Billy Monster's Daymare

by Alan Durant, Ross Collins (Illustrator)

Billy Monster can't sleep. There are chinks of scary light creeping into his bedroom and he has woken up twice after horrible daymares about boys and girls. Although Daddy Monster has tried howling a lullaby and making a soothing cup of cold slime, Billy is still worried. Just how will Daddy
Monster reassure Billy and help him to sleep soundly through the day? Set in a topsy-turvy world where monsters are scared of children, this warm and funny story is perfect for raising a smile and chasing away bedtime fears.

Genres: Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 6, 2007

About the author

Alan Durant is the author of books for a wide age-range, from picture books such as Burger Boy to top-end teenage thrillers (Blood, Flesh and Bones). Having worked as a copywriter at Walker Books, he is now a full-time author.

He's married, with three children and lives just outside London. He does a lot of school visits throughout the UK and abroad and also runs writing workshops.

Reviews

[Katsumi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the traditional child's nightmare story in "reverse". Billy Monster, an adorable three-eyed young monster, is having a "daymare." Daddy Monster responds with kindness to Billy's screaming. Daddy finds out what is making Billy afraid—a "scary" human child. Daddy soothes Billy by checking in his closet to make sure no "children" are hiding, checks outside the bedroom window and all the usual places something scary could be hiding. Daddy settles Billy with his favorite bedtime story about finding a group of children and playing happily with them. Billy is ready to fall asleep but asks Daddy Monster one last question: "Well, supposing there was such a thing as children...do you think they would have bad dreams about monsters?"....

It is a quick bedtime read and the illustrations are very nice.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this book, unfortunately I know 2 toddlers who go hysterical whenever the book goes near them, yet they've never had it read to them... bizarre, especially as the 2yr old boy (my son) is into dinosaurs and Jurassic park!

Curious as to whether or not the 2 children I know, are the only ones who react this way to this books cover?

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny switch around story of a monster who can't get to sleep because of "daymare's" about scary children. Daddy monster has to reassure and check under the bed etc. Young listeners related to and enjoyed the opposite tale.

[Leslie Tayloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. Very original. Great humor.

[Kakihara · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a lovely read ! I strongly recommend this book to be read by parents to any children any time before they go to bed ! I really like it. After all we were children sometime in the past. Let´s never forget it ! Never !