MOSTLY MONTY
by Johanna Hurwitz
illustrated by Anik McGrory
Candlewick Press
Hardcover: 076362831X
Paperback: 9780763640620
Ages 6-9
96 pages

Six-year-old Monty is an asthmatic, which makes him yearn to run outside and play constantly as he sees the neighbor kids doing. Because of his asthma, he can't have a dog or a cat. He can't participate in Little League or go away to camp. As he enters first grade, he chafes under the protectiveness of his worried parents.

Starting first grade makes Monty nervous. He's even more concerned when his teacher announces her name: "Mrs. Meaney." Uh oh. But, happily, Mrs. Meaney turns out to be the opposite of mean.

At school, it seems everyone else is having more fun than Monty. They definitely have more friends. Even though some of the kids in his class live on his street, Monty really has no friends at all. He wishes he could be someone else.

However, life begins to look up. Monty discovers that he is an advanced reader. While his peers are checking out picture books, Monty takes home a juicy big library book on dinosaurs. He also discovers a pet he can actually keep…at least for a while.

At school, Monty makes a name for himself by finding many lost items to take to the Lost and Found box. In fact, he likes being Mr. Lost and Found so much that he lands himself in a mild, humorous pickle of a situation. He also comes across some treasures that he is eager to haul home. But are they truly treasures?

Mrs. Meaney introduces the notion of hobbies to the class, and Monty wants one in the worst way. His search eventually leads to him solving the "no friends" issue in his very own creative way.

MOSTLY MONTY is a delightful chapter book, with whimsical illustrations that are perfect for the realistic yet uplifting story starring an endearing main character. It will appeal to fans of Megan McDonald's Stink and Judy Moody books, although the humor is just a bit more subtle.

   --- Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon (terryms2001@yahoo.com)

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