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MONSTER HANDS

Dion MBD Jonaz McMillan Karen Kane

Two best friends use sign language and shadow puppetry to help vanquish their fear of the monster under the bed in this fun, interactive bedtime readaloud.
When nighttime comes, Milo has a problemhe's convinced there's a monster under his bed! Luckily, his best friend Mel knows just what to doscare the monster more than the monster scares you! So using shadow puppets on the wall, Mel and Milo make monster hands that roar, chomp and even laugh to scare the monster away. But uh oh! What if the monster thinks this is funny! This is NOT funny! Milo has an idea to show the monster who's boss once and for all. Together Milo and Mel hatch a plan to scare the monster away forever. But in the end, they discover the true cure to a monster problem is a best friend who will stand and face it with you.

Accompanied by warm, atmospheric art that dazzles, this soon-to-be bedtime favorite will provide much comfort to children facing a common bedtime fear.

Karen Kane is the author of the middle grade series Charlie & Frog and a Juvenile Edgar Award finalist. She lives in Washington, DC and works as an American Sign Language translator.

Jonaz McMillan is a producer and writer for Hands Land, a series of nursery rhymes specializing in American Sign Language on Amazon Prime Video. Previously he was at Gallaudet University as a faculty member of the Art, Communication, and Theatre department after working abroad in India, Kenya, and Finland. Born and raised in Washington, D.C. he currently resides in Los Angeles.

The illustrator Dion MBD (short for Dionisius Mehaga Bangun Djayasaputra) is an Indonesian illustrator/designer who lives and works between Brooklyn and Bandung. Dion received his illustration BFA from Ringling College of Art and Design in Florida, where he grew his fascination with clouds. In his downtime, Dion is either cooking, listening to John Mayer, or cloud-watching.
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Book

Published 2024-05-07 by Nancy Paulsen Books

Book

Published 2024-05-07 by Nancy Paulsen Books

Comments

A video from one of the authors, Jonaz McMillan, about his inspiration for the book (and how it rhymes in sign language!). Read more...

video from both authors about how the book's sign language is universal - and great fun for both deaf and hearing readers. Read more...

A video from both authors about how the book's sign language is universal and great fun for both deaf and hearing readers. Read more...

Children will eagerly sign or shout along with the most exciting moments.This is an excellent read for any child fretting about things that go bump in the night, as well as an effortless celebration of ASL. A thrilling tale of bravery, friendship, and the power of signing.

Kane and debut author McMillan build suspense with each of the duo's attempts to banish the monster, creating a lively collaboration that gives way to a tender gesture between the friends. MBD employs vibrant gradient hues to create looming shadows and dynamically highlight ASL signs.

French (text rights only): Sens Dessus Dessours/Groupe Delcourt, Indonesian: Bhuana Ilmu Populer

video from one of the authors, Jonaz McMillan, about his inspiration for the book Read more...

Cleverly bringing life to ASL signs, Kane and McMillan's story of bedtime fear and a boy's imagination will strike a chord with readers...The teamwork and friendship shown here are winners, but the real appeal of this book lies in the way the story normalizes d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing communication.