You are oh so horribly handsome! by Eva Dax

Ill. by Sabine Dully. Starfish Bay, 2016. ISBN 9781760360139
(Age: 3-7) Recommended. Gregor, the little green monster has all the right attributes, he loves to shout ear-splittingly loud, he is also horrendously strong, and frighteningly fast. Unfortunately, one day a nasty thought enters his mind and he ponders the question 'Am I handsome?' He seeks reassurance from his loving family, his old neighbor and his best friend and each one focuses on a special part of his character and gives a supportive response.
Mommy loves his handsome squint, Daddy loves his stinkiest, cheesiest feet and even his little brother loves his 'fattest, flabbiest, softest, squashiest, wibbly-wobbliest tummy!' Each one then gives him a kiss, a hug, a cuddle or a pinch on the cheek and Gregor's spirits are lifted with each encouragement.
Eva Dax's text is rich with descriptive phrases; she builds on each response with more and more colourful responses, using fun words that will amuse the youngster sharing this story. With phrases like 'bumpiest, muckiest, yuckiest' these are just right for reading aloud to a young audience. Eva Dax brings out the many facets of Gregor's character; each scene has fun detailed backgrounds and each of the family and friends are caring and loving monsters. The close-up of his rotten, crooked, yellow teeth with little monsters peeking out of the cavities, a dangling spider and a worm wrapped around one tooth is humorous.
You are oh so horribly handsome, is an excellent picture book for Health and Wellbeing, for lessons on family relationships, self-esteem and valuing each other's differences and abilities. For English, this is a fun way to introduce descriptive writing and adjectival phrases.
Rhyllis Bignell