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Marvin Monster's Teacher Jitters!    by Tabatha Jean D'Agata & Ed Newmann Amazon.com order for
Marvin Monster's Teacher Jitters!
by Tabatha Jean D'Agata
Order:  USA  Can
Moo Press, 2006 (2006)
Softcover
* *   Reviewed by Hilary Daninhirsch

Watch out, Harry Potter. Here comes Marvin Monster, a delightfully ghoulish elementary school monster-child. This chapter book touches on familiar themes. Like many children his age, Marvin is apprehensive about meeting a new teacher at Grim Castle Elementary after his beloved teacher retires. There is a suspenseful build-up to the ultimate unveiling of Miss Witchafred, who is drawn in a delightfully bewitching way. 

Miss Witchafred wins the hearts and calms the fears of her new students by taking them on a long-promised field trip on a tour through Marshville, where they visit the Postal Tomb, the Trash Yard, and the Chamber of Books, complete with helpful, flying gremlins. When a trick Marvin plays on Miss Witchafred backfires, he learns not to judge others before you have a chance to get to know them.

I found it amusing that Marvin was scared of his teacher, considering that he himself is a monster, and his classmates were equally scary, though lovable, creatures. The book contains just the right amount of ghoul to not be truly frightening. The illustrations are over-the-top and just plain fun.

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