Beware! Only those who are McFearlessly brave may read from the pages of these monstrous memoirs. Crack open the “creature-skin” cover&...
read full description
reviews
May 07, 2010
Lynn
rated it: 
Unless you are under 10, I would recommend reading this book as opposed to listening to it. The reader is extremely dramatic, the monster voices are way over the top - to the point where I couldn't understand a lot of it - and the author is overly fond of alliteration which gets pretty annoying at times. Not a bad story-line - about a motherless brother and sister (whose sibling rivalry borders on the sadistic) from a monster-fighting family who must set off to continue in the family tradition
More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
May 03, 2010
Kathryn
rated it: 
3.5 STARS Ah, I'm not quite sure how to review this one... I listened to the audibook and Katherine Kellegren is an excellent narrator, as ever. I even enjoyed the little musical interludes between chapters--music composed by the author himself! Truth be told, I probably would never have picked this book up off the shelf if it weren't for the audibook version, so perhaps I am not the most fair person to judge the book. In terms of the story, it's amusing and good fun but I find myself wantin
More...
6 comments
like
(5 people liked it)
Mar 03, 2011
Judy
rated it:
A great attempt by this first time author in young adult (more middle school I think) fiction. I quite enjoyed the humorous monster descriptions and recipes for protecting yourself against them. Definitely more fun for the intended young audience than for an adult to read, although I didn't care for the two children in the book as role models. The sister was always complaining about her annoying younger brother, which isn't so far fetched, but many times she actually gets pleasure out of his
More...
Apr 20, 2010
J.Elle
rated it:
It should come as no surprise when I tell you that Ahmet Zappa really likes alliteration. Case in point: the title. The theme continues through-out the book as well. This is aimed at grades 4-6 and I suspect they would enjoy it far more than me, especially if they fail to see that the Monstranomicon (a large book of everything Monster) a little too closely resembles the book of Monsters assigned by Hagrid in Harry Potter. Minerva (age 11) and her younger brother, Max, find out that their fath
More...
Jan 07, 2008
Susan
rated it:
The trouble (or beauty, depending on your perspective) of this book is that Zappa gets so gleefully caught up in the details of his monsters that everything else--a coherent plot, good character development, etc. takes a backseat. What this means is that the reader finds themselves wanting to flip forward a few pages to the next Monsternomicon "page" for the next creature profile and skip past all that stuff involving annoying people running around to no purpose. The squirrely plot rel
More...
Jan 13, 2010
Kelly
rated it:
This was a very quick read that focuses on the two McFearless children who are out to rescue their father from an evil monster. I listened to this on audiobook and the illiteration got to be a little much for me. It was like the author heard about it and then couldn't use any other literary devices. BLEH! The title demonstrates this. I also don't care for books that use the words, fart, barf, etc. I felt it to be a juvenile, predictable story that young boys might enjoy, but I did not.
Oct 27, 2009
Sierra
rated it: 
This was a great book. Can't wait until the next in the series comes out.
shortly after Minerva McFearless and her brother Max find out they and their ancestors before them are monsterminators, their father is kidnapped. With the help of a strange coyote they set out to find their father before it is too late.
I love the bits of the Monstrnomicon throughout the book telling about each monster and a spell to protect against it.
shortly after Minerva McFearless and her brother Max find out they and their ancestors before them are monsterminators, their father is kidnapped. With the help of a strange coyote they set out to find their father before it is too late.
I love the bits of the Monstrnomicon throughout the book telling about each monster and a spell to protect against it.
Jan 31, 2009
Chloe
rated it:
Looks really weird and you just have to get through the whole book. even if you think you don't like it. its a book that you have to get into which really isn't hard on this book. I liked it a lot. Maybe because the main persons brother is named max and she describes in as a pain in the butt. ;-)
Dec 14, 2008
Hunter
rated it: 
this book is by far the best book i have ever read. but i have a bad feeling that the movie is going to suck compared to this wonderful sci-fi novel. it is admittingly childish and far fetched but i love all the recipes for destruction. i highly recommend reading this no matter what.
