Sleep tight, disgusting blob

A greenish blob tucks in its "horrible little one." "Here at the end of a well-spent day, / a yawning Blob I see." A lumpy, bumpy thing gazes fondly at a smaller version of itself. The youngster sits on a rug amid scattered toys and games, its yawn a small, opaque black circle between nearly closed eyes. "Reach out your weary tentacles," encourages the caregiver. "And come up the stairs with me." Though obviously sleepy, the child registers typical displeasure at the prospect of playtime coming to an end. Carrying its offspring upstairs, the big blob uses gentle rhyme and rhythm--and an expansive vocabulary--to assure the little blob that "all creatures grim and evil" are getting ready for bed. Both text and art render adorably benign an enormous parade of monsters usually considered scary, including Dracula brushing his fangs, sweetly smiling Medusa blow-drying her snakes, and Frankenstein's monster (Frankie) sipping from a glass of milk. Aaron's scribbly art relies on a soothing pastel palette, providing tender reassurance to the youngest readers and laugh-out-loud humor to older ones. Although wordier than many bedtime books, this tale handily fits the bill. A pleasurably spooky nighttime read.(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.