SKU: 20577692631
battle not with monsters book

battle not with monsters book Not A Monster (Hardcover)

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Description

battle not with monsters book Not A Monster (Hardcover)By: Claudia Guadalupe Martnez Illustrated by: Laura Gonzlez With Spanish vocabulary and a clever color concept, this poetic picture book shares the life cycle of beloved amphibianthe axolotlin its natural habitat. An axolotl may look like one, but it is certainly Not a Monster. This curious creature, made popular by Minecraft, is actually a salamander that will never lose its gills or fins. Not a Monster explores the traits of the axolotl, the Aztec

By: Claudia Guadalupe Martínez / Illustrated by: Laura González

With Spanish vocabulary and a clever color concept, this poetic picture book shares the life cycle of beloved amphibian—the axolotl—in its natural habitat.

An axolotl may look like one, but it is certainly Not a Monster. This curious creature, made popular by Minecraft, is actually a salamander that will never lose its gills or fins. Not a Monster explores the traits of the axolotl, the Aztec origin myth about the species, and the way pollution is affecting its natural habitat: the canals of Xochimilco in Mexico City. 

Fun and engaging, this playful and informative read-aloud introduces curious readers on one cool character who is NOT a monster!

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Author & Illustrator

Claudia Guadalupe Martinez, author

Claudia Guadalupe Martínez grew up in sunny El Paso, Texas where she learned that letters form words from reading the subtitles of old westerns with her father. She now lives with her husband and 3 children in Chicago.

Read more about Claudia.


Laura Gonzalez, illustrator

Read more about Laura.

Awards & Honors
  • Bank Street College of Education's Best Children's Books of the Year 2024
Editorial Reviews

Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Deep in a murky, azul-tinged body of water, the axolotl swims under the cover of the moon.

Along a canal near an unspecified city “that was once a great empire,” an egg grows and transforms; the creature inside gains fins, gills, and a bit more before it hatches into a tadpole. Four long limbs soon sprout, and the creature’s color deepens into an inky black. It scours for food beneath “los lirios rosados” (pink water lilies), resting under a floating garden. The creature is “Not a Monster”—it’s an axolotl. Martínez devotes the first half of the book to chronicling the axolotl’s life journey—from birth to mating—in eclectic, whimsical strokes, egged on by González’s sublime, earthy artwork. It’s a tenderhearted ode to the water-based salamander. From there, the axolotl’s tale pivots to spotlight the creature’s connection to Xolotl, the Aztec god of monstrous things, said to have leapt into a lake and turned into an axolotl. “Guided by the stories their abuelos have told them,” two friends “row their chalupa morada” into the canals, spearheading cleanup efforts to remove plastic and bottles from the water. The author brilliantly positions the restoration of the endangered axolotl’s natural habitats as a kind of modern rebirth infused with hope. Spanish words pop up throughout this sly call to action, and color words are bolded; definitions are provided in a glossary.

Rejoice and rally for the axolotl! (author’s note)

Booklist

Martínez introduces an amphibian exclusively found in Mexico in this inviting nonfiction picture book, and readers get to watch it grow from a single cell to an axolotl. This unusual salamander is not a monster, though it's described as an "Aztec god of monstrous things" that jumped in the water in Aztec mythology. In her artwork, González honors that mythology with Aztec motifs and pictograms tucked into the illustrations, while comprehensively depicting the axolotl's growing phases. Once the axolotl is fully grown, the story introduces two children searching for the mythological creature in the canals. Instead, they find pollution, which threatens the axolotl's habitat, but they help clean the water, eventually revealing a collection of axolotls eggs beginning to hatch. Martínez sprinkles plenty of Spanish words throughout the story, which are defined in a glossary; color terms also appear in their matching hue. The term "monster" is used gently, without instilling fear. With beautiful watercolor illustrations, this story compellingly integrates folktales and biology, as well as important facts about environmental awareness.

Children's Literature

In the canals around Mexico City swims a creature the ancient Aztec people called the water monster. Then, the canals were a great lake with water pure and blue as the sky. The water monster grew and thrived. But now the once-blue water is murky, polluted by people. As a result, the water monster has begun to disappear. The abuelos say that when the last of the water monsters is gone, it will be the end of paradise. Weaving fact and mythology, this nonfiction picture book tracks the lifecycle of axolotls from egg to full-grown salamander. This book is written for shared reading. In the science classroom, teachers can use the book to encourage discussion about both the lifecycle of this unique salamander and related topics, such as care for the environment and pollution. An up-close read with parents or caregivers will encourage talk of the integrated Spanish words. The tight narrative and large, bright pictures fully engage readers. Once the child and adult have read the book together, the child will be itching to get hands-on and touch the full-color illustrations that accompany the story. Highly recommended for ages three to seven, this bright and beautifully illustrated book is perfect for read-alouds or story time and is truly a standout.

