has exposed me to an endless flow of kid's books. While so many are quite good and lovely, few are memorably downright delightful. <i>My Monsterpiece</i> is exactly that. Right out of the gate, it's colorful but not too loud and the story moves a quick and fun pace. My 4.5 year old had hearts in her eyes while we read it, she kept thanking me for getting it for her because she loved it so much.

The book is constructed with mixed media and that is almost always an automatic win to my heart because it makes the book appear textured, which builds a more realistic engagement between my kiddo and the story. By the end of the story, she was chomping at the bit for us to make our own "scary" arts and crafts monsters. I love that it inspired a desire for creativity in my child. We will absolutely be purchasing a physical copy to experience it. I would recommend this one for ages 3-8, it's got a little something for all the littles.

<b>My Mastercrafter Monster Loving Sidekick's Opinion:</b> "<i>EVERY SINGLE PART OF THIS BOOK IS MY FAVORITE. ALL THE PAGES!! It looks like the same as Pinkalicious</i> [mixed media artwork] <i>and it is the coolest, all the monsters are so pretty. I really like the beginning pages too!</i> [the endpaper doodle designs on the inside of the covers]."

[bookcover:My Monsterpiece|55348976]
My rating: ★★★★★
My child's rating: (✿ ♥‿♥)
<i>Thank you to NetGalley and Yeehoo Press for providing us with a free digital copy in exchange for our honest review and opinion</i>

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What small child doesn’t like to howl and roar, pretending to be a fearsome creature? Amalia Hoffman’s young narrator seeks affirmation for a series of monster pictures that are intended to scare family members and friends but which have the exact opposite effect. Calling the artwork, “cute” and “funny,” the recipients aren’t frightened at all! But the child is a clever problem-solver, finding a new angle for creativity. And creativity is Hoffman’s own calling card with her vibrant colors and convincing, child-like illustrations that incorporate cookies, popcorn, paper plates, crayons and so many other objects kids can identify. Joyful and humorous, this sweet tale will satisfy little ones—even the ones who insist they want to be scared.

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What a great idea for a book! It's very common for young children to draw pictures that us adults don't recognise as what the child originally intended. Instead of being disappointed, the child comes up with creative and different ways to achieve their masterpiece! An absolutely adorable story with unique and colourful illustrations.

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The artwork in this book really makes the story come to life. The pictures put the reader inside the mind of the narrator, a kid who just wants to make a really scary monster, but has to adjust their expectations. When they try to scare the people in their life, their monsters turn out to not be so scary. The message is sneaky here: it's all about perspective. It's so easy for us, especially as young people, to get trapped in our goals, our perceptions, our view of things. But in order to really create amazing things and live as our authentic selves, sometimes we have to learn what it's like in someone else's shoes. At least, that's what I got out of this book. I'm sure someone else might get something different out of it. Which, again, is why I thought this book was so impactful.

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This charming children's book by Amalia Hoffman is about a boy who wants to draw a scary monster masterpiece - or as he calls it a "monsterpiece" - to scare his mom, dad, sister and best friend. The only problem with his plan is that no matter which version of monster he tries to scare someone with, everyone thinks it's cute or funny! The sharp teeth, long green tongue, pointy horns, claws ... none of them bring anything other than a smile or laugh.

Well this leads him to an epiphany: What if monsters don't have to be scary? What if they like the same things we do?

Or maybe ...

What if they think WE'RE scary and want to draw pictures of US to scare their family and friends? And what if they decide we don't have to be scary either?

I teach reading to young children, and if I showed the kids at school this story with monsters and brightly colored pictures, they'd eat it up! You can never go wrong with monsters (despite every parent needing to check under their kids' beds for them). Luckily, this story also teaches a valuable lesson about inclusivity and friendship, and about overcoming our assumptions and biases about those who are different.

Hoffman's mixed media, hand-drawn cutout monsters really are quite cute. If my own kids were still young and had drawn those, they'd be hanging on my refrigerator bringing a smile to my face too.

★★★★★

#mymonsterpiece #NetGalley

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Lovely book about a kid who is trying to make scary monsters so scare his family but they just find the pictures cute. Beautiful and vibrate illustrations. My children loved it and went to make their own monsters soon after reading.

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These illustrations are beautiful! While trying to make a scary monster, it just won't scare anything! So he decides to make fun monsters inspired by his family and friends. Perfect for a kickoff for kids drawing their own monsters.

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What is a monster? Who says something is a monster? In this charming picture book, a child tries to create scary monsters, only to have their parents and their siblings see them as non-threatening things. This makes the child wonder what Monsters think of them, and perhaps that a child is the most scary thing of all for a monster. The artwork is delightful. The child's way of thinking a treat. It is a fun book.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

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Very cute story for children. My granddaughter loved it.

A story of a child who wants to scare his family by drawing a scary picture, but when no one is afraid of his drawing and instead loves it he decides that maybe he can just draw for fun. More happens along the way but I didn't want to give you everything.

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A fun read about a frustrated artist who is tries to draw a scary monster in an attempt to scare those around him, but fails to scare them. Join him on his wild imaginations.


Thank you NetGalley and YeeHoo press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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My Monsterpiece by Amalia Hoffman is a picturebook currently scheduled for release on March 2 2021. Have you ever tried to make the meanest, wildest, scariest monster? What if even a green tongue, pointy horns, creepy sharp teeth, and claws won’t frighten anyone away? Join the frustrated artist on an adventure where the scary and not scary mingle and lead to the discovery that overcoming fear and prejudice can bring about a wonderful friendship.

My Monsterpiece is a bright and entertaining read. I liked that the art looked like the art of the child artist at the heart of the story. There are many media used, drawings as well as construction paper and words in the art. I thought that the text and art had a good balance, the eye was continuously taking in new bits of detail while not loosing the text and the larger story. I liked that there was some critical thinking, not just how can I draw something scarier because I cannot seem to- but understanding that maybe monsters do not need to be scary and can be just like people you know, while just being a little different, and that monsters just might be scared of us. The bright colors, inclusive storyline, and fun words to say, like grrr, also make this a good read aloud to share and to start an art project and discussion about the ideas of the book.

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My Monsterpiece is an adorable illustrated story aimed at preschool to young readers. Due out 2nd March 2021 from Yeehoo Press, it's 40 pages and will be available in hardcover format.

This is a beautifully illustrated little book which will provide hours of inspiration for art and discussion. The youngest readers will enjoy the cute pictures and story (with ample scope for different silly voices and faces) as well as providing lots of good prompts for art practice. Older kids will appreciate the message of understanding and the subjectivity of art interpretation and experiencing art.

I loved that the art is in lots of styles as well as being made with different media - found objects, collage, paint, drawing, papercrafts, and more. This would be a superlative selection for library or classroom acquisition as well as home library. Five stars. Lots of good takeaways here.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

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If you like Tome Fletcher, you'll love Amelia Hoffman
I absolutely loved this book. I am going to be reading this to my class as soon as I can and would recommend it for anyone to buy. The different monsters are creative and the book could be used for children to create their own monster to describe to others as a writing task.

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This was the most adorable book. I’m a sucker for all things monsters so this immediately caught my eye. The illustrations were beautiful and fun and the story was so cute. It reminded me of Uni the Unicorn book where we try to picture monsters (or unicorns) doing the same thing people do and thinking of them in the same way. It was delightful and all my kids loved this book!

#mymonsterpiece #netgalley #arc #review #ameliahoffman #book #books #kidbooks #bookreview

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I was on the fence out this book, because I was hesitant about the illustration style, but I ended up really enjoying it. The poor narrator just can't seem to draw a scary monster. I really appreciated that even though his mom, dad, sister, and friend didn't see a scary monster when they looked at his art, they still gave very positive feedback. That positivity is what allowed the narrator to create his monsterpiece in the end.

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