Frank and Bean The stinky feet monster

Frank (a hot dog with arms, legs, a face, and a trench-coat-like bun) plans to meet his friend Bean (a bean with arms, legs, and a face) in the woods, where they will look for the Stinky Feet Monster. Frank wears sturdy hiking boots and has brought his camera to record any evidence of the creature. Bean wears purple "rock star boots" and is convinced that there is no monster. After an encounter with a skunk, Bean smells a bit monstrous himself. The story's climax comes when a friendly little monster mistakes Bean for the Stinky Feet Monster. Full of warmth and pleasing colors, Kolar's quirky digital illustrations capture the humor and individuality of the main characters while creating an intriguing setting for their latest adventures. Michalak's four-chapter narrative may be silly at times, but it's funny as well. The third amusing volume in the Frank and Bean series offers an imaginative story for monster-loving beginning readers who can handle somewhat longer texts now, but still appreciate finding colorful pictures on every page.

The delightful oddball duo are back for another adventure, this time hunting down a monster. The Stinky Feet Monster is said to live in a cave, have incredibly stinky feet ("Just one smell of its feet and you'll fall over") that shake the ground when it walks, and say only "ME WANT TO EAT YOU!" While Frank, a hot dog dressed for outdoor exploration and monster hunting, firmly believes in the existence of the Stinky Feet Monster, Bean, a kidney bean who styles himself more like a member of Abba, with funky "rock star boots," a top hat with a purple lightning bolt on it, sunglasses, and a drum around his neck, is a nonbeliever…though his feelings gradually change as the duo search for the monster's cave, gain a new friend, and ultimately discover, à la The Monster at the End of This Book, the Stinky Feet Monster. Throughout, Michalak keeps the sentence length and vocabulary within reach of those just tackling longer texts, with repetitive words and sentence structures and short chapters giving them further support. Kolar's digital illustrations are a great balance of simple but relevant (and hysterical) details and the unmistakable emotions of the characters. This droll twosome is sure to have kids in stitches. (Early reader. 5-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.