When his monster, Gabe, leaves a note under the bed saying he has gone fishing for a week, the little boy is seriously disturbed. How will he sleep without Gabe under the bed with his sharp claws, 'his familiar scary noises and his spooky green ooze'? The little boy calls up a series of substitute monsters, but none of them fits the bill. One has nail polish on his claws; another is female with a pink bow on her tail; and another gives the little boy fits of giggles. It is only when Gabe returns, having tired of fishing because' those fish scare too easily', that the little boy can get off to sleep secure in the knowledge that his very own monster is the only one who can keep him scared enough to stay in bed. What a super turnaround of a story! Every child will want their own monster! The pictures are dark and properly menacing, but full of humour too, and the tone of both pictures and text is jaunty and casual.