[I received a review copy of this book from the author.  No other compensation was received.]

Weldon Wexford & Murkle Monster is a fun and magical picture book about the ups and downs, challenges and successes, of being a child wizard. After reading this story and getting to see what life as a wizard is really like, you’ll feel that you and your family have more in common with wizards than not, and you might find yourself grateful that your child only wants a dog instead of a monster for a pet! Though I don’t know, Murkle is one adorable monster. It is hard to say.

Summary: Weldon Wexford might be a wizard with a wizard for a mother and a wizard for a father, but apparently, his parents are still boring.  (See, wizarding families can be boring, too!)

Despite the fact that he can fly around his house on his broom, turn his bed into a pirate ship, and the living room into a castle — he is one bored wizard.  (Proof that magic won’t solve all your problems!)

What on earth could entertain him?

After a lot of pondering and consulting with garden gnomes (but the cute kind, not the burdensome kind we’ve read about in Harry Potter) — a lightning bolt goes off in Weldon’s head and he knows just what he and his family needs to liven things up: his very own monster.

His parents aren’t so sure though, because as we all know, monsters are a lot of work!

He and his parents make a magical deal and get on their dragon and go down to the local monster shop.  After looking at all of the monsters at the shop, he chooses one and dubs him Murkle Monster.

First things first, his parents make a list for him on what he needs to do to take care of his monster.  He goes through the list just fine, but he hits a bit of a snag when he takes Murkle out for some exercise:  Murkle runs off after a creature and doesn’t listen.  At dinner that night, Murkle eats everything on his plate except for the beets.  Murkle then spends all night howling at the moon, and the next day he digs holes up around the yard.

Nobody is too happy at this point.  Weldon questions whether he is ready to have a monster and reaches a breaking point when instead of taking a bath, Murkle swipes his wand and turns the bath into a swamp.

Breaking points can yield great results and that’s exactly what happens here.  Weldon decides that he needs to do some studying and heads to the library to learn about monsters. (I’m assuming that his parents are watching Murkle at this point, but he may be calling in some favors elsewhere.  The story lets us decide.)  He gets some toys and treats for Murkle and begins to train him.  At last, success!  Murkle is trained and even teaches Weldon a few tricks.

Now, Weldon’s family is no longer boring.  They are “extra-ordinarily-magic-tastically magical!”

Recommended Ages 2 – 8. Weldon & Murkle Inc. Janurary 2015. 38 pages. ISBN:978-0986308505. Fiction.

Where to Get it:

• [Affiliate Link] Amazon.com
• [Independent Bookstore] Indiebound.org
• [Library] Woldcat.org — ask your library to order it!

You Should Read Weldon Wexford & Murkle Monster because:

• It’s a wonderful book to read to the wizard-obsessed children in your life.  This book has a bit of a Harry Potter feel to it except there are no dead parents or ominously threatening Dark Lord-type people — which is perfect for our four year old!
• My son talks about magic all the time and he longs for us to be able to magically do various things.  This book is a great example that no matter who you are and what you have — you can still take things for granted if you aren’t careful.  (My son, however, maintains that he could never ever possibly be bored if he could fly.)
• Weldon’s parents let him have jelly beans for dinner.  Seriously!  The very idea of having jelly beans for dinner delighted my son to no end.  When my son asked if he could have jelly beans for dinner — I said only if we can find magic jelly beans. Weldon’s jelly beans are magically imbued with vitamins and minerals that make them healthy.  So, we’re currently keeping a look out for magic jelly beans.
• I’m a big fan of Peggy Collins’ illustrations!  She strikes a great balance between our familiar and classic ideas of the wizarding world with a very slight steam-punk feel.  There is a lot of movement and energy in the illustrations capturing the tone of a magical childhood and giving Weldon’s world an almost tangible quality to it.
• There are a lot of great examples and lessons in this book.  Weldon has a difficult time and questions whether he can really have a monster for a pet — and I think it is great for my son to see that reflected.  When in doubt, don’t give up, try harder — is an awesome life lesson that this book reinforces.
• This is a fun book with a sweet ending that really struck a chord with my son.

From “Weldon Wexford and Murkle Monster” © 2015 David Ezra Spinner. Used with Permission.

From “Weldon Wexford and Murkle Monster” © 2015 David Ezra Spinner. Used with Permission.

From “Weldon Wexford and Murkle Monster” © 2015 David Ezra Spinner. Used with Permission.

Author and Illustrator Websites:

• Author: David Ezra Spinner
• Illustrator: Peggy Collins
• Weldon and Murkle’s Facebook Page

More Reviews of this Book:

• Redhead Baby Mama 
• Just Jantz — a blog post about the author’s visit

Where Obtained:  I received a review copy from the author. No other compensation was received.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

FTC Disclosures:  Some of the links in the post above are Amazon affiliate links and others are IndieBound affiliate links. If you click on the link and purchase something, I will receive an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. Which goes to fund my family’s picture book habit.  It’s a vicious cycle, but we manage.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”