There are very few books that do exactly what they advertise. How to Sneak Your Monster into School, by Chris Francis, is one of those books. The story is presented in a neat format, where every page is another step in a complicated plan.

There are a couple of jokes that worked on me, but the humor here is definitely aimed at a younger audience. There is even a little suspense as some of the steps don’t pay off for a while. This isn’t Ocean’s Eleven, maybe Ocean’s Seven. Because the kid is seven years old. Get it? (Editor: Ben, you’re fired.)

I wasn’t crazy about the art style, but it is very well done throughout, so if you like the image over there, you will like the art in this story. The style just felt too digital for my taste. Now the story, that’s a different . . . story. (Editor: Ben, you’re fired again.)

The thing that this book does exceedingly well is turn a list into an interesting story. The things on the list are silly, and I can easily see a little kid thinking this is the funniest thing since Aunt Maggie forgot what drink was in her hand. This is where this story succeeds. It is a simple and funny adventure disguising itself as instructions.

I wouldn’t buy this for myself, but this would be a fun read for a little kid.

Three and a Half Monster Muffins out of Five