Monsters are scary for young children, but these books star monsters that turn out to be not so scary, after all. Reading them can be a fun way to triumph over the scary monsters at your house.
illustrated by Maurice Sendak
This book was controversial when it came out — adults thought that Max was too badly behaved and his monsters were too scary. But generations of young children know best — this book connects perfectly with a young child's fears and his ability to conquer them.
by Edward R. Emberley
Emberly has created a monster out of cutouts, layered so that every time you turn the page, another part of him disappears, while your preschooler gets to shout, "Go away, bushy eyebrows!" and so on. Very satisfying for young children.
by Jon Stone, illustrated by Michael Smollin
I normally don't like books that come from TV shows, but this one is a huge exception. The Monster at the End of This Book is one of the best picture books of all time. The protagonist, Grover learns there is a monster at the end of the book by peeking at the title (breaking the fourth wall!). Terrified, he goes to ever-more-desperate and hilarious lengths to keep you from turning the pages. But when you get to the end, there is indeed a monster, but an unexpected twist makes it all OK.
by John D. Fitzgerald
Mercer Mayer handles fear of the dark and monsters with empathy and humor. Like the other books in this list, the protagonist conquers the monster, once again in an unexpected way.
Flashlight Worthy
Recommending books so good, they'll keep you up past your bedtime. more...
About Karen Kennedy
Karen lives on Manhattan's Upper West Side with her husband and two sons. She's a lawyer by vocation, a reader by avocation and she's spent years finding the best children's books on various topics with the help of her sons and the New York Public Library.
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