When another family on their block are the first to get a monster, showing him off to neighbors and schoolfellows, the children in this amusing picture-book creation from New Zealand author/artists Richard Fairgray, Tara Black and Terry Jones demand one of their own. Overcoming their parents' objections, the children succeed in getting their monster, only to discover that he isn't quite what they ordered. With such an unimpressive pet, especially compared to the Turners' wonder-monster, what will the children and their parents do...?

An entertaining look at the issue of pet ownership, and the sometimes competitive ways in which people compare their companions to those belonging to others, That's Not the Monster We Ordered pairs a humorous text with appealing cartoon-like illustrations. I liked that the family being depicted in the artwork were brown, but that this was in no way the focus of the story, or even commented upon in the text, as this reinforces the idea that wacky and extraordinary things (like having a monster as a pet) happen to all kinds of people. I also liked the heartwarming ending, which emphasizes that our the most important thing that a monster (or pet) can bring to us is not impressive tricks, but love. Recommended to anyone looking for fun new children's stories about having pets, of whatever kind... ( )