Monstrously Magnificent Picture Books

If your kids are anything like mine, or were when they young, they have a fascination with monsters. Both my five and my seven year old love anything that they can slap a ‘scary’ label on, as long as it does not get too scary. Scooby-Doo, and an ever-cycling cast of creatures are the constant source of happy conversations and late night fears. Vampires, ghosts, zombies, mummies, and a wide assortment of creatures have become the focus of one or both of my children at any given time.

Some books, movies, and television shows featuring monsters are silly fun, others creepy and entertaining, while others cross a line (some times without me even realizing it until the questions or nightmares start) into the realm of actually scary.  Finding the right balance of fun and creepy without crossing the line into actually fright inducing can be difficult. Here are some of the Cheshire Library books that I have found to be entertainingly spooky or silly, without becoming too scary.

Cheshire Library has a Monster Lit Kit- a collection of books, activities, a CD, and a DVD to please young monster lovers. The lit kit is includes the books Bigfoot Cinderrrrrella, Birthday Monsters,  Frank was a Monster Who Wanted to Dance,  The Monsters at End of this Book, Monster Goose, My Monster Mama Loves Me So, Monster Manners, Monster Things to Make and Do,  There’s a Nighmare in my Closet, and  The Very Worst Monster. The music CD include is Scream Factory Favorites which is z collection of songs based on the characters from Monsters, inc. and the DVD included is Cookie Monster’s Best Bites. We have Lit Kits available on most topics out youngest readers, and their families or teachers enjoy.

Big Scary Monster by Thomas Docherty
Big Scary Monster is one misunderstood beastie. He loves to jump out and surprise his friends, but he’s not mean, really. Yet when his friends start hiding from him, he decides to look for new creatures to frighten, only to wind up finding out he’s a bit of a scaredy-cat himself!

Bone Soup by Cambria Evans
Retells the classic tale about a traveller, a ghost, who tricks a town’s witches, ghouls, and zombies into helping him make soup. A Halloween themed version of Stone Soup.

I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll
Checking under the bed for his monster, Ethan discovers that he is gone fishing for a week, and realizing he can’t sleep without him tries to find a substitute monster.

Leonardo, the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems
Leonardo is a terrible monster — he can’t seem to frighten anyone. When he discovers the perfect nervous little boy, will he scare the lunch out of him? Or will he think of something better?

The Monsters’ Monster By Patrick McDonnell
Grouch, Grump, and little Gloom ‘n’ Doom spend much of their time arguing over who is the “biggest and baddest” until they build a monster together that turns out to be very different than what they expect.

My Friend the Monster by Eleanor Taylor
After his family moves into their new house, Louis the fox discovers a very frightened monster living under his bed, and when he takes the monster to the park with him, the monster helps him make new friends.

Sally and the Some-Thing by George O’Connor
Stuck at home with her mom and her new sibling, Sally heads for the swamp with her fishing pole and bike. What she discovers, a slimy, slithery Some-Thing, is a new best friend. Mud pies, burping contests, snail racing–and sensational, beautiful artwork deliver plenty of kid appeal.

If You’re a Monster and You Know It by Rebecca Emberley and Ed Emberley
Monsters sing their own version of this popular song that encourages everyone to express their happiness through voice and movement.

For more monstrously fun reading, you might also want to check out; Bedtime Monsters by Josh Schneider, Some Monsters are Different by David Milgrim, Ghost in the House by Ammi-Joan Paquette, Monsters on Machines by Deb Lund, There Was an Old Monster by Rebecca Emberley, Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley, There’s a Nightmare in my Closet by Mercer Mayer, Most Loved Monster by Lynn Downey, The Monster Who Lost His Mean by Tiffany Strelitz Haber, Even Monsters Need Haircuts by Matthew McElligott, When a Monster is Born by Sean Taylor, Skeleton for Dinner by Margery Cuyler, Bedtime For Monsters By Ed Vere, Beasty Bath By Robert Neubecker, Goodnight, Little Monster By Helen Ketteman, or  Broom, Zoom! by Caron Lee Cohen.

 -- written by Sharon Tyler, Children's Cataloger at Cheshire Library.