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Summary
Summary
Just before midnight, on the night of a full moon, a young barber stays out past his bedtime to go to work. Although his customers are mostly regulars, they are anything but normal-after all, even monsters need haircuts. Business is steady all night, and this barber is prepared for anything with his scissors, rotting tonic, horn polish, and stink wax. It's a tough job, but someone's got to help these creatures maintain their ghoulish good looks.
Perfect for Halloween, this is a hilarious story about a boy who follows in his father's footsteps . . . in his own monstrously unique way.
Author Notes
MATTHEW McELLIGOTT is the author of several books for children, including The Lion's Share , Absolutely Not , and Backbeard and the Birthday Suit . He teaches at Sage College and also visits elementary schools around the country. He lives in New York.
www.mattmcelligott.com
Reviews (2)
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-The young narrator learns a lot from watching his barber dad in action-how to give a good haircut or trim, treat his clientele with respect, and give them what they want-even if the "regulars" are monsters. Literally. Once a month, Frankenstein, Cyclops, Vlad, Medusa, and others fill the barbershop chairs after midnight strikes, and the boy (who never breaks the rules and NEVER leaves the house alone) stands atop a ladder or chair, and-clad in monster slippers, pj's, and "shamp-ewww"-filled pockets-competently gives each customer a new do. With a jewel-toned palette in ink, pencil, and digital art, the shadows of night brighten in the barbershop to bring out the personalities of a lighthearted collection of monster-inspired characters. The art invites both inspection of humorous details for individual readers and an opportunity for exploration of voice and mood in a read-aloud. Fears of the unknown are faced as a human arrives at the shop during the wee hours, yet the boy ("More nervous than I have ever been") never backs down and takes care of business. Narrated in the voice of a child, this offering is perfect for young readers facing a bit of personal anxiety.-Mary Elam, Learning Media Services Plano ISD, TX (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
In McElligott's delightfully deadpan story, a boy sneaks out to his father's barbershop for a full-moon session of monster haircutting. Grainy washes with simple, black outlines reflect the gentle art of barbering as the boy stands on a stool (blindfolded) to braid Medusa's snakes, as other monsters patiently await their turns. "Some customers are easy," the boy says, as he cuts a single, springy hair from a one-eyed troll. "Some are more difficult," he goes on, tackling a hairy fiend with pruning shears. With the distinctive combination of the freakish and the humdrum, it's a good candidate for the stack of battered bedtime favorites. Ages 4-8. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved