Grade 4-7?The idea of being a member of the Monster of the Month Club and receiving a "cozy collectible" that has the potential of coming to life during certain star alignments is the only thing that keeps this rambling story alive. Rilla Harmony Earth lives in the attic of her mother and aunt's natural-food bed-and-breakfast. As the summer begins, her adventures include her sometimes secretly alive and puckish plush toys, her crush on fellow homeschooler Joshua, her dealings with various guests (especially the psychic Mother Lazuli), and her quest for the identity of her father. Monsters (even if the mermaid and the bluebird aren't particularly monstrous) is a good concept, but Regan doesn't make readers care about the hollow people (kids or crazy adults) or the childlike creatures. Some of the situations?like hiding a rambunctious monster from spying eyes?are humorous, but the antics are all pretty tame. There's something here about making a commitment to taking care of people and pets, but the erratic lives of the monsters somehow beg the issue.?John Sigwald, Unger Memorial Library, Plainview, TX
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