Helaine Becker places six different kinds of monsters under her microscope to expose the proven scientific principles behind the legends. There's also historical background on each monster, as well as trivia and jokes in sidebars, and quizzes at the end of every chapter for readers to test their knowledge. Becker uses the never-ending appetite for all things monster to engage the imaginations of children and get them excited about science, especially anatomy and biology. This is a book with cross-curricular applications in life, earth and physical sciences, as well as in literature (myths and legends), history and literacy skills.