Monsters under bridges - Jolby

From Portland, Oregon to Seattle, Washington to Vancouver, BC, this playful picture book introduces misunderstood monsters and the Pacific Northwest bridges they call home. Meet Irving the Noble Vegetarian who lives under the Astoria-Megler Bridge and smells like vegetables and hair gel. Or the Flixies, a group of winged pixie creatures who live under the Fremont Bridge in Portland. Each monster takes on the history and environment of their home, making Monsters Under Bridges engaging as well as educational. Find out who these lovable monsters are, how they spend their time, what they like to eat, and more in this fun monster almanac!

Rachel Roellke Coddington is an elementary school teacher in Portland, Oregon, where she lives with her husband, Eric. She was born and raised in Fresno, California, as a part of a huge, loving family. She has been writing stories and poems for a very long time. In addition to writing, she loves singing, beatboxing, handcrafting flowers from paper, and enjoying the Pacific Northwest. This is her second children's book.

Jolby is a collaborative design and illustration studio based in Portland, Oregon. Josh Kenyon and Colby Nichols began their partnership in 2005. They combine their talents as art directors, designers, and illustrators.Their illustrations have been exhibited in galleries all over the world. They have two goals for every piece of work they create: "Tell a memorable story" and "Make people smile."

With tongue firmly in cheek, this guidebook playfully introduces youngsters to a panoply of monsters that inhabit the areas around, atop, and under the bridges of the Pacific Northwest. Each spread features an individual or group of monsters (Weasloes, Grubbels, Flixies, and various beasts beneath Seattle's Aurora Bridge) with tidbits about their habits as well as the geographic area or bridge and its design. Readers discover the monsters' sizes in relation to a typical kid, likes and dislikes, diet, and even what some of them smell like ("seaweed and wisdom"). The creatures are all good-heartedly silly-at most they might pilfer your lunch. The colorful, free-wheeling illustrations echo the whimsical descriptions with creative depictions of the beasts breezily rendered in full color. While this compendium is less of a guidebook than a goofy monster celebration, children and families will still enjoy using it to explore the many structures linking islands and spanning rivers in the Northwest. For fans of monsters under bridges as well as kids who dream of travel.
School Library Journal

"Monsters Under Bridges" mixes real bridges and local history with lots of tongue-in-cheek whimsy - it is sheer fun!
Barbara Lloyd McMichael, The Bookmonger

You don't have to live in the Pacific Northwest to enjoy this book but you sure are likely to want to visit once you've read Monsters Under Bridges. Each page is filled with adorable illustrations and fabulous descriptions about each monster. You'll learn the history behind each monster and what they are known for. No need to worry about scary monsters here, just some fun and harmless characters. Monsters Under Bridges is an enjoyable read for boys, girls and parents alike.
In the Know Mom

This book is a fun guide for kids through the Pacific Northwest roadways. Taking you over and under the bridges of Oregon, Washington and British Columbia.
Local Haven

This fun and educational book has fantastic illustrations that will inspire wanderlust in any monster hunter.
Portland Book Review

The book is a wonderful combination of funny stories about the monsters, history about the bridges and their construction and design, and sometimes even a legend or two that go along with the bridge.
Growing My Kids Reviews