I Can Catch A Monster

Bo is an adventurous, strong and smart girl, yet when her rather horrid brothers Ivar and Erik go monster hunting, they won’t let her come with them. So, Bo decides to go monster hunting on her own, but soon finds that the monsters she comes across – a Griffin and the Kraken – are actually quite friendly.

When Bo and her new friends find a dragon, therefore, it’s not quite as straightforward as jumping in with her sword, and, in fact, the real monsters might not be dragons at all…

Bethan Woollvin’s picture books are instantly recognisable and her strong, graphic, Moomin-influenced illustrations are beautifully engaging and quirky. Rather like Nadia Shireen’s Billy in Billy and the Dragon, Bo is a brave girl and possesses all the right hero characteristics, and is big hearted enough to set an example of kindness to her less heroic brothers. An empowering read for all small heroes, and a lovely reminder that most of us, even monsters, are actually quite nice.