Book Review of Monsters In My House
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The Children’s Book Review
Monsters In My House
Written by Tiffany Waggener
Illustrated by Gary Wilkinson
Ages: 4-6 | 28 Pages
Publisher: Leif & Lore Publishing (2026) | ISBN: 979-8-9965236-0-3
What to Expect: Monsters, everyday fears, bedtime, humor, rhyming text, home and family, imagination.
Toby has a secret he can’t keep any longer: his house is full of monsters! But not everyone believes in monsters, so he invites readers inside to see them for themselves…
In the bathroom, there’s a monster that turns Mom’s hair into snakes. In the kitchen, a greedy creature gobbles up fruit and vegetables and tricks Dad into drinking it, while another waits in the sink to devour leftovers with gnashing metal teeth. A monster prowls the hallway inhaling crumbs, another slurps every bubble out of the bathtub, and a bedroom beast called The Snore keeps Toby awake as he counts sheep. Out in the yard, a pair of monsters stalks the lawn at dawn. Having shared his secret, Toby wonders … do other kids have monsters in their houses too?
In this funny and tongue-in-cheek picture book, the humor lives in the gap between what Toby says and what readers can see: while Toby himself may not be quite as brave as he would like, his readers are sure to feel braver as they detect his mistake in imagining a blender, a vacuum, a garbage disposal, and a lawn mower as monstrous.
The illustrations play with expression and angle: terrified vegetables, panicking dust bunnies, and cowering ladybugs dominate each shadowy page, while Toby’s face swings between horror and gap-toothed glee, letting readers laugh at their own worries and feel brave by being in on the joke. Worm’s-eye, bird’s-eye, and dust-bunny’s-eye views make ordinary objects loom, and verbs like “gurgles, sputters, chokes, and coughs” make the accompanying text joyful to perform aloud.
Perfect for any child who has ever lain awake at night, worrying about sounds in the dark.
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About the Author
Tiffany Waggener has had her nose buried in a book and her head in the clouds since she was young—though not literally, because she’s always been on the shorter side. As a teacher and a loving mother to three bright and energetic boys, Tiffany has long dreamed of sharing her own stories with the world. With this book, Tiffany is delighted to make her writing debut, hoping to create stories that spark laughter, fuel imagination, and become favorites at bedtime for children and the grown-ups lucky enough to read with them.
For more information, visit tiffanywaggenerbooks.com.
About the Illustrator
Gary Wilkinson is a children’s book illustrator, teacher, and busy father who spends his time bringing wonderful story ideas to life at his messy desk in Kagawa, Japan. In addition to illustrating a wide series of books for children, Gary also looks to bring a smile to others as a caricature and portrait artist.
For more information, visit garywilkinsonart.com.
Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. This is a sponsored*, non-biased review of Monsters In My House. Learn more about getting a book review …
