Book excerpt: A laugh-out-loud, zany tale about monsters, friendship and bath times, ideal for children practising reading at home or in school. Gerald the monster HATES baths. Being all washed and clean? Yuck! So Gerald's mum hires Maggie, a professional monster washer, to help. Can Gerald learn to have fun at bath time? This hilarious story from Amy Sparkes is perfect for Key Stage 1 (KS1) children who are learning to read by themselves. It features colour illustrations by Jack Viant and lovable characters that children will easily relate to. Bloomsbury Young Readers are the perfect way to get children reading, with book-banded stories by brilliant authors like Julia Donaldson and Sarah Crossan. With gorgeous colour illustrations, tips for parents and fun activity ideas to help children get the most out of stories, this series is ideal for home and school. Guided reading notes written by the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) are available at bloomsburyguidedreading.com. 'Every child needs a Bloomsbury Young Reader.' (Julie-Ann McCulloch, Teacher) Gold Book Band. Ideal for ages 6+.