Dear Big, Mean, Ugly Monster is for anyone who has ever peered nevously under the bed after dark.

     Every evening, a terrible monster waits under Joe's bed, claws scratching and fangs scraping long into the night. Nothing, not even Monster Spray or Joe's new flashlight will drive the monster away. Finally, Joe decides that he's had it with being afraid. He writes a letter letting the monster know exactly how he feels. The next morning, to Joe's surprise, he finds a response from SAM, the Sorta Average Monster under his bed!

     Young and old will love Ruth Berglin's whimsical story of fears conquered and friendships discovered in unlikely places.

     Ruth Marie Berglin lives with her husband and two daughters in Mankato, Minnesota. Dear Big, Mean, Ugly Monster is her first book.