Marlow & the Monster Review & Giveaway

Monsters hide under beds, in closets and lurk outside closed doors. No matter where these creatures take up residence, most children go through a phase when they worry about monsters, ghosts and other creepy-crawlies being in their room at night. So how can parents help them cope?

Sharon Cramer is a mom of three who has dealt with her fair share of monsters while raising her three sons. She tackles the subject in her latest children’s book Marlow and the Monster (Talking Bird Books, July 1, 2012, $14.95), a book every parent will want to keep on hand for those spooky nights.

In Marlow and the Monster, Marlow has a monster, whether he likes it or not. And guess what? He doesn't! What will Marlow do about this very pesky monster that keeps getting him into trouble? At his wits end, Marlow decides that the only prudent thing to do is to pawn the monster off on his little sister, Sarah, who eventually helps him see his monster in a very different light.

In Marlow and the Monster, Cramer takes the intimidation factor away from monsters and helps children and their parents form a more lighthearted view of these creatures.

“We don’t want to underestimate the reality our children’s beliefs and fears,” says Cramer, “but we do want to help them understand the role their imagination plays in controlling the things they are afraid of. For instance, maybe their monster is silly and goofy instead of mean and scary.”

The book is, in Cramer’s words, “My first trip onto the wild side!” Illustrated with quill pen and ink, the only splash of color is reserved for the monster to depict that only the children can see him. Each illustration takes her between 30-40 hours to create. 

TALKING POINTS:

• Monsters – Do they necessarily have to be scary?
• Fun ideas on how children can imagine their monster moments as friendly moments.
• Talk about your fears - Everyone is afraid sometimes, even Mom and Dad. Share how you cope with your fears.

SHARON CRAMER is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist and avid competitive equestrian. She is also the author of Cougar Cub Tales, an award winning children’s picture book series that follows the adventures of a brother and sister cougar cub, and is working on a new young adult series called The Cerulean Star. She lives in Spokane, Wash.

To learn more, please visit: www.talkingbirdbooks.com. You can also follow her on Twitter.

Where to Buy
You can order your copy of Marlow and the Monster on Amazon for only $14.95.  And as a special deal to celebrate the blog your, the e-book is FREE.

Our Thoughts

Marlow and the Monster is a unique children's book that both boys and girls can enjoy. It tells the tale of a boy named Marlow who has a bit of a monster problem. It isn't scared of the monster. He just seems to find him annoying at first. The monster keeps him up at night. He gets into everything, and he just won't go away. Whenever Marlow tries to tell his parents, the monster hides. Finally, he tries to push the monster off on his little sister. At first she's scared and Marlow just gets in trouble again, but then his little sister helps him see that the monster really just needs a friend.  So the underlying moral of the story is that you can be friends with anyone, even if they seem a little different while also teaching kids not to be scared the monsters under their bed. My kids enjoyed the story and the illustrations. I thought it was unique that each picture is in black and white, expect for the brightly colored monster. It makes it easy for the younger children to find him, even when he's hiding. With Halloween on the way, this fun but no so scary monster story would be a great addition to any child's library.


One very lucky winner is going to receive a copy of Marlow & The Monsters!  To enter, just fill in the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to the US only and will end on 9/5/12.  Thanks again to  Sharon Cramer for offering this fantastic prize.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway



***Please note that I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. I did receive a sample of the product to try in order to write a fair and honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own and were not influenced in any way. Please note that I am not responsible for the delivery of this prize and can not be held accountable if, for any reason, is it not received. Furthermore, I am in no way liable for any injuries that may result from the use or misuse of this product. ***