My Teacher Is a Monster! (No, I Am Not.) by Peter Brown (review)

Bobby thinks his teacher is an absolute monster, and that may literally be the case, as Ms. Kirby appears as a gargantuan green gal with a huge snout, claws, unibrow, and pointy teeth, who’s squeezed into a properly conservative dress and sensible heels. One day, when Bobby takes a trip to the park, he runs into Ms. Kirby. Awkward silence ensues, until a gust of wind blows Ms. Kirby’s favorite hat right off, and Bobby is able to snag it. Some companionable duck-viewing, rock-climbing, and paper-plane-making later, Bobby realizes that Ms. Kirby might not be quite so monstrous. Dialogue between Bobby and his teacher moves the story along, giving the tale a flow that’s stiff at the outset with their tense relationship but that evolves into a casual, easygoing rhythm; the text is a bit too long for the predicable conclusion, however. The gradual change in illustrations reflects the characters’ evolutions with some spreads showing brief episodes on white backgrounds, others with striking wordless scenes, and Ms. Kirby slowly de-greening and gaining human form as Robert begins to view her differently. The mixed-media illustrations have a whimsical and mottled style, while Robert’s pleasing roundness and spiky hairdo amp up the cheeriness factor, and Ms. Kirby’s peach handbag adds a pop of color to the otherwise drab palette of olives, browns, and greys. This might hold more appeal to teachers than their charges, but the story will still likely strike some chords with kids who’ve learned the same lesson, and it could make a diverting contrast to something like Allard’s classic Miss Nelson Is Missing! for an exploration of truly horrifying educators.