Anzu the Great Kaiju (Anzu the Great Kaiju, 1) Hardcover – Picture Book, January 11, 2022

This is a nice series for children. Large illustrations.

We love Anzu and the message of self-acceptance! The illustrations are beautiful. We have so much fun making all of the Kaiju sounds together.

I liked when the kaiju made the village happy! It was a really good book. I will read it again.

This is such a lovely book. It’s beautifully illustrated and has a meaningful message that being yourself can be wonderful. What a great way to tell kids to celebrate their own unique talents & qualities. I know I’ll be giving this as a gift to lots of kids in my life!

"They realized Anzu did strike at the heart of his city—but in his own way."This is the most beautiful book, with an incredible, incredibly rich story and paintings, and a heartwarming ending, about the power of being yourself—even when your family is a bunch of terrifying monsters! Using watercolors and a thick "sketchy" look, (and with incredibly endearing expressions on little Kaiju) I fell in love with the art and our little monster. :) The coolest part is how the whole book takes the "kaiju" look and runs with it, with full-page spreads alternating with "blocks" like you would see in comics and manga/anime. The end pages even have "trading card" illustrations that anyone with a kid who loves Pokemon would understand!SO HAPPY I found this :)

ANZU THE GREAT KAIJU (GR)By Benson ShumSo adorable! This inspiring story of being true to oneself is perfect for kids everywhere. Anzu wants to be like his ancestors – a great and powerful kaiju, But Anzu’s power is to produce flowers, happiness, and music – which makes his city-dwellers happy. His family is very disappointed and tries to help Anzu find his “fierce” powers. In the end, Anzu stays true to himself – and even his family realize he isn’t just a great kaiju, he is an extraordinary one! Shum does it again – combining his amazing illustrations and sparse, engaging text to create a story sure to be read again and again!

I loved this story! Anzu is a kaiju which is a type of monster who is supposed to instill fear in the residents of the city he terrorizes. But Anzu doesn't destroy things. Instead, he creates joy and happiness in the people of his city, which initially brings dismay to his family, who try to "set him straight". When Anzu does finally succeed in causing destruction, he is not happy about it. This is when he learns to have the courage to be himself. In doing so, his family recognizes he is a special, extraordinary kaiju and they express their love and pride. Great book I would heartily recommend!

In the words of my 4 year old and 7 year old, a "perfect book!"Shum's bright illustrations immediately draw you in! Anzu is a kaiju with flower powers! He wants to strike joy in the heart of his city instead of fear. However, he worries about disappointing his family who insists that a kaiju must wreak havoc not happiness.A beautiful story about being yourself despite what others think with the added layer of family learning to accept a child for who they are, even if it doesn't match up with their own expectations.