Sep 17, 2011
Vincy
rated it:
This book was wonderful fun, if you can, I suggest you get the audio version because the reader is fabulous and Ahmet Zappa's music is hilarious. I wouldn't have expected him to be so good at writing children's material, but this was just plain fun.
Apr 12, 2010
Alaina
rated it:
I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would - mainly because the photos were so enjoyable. And I mean PHOTOS, not drawings, of the main characters and the many monsters they meet. It definitely made the story come to life!
Jan 08, 2010
Alissa
rated it:
There are books written for children that cross that barrier and appeal to adults and children alike. This is not one of them. It is definitely written for children, especially if you are a kid that enjoys big, stinky, gross monsters, and fighting them. It's a fun adventure of a brother and sister that have to rescue their father from an evil monster. The photos in the book are great, and it also includes some detailed recipes using ingredients you can find around the house of concoctions th
More...
Jun 09, 2010
Sandy
rated it:
I read this sometime in 2007 I think… so I don't remember it much. I don't even know how I hear about it… What I do remember:
• It's kind of for little kids.
• There were a lot of pictures.
• It had these weird little recipes for whatever reason (it made sense at the time), and some of it was like, "Ewwww…"
But I just added it to make my shelves grow :)
• It's kind of for little kids.
• There were a lot of pictures.
• It had these weird little recipes for whatever reason (it made sense at the time), and some of it was like, "Ewwww…"
But I just added it to make my shelves grow :)
Aug 20, 2007
Steph
rated it:
We read this book last year and didn't like it too much. The book was hard to read with all the different words that you would have to think about or sound out before reading it. It might have been okay to read to yourself, but when reading out loud to a child that has a hard time sitting still in the first place, it was difficult. She was having a hard time visualizing the story line and visualizing the characters... In the book you had to read recipes for different monster-repelling potion
More...
Jul 28, 2009
Alisha
rated it:
it was a good YA novel, kinda cute, funny. great illustrations, a change of pace.
Feb 17, 2008
Janis
rated it:
I didn't finish this one, but in fairness I think it was just my mood rather than the story. I liked the story ok, I think kids who enjoy this kind of story will enjoy it more than I was. One thing I did really like was the use of sepia-toned photos instead of illustrations, very interesting and different, especially in a fantasy story.
Mar 05, 2009
Marcy
rated it:
Who knew Ahmet Zappa could write?! I liked this more than I thought I would. It's very imaginative, the illustrations beautifully enhance the story, and the recipes are GROSS (my boys will laugh hysterically).
Jul 30, 2008
Terry
rated it:
This book has lots of creative monsters. The drawings and photos add a lot of humor to the text. It's a quick read and should appeal to reluctant readers. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
Jul 18, 2008
L mostly YA
rated it:
Audio CD, Story sticks in your head, 4th to 7th?
good for reluctant readers, girl and younger brother tackle monsters to save dad
a bit gruesome for the younger, a bit young for the older
good for reluctant readers, girl and younger brother tackle monsters to save dad
a bit gruesome for the younger, a bit young for the older
Oct 24, 2008
Kristin
rated it:
I didn't finish it, but I also didn't hate it. I don't think I'm that into monsters. But a little boy would love this book. (And the art is great!)
May 07, 2010
Julie
rated it:
The reader gets 5 huge honkin hairy stars. I can't imagine this book as anything but a read-aloud. Funny to adults and smart kids.
Jun 04, 2008
Gretchen
rated it: 
Not my favorite. Tried the audio version during vacation and the sarcasm and attitude was more than I could take.
Nov 02, 2007
Cindy
rated it:
I really enjoyed this one. The monster illustrations were fun and the photos were a cool idea. Good story.
Mar 26, 2007
Nicole
rated it:
This is a fun read. Super easy (it's a kids book) but magical and entertaining nontheless.
Aug 30, 2007
Colette
rated it:
The second book is coming along and someday a movie - I can hardly wait!!! Go Ahmet!
