Tiff, Taff, and Lulu - Hardcover

Eva Montanari lives in Rimini, Italy, and graduated from the European School of Design in Milan. She has illustrated several books that have been published in her native Italy as well as Taiwan, Germany, Japan, and the United States.

Kindergarten-Grade 2–In this tale of sibling rivalry, three monster sisters spend much of their time bickering and complaining. Even though their mother does her best to be fair, "Why am I always last?" is a chronic refrain in their household. Tiff, Taff, and Lulu learn a valuable lesson about love and cooperation when Mummy is injured in a motor scooter accident. Forgetting their differences, the youngsters join forces to take care of her when she needs them. At the end of their trying day, their mother reminds her daughters "how important it is to do things together, without fighting," and they all snuggle down into her bed for a well-deserved rest. The narrative is enhanced by dreamy illustrations rendered in muted shades done in acrylics and colored pencils. The characters have lots of personality. Young readers will relate to this tale of the importance of family togetherness, and the fact that it revolves around a group of monsters gives it extra appeal.–Linda L. Walkins, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, MA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.