Big Scary Monster by Thomas Docherty Ages 4+ 40 pages Templar July 2010 Hardcover     This picture book about a blue monster shows that how “scary” you appear is all relative. When he’s up high on his mountaintop looking down, Blue Monster seems to be bigger and scarier than any other creature. When he ventures down off his mountain, the monster realizes suddenly he’s smaller than most animals and even the plants he encounters. Not only is he dwarfed by everyone he once struck terror into from high on Scary Mountain; now the monster is a little afraid himself. He also feels very lonely and begins crying. Fortunately, all ends well when Blue Monster realizes it is more fun to have friends than to scare other creatures. Even though he returns to his perch atop the mountain, he now has friends who visit him. When they all get together, they play their favorite game called “Boo!” A fun book about monsters and perspective, this story should help calm the unease some children may feel about scary things they believe might hang out around the house, under the bed or in the closet.     web reviews   Bob Walch/2010 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)