Books About Monsters

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Do you have a child who is scared of monsters or is your child fascinated by the imaginary creatures?   This list has something for either end of the spectrum. Here are some of our favorite monster books for kids complete with a scariness scale.

Books About Monsters

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To help you determine the scare level of the books on this list, I created a scare factor number.

1 Monster= not scary at all  

all the way to 

5 Monsters=kids will probably be scared by the monsters

Tickle Monster by Edouard Manceau is a new book and one of my favorites on this list.  This book works really well for kids who love monsters and those who need help not being scared of the imaginary creatures.  There is a new trend of interