Illustrated by Jorge Lacera
4 stars
A short and sweet comics-style picture book. Absolutely adorable.
Four friends are convinced there is a monster living in the forest near their shared apartment building, Wild Oaks. They just can’t decide which monster (and their favored snack). When their beloved apartment building is scheduled for demolition, they turn to the mysterious forest dweller for help.
Bright, colorful, engaging, dynamic artwork. Plenty of humor, action, and spookiness. The Wild One’s energy is contagious. I especially loved the monster designs. The endpapers also have some really cool trading card graphics of each monster.
A great story about teamwork, common interests, and standing up for what you believe in. The story nicely balances The Wild One’s similarities and differences. Though the children have different cultures, favorite foods, and favorite monsters, they share a love of all things wild. That shared love brings them together.
Also works in themes of discrimination, gentrification, activism, and multiculturalism.
Great for young monster fans that love learning about different monsters from around the world. Would love to see more adventures with The Wild Ones.