"Print out these discussion questions to continue the conversation with your students, children, and friends!"
Book Summary A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting:
A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting is a hilarious, frightening, and sometimes gross adventure. A secret society of babysitters protects children from the Boogeyman and other nightmares brought to life. Joe's Babysitters Guide to Monsters series continues with book #2 Beasts & Geeks and #3 Mission to Monster Island.
For children ages 8 - 12 years old and who love: Ellen Oh’s Spirit Hunters, City of Ghosts and if The Babysitters Club also had monsters.
When was the last time you were scared or nervous and overcame your fears like the main character Kelly?
Author Joe Ballarini mentions the many people that he worked with to make his book possible, including the publisher’s art department and Vivienne To, who designed the words and art on the book cover. Can you design a book cover for your story?
Joe mentions how writers have to pitch their books and ideas so that their books can get published and that people will read their books. Practice pitching an idea to a friend or family member.
One of Joe’s favorite monsters that he created was the Shadow Monster who feeds on fear. Can you think up a monster and what would make that monster stronger?
The main antagonist in A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting is the Grand Guignol. The origins of the Grand Guignol come from a theatre in Paris, France, starting in the 1890s that specializes in horror shows and theatre. Can you look in a dictionary and find out what guignol means?
An idiom is a word or phrase which means something different from its literal meaning. For example, the idiom “a piece of cake,” refers to the task being easy. Author Joe Ballarini used the idioms “top dollar” and “good money.” After listening to the podcast recording, do you now know what those idioms mean?
—Thank you to author Joe Ballarini
“I'm very scared of a lot of things, and I've wanted a character who was also scared of a lot of things, and who overcame those fears and was able to kick butt and save the day as a result of that. And also just wanted to have a good time and write a great fun book. And be entertained as I was writing it. ”
— Joe Ballarini