Downloadables

Details

English Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-62354-303-7

Spanish Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-62354-483-6

English Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-62354-569-7

Spanish Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-62354-561-1

Ages: 3–7
Page count: 32
11 x 8 1/2

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SKU: 20577692631

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Jamie Ann
Waukegan, US
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I ended up ordering this due to hearing mouth sores occurring during chemo. Using it twice a day to keep from getting the sours and it’s working great.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2026
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Heather
Battle Creek, US
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The reason I started looking for a solution to my dry mouth was at a regular dental cleaning they said I had several cavities and it appeared as the cause was dry mouth. They asked about my medications and sure enough 2 of them cause dry mouth as a side effect. One I quit taking but the other is necessary. So I had several fillings and the dentist suggested I look for some over the counter help for dry mouth. I tried some lozenges during the day and they were ok but didn't solve the issue of overnight. I woke up often and drank a lot of water through the night but it didn't help. Finally I ran across XyliMelts and they said you can stick them onto your tooth/gumline and they just melt through the night. Sounded a little strange but I read a ton of reviews and they were very positive. The way they work is they are made of Xylitol which helps your mouth create saliva. Every product I tried has Xylitol in it I believe, and that's probably because it works really well to help stimulate saliva production. The first night I tried them (my main issue is overnight but these can also be used during the day) it took me a few tries to get them stuck on comfortably but it wasn't terribly difficult. I tried the Strawberry Smoothie flavor first and it was just a light pleasant taste. But the best part was I slept through the night! When I woke up, my mouth was not parched! My lips weren't cracked, there wasn't any pain or discomfort from dry skin causing tiny breaks and tears. I was so amazed! I slept about 6 hours that night and they lasted, in the morning I spit out 2 small pieces. I use 2 when I sleep. A huge relief is these are sugar free and ZERO calories 🫶 Everything has calories it seems lol. They also come in a bunch of different flavors. I have found my favorite flavor is Slightly Sweet and it's just as it sounds, a faint sweet taste. So far all the different flavors are very mild, light tastes. Almost barely there but also pleasant. Finding this affordable product has likely saved my dental health. I was beginning to suffer pain from dry mouth. Once the dentist fixed the decay being caused from dry mouth, and I started using this product, I haven't experienced any pain. The best news is the dentist says there are no new issues. I have been using the product for about 5 months now. I use 2 each night unless I happen to fall asleep before I put them in place. I always wake up if I forgot them lol. It's been a huge blessing to get such better rest since I'm not waking up a million times to drink water that never could truly quench the dryness. Cause water doesn't stimulate saliva production but XyliMelts do! They work, they last throughout the night, they haven't caused any side effects or upset my stomach. I couldn't be happier to have found something that will help my teeth stay healthier. I wish I knew the seriousness of dry mouth caused by certain medications sooner, before it caused damage to my teeth. But now it won't happen again and I'm sleeping well because my mouth is moisturized. No more dry as a desert mouth 😶😂 Seriously, this is a fantastic product.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2026
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Darling Dumpling
West Palm Beach, US
★★★★★ 5
My number one choice for dry mouth. Really works and worth it.
Flavor Name: Slightly Sweet, Size: 100 Count (Pack of 1)
These do work for very dry mouth. My dentist recommended these because l am on a medication that causes dry mouth. I had no idea it could be this uncomfortable ! It gets to the point I cannot spit after brushing my teeth, can’t make the kiss sound to call my dog, even my voice has been affected. It’s the worst. Sometimes though one tab isn’t enough. I use 3 at once at night. One on each side of mouth between my teeth and cheek, sticking them to my cheek and one on the roof of my mouth. If you have trouble with them sticking to your cheek, definitely try the roof of your mouth. The taste is extremely mild. It’s hard to describe but the flavor but it’s not unpleasant in any way. I rather like it. You get more of a very slight gel consistency when they melt which is what you want. They last in my mouth for hours. I haven’t timed it but it’s half a night’s sleep some nights if I’m asleep. During the day they don’t last as long but still a long time. I’ve been trying different products for dry mouth and I do like to mix it up but this is my go to for serious dry symptoms and nighttime. I really like the sticking feature they have. Will continue to buy.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2026
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Parcae Morford
Battle Creek, US
★★★★★ 5
Good for dry mouth
Flavor Name: Slightly Sweet, Size: 100 Count (Pack of 1)
These are one of the few things that help with the pain of my Sjogren's dry mouth. They stick securely and safely. They have a mild minty taste with no menthol. They dissolve without grittiness. I highly recommend them.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2026
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Teri
Massapequa, US
★★★★★ 4
Works great, not always comfy but I do recommend
Flavor Name: Slightly Sweet, Size: 100 Count (Pack of 1), Flavor Name: Slightly Sweet, Size: 100 Count (Pack of 1)
I am a senior who raised a family, had a career and held down a household. Apparently, however, I’m not competent enough to use a mint 🤷‍♀️🤣 The first one I tried to “install” ended up in a mess in my lap. After putting on clean pjs I decided to try again, my hubby glanced over and asked why I was trying to stick my fist in my mouth and when I started laughing the mint shot halfway across the room. I am nothing if not persistent, so decided to practice with a couple. I put one in my mouth and attempted to position it with my tongue as the instructions suggest, within 2 seconds it firmly attached to the roof of my mouth. I finally managed to get two stuck onto my gums (using my finger) and they worked perfectly! Of course when I woke up there was a small tan drool spot on my clean pillowcase. I assume it’s from the side of the mint that attaches, which is a tannish brown color. Now I use one per night, they can be really hard to use sometimes but are extremely effective. They have a slightly sweet, very pleasant taste. I use multiple dry mouth products as I have COPD & use oxygen 24/7. I am prescribed 2 inhalers and a nebulizer, all of which cause awful dry mouth - to the point of feeling like my lips are stuck to my teeth some mornings. These are the ONLY things that have made that seem like less of an issue. I sleep an average of 5 hours per night and the mint has already dissolved by then, but my mouth still feels moisturized. I don’t notice any weird taste when I drink a glass of water upon waking, just a pleasant non-taste. I do recommend, just be patient! Photo is front and back next to a Tylenol caplet
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Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2026

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