Maggie’s Monsters by Coo Clayton and Alison Soye ★★★★

Maggie’s Monsters is the follow up to Maggie’s Mittens, last year’s debut from Fife mum and primary teacher coo clayton. Maggie’s Mittens followed young Maggie on her journey across Scotland as she tried in vain to lose her horrible scratchy mittens. Maggie’s Monsters sees a more grown-up Maggie embark on a similar Scottish adventure, but this time she is in search of monsters.

A handy little map at the start of the book helps you chart Maggie’s progress as she tries to track down these monsters in Shetland, Mull, Loch Lomond and Glenfinnan, among others. She manages to find all sorts of interesting creatures, from eagles to wildcats, seals, cows and even the dreaded midgie – but will she find the “real monsters” she so desperately wants to meet?

The detail in Alison Soye’s illustrations are just as charming as in the first book, and my daughter and I especially enjoyed looking out for the cute red squirrel hiding on every page. See if you and your wee one can spot it.

The colourful drawings of the Forth Rail Bridge and the quaint houses of Tobermory are really eye-catching, and you’ll find yourself suggesting this as a bedtime story every night, just so you can pick out things you have missed in previous reads.

Let’s hope there’s even more to come from Maggie and her adventures.

David Dalziel

Alison Soye

Coo Clayton