Yucky and Great At the Same Time!

Rita Zobayan reviews Icky Sticky Monster: A Super Yucky Pop-Up Book! by Jo Lodge ($12.99, Nosy Crow, ages 3 and up).

At a certain age, youngsters are fascinated with gross words and actions, especially the kind that adults try to avoid talking about in public. My three-year old daughter thinks that poop, pee, boogers and fart are the funniest words imaginable. Just the mention of a first syllable or sound will send her into delighted bursts of giggles. At about that same age, many little ones also become convinced of the existence of monsters. Currently, my daughter refuses to walk into a dark room because of suspected monsters hiding under tables, behind curtains, in corners and so on.

To see how she’d react to a book that combines her current favorite topic and her current fear, I left Icky Sticky Monster: A Super Yucky Pop-Up Book! on our coffee table and didn’t mention it. Within seconds of the first sighting, she brought the book over to me and promptly demanded that I read it to her. What followed was 10 pages of ewww and yuck, and one disgusted but thrilled kid.

Icky Sticky Monster, a friendly fellow, is busy being gross, and we get to witness his yucky habits through pop-up fun. Turn the page and see Icky Sticky Monster pick his nose— “That stinky little monster pulls out some snotty goo, and because he’s feeling very kind, he’s giving some to you!” —and drink down one nasty concoction—“Icky Sticky Monster guzzles down a jug of stinky, wormy cabbage juice with added chunks of slug!” The simple rhyme scheme works well with young children, who respond well to sing-song style text.

Pop-up books are engaging, especially when moving parts are included, as they are in this one. The pages are filled with bright (and I mean almost fluorescently-colored) art work and a cool font. The pages are thick enough to handle the wear and tear of little fingers.

Jo Lodge has written and illustrated a great, fun read for young children. If Icky Sticky Monster replaces the imagined boogeymen hiding at every turn, then my daughter (and, therefore, I) will sleep well tonight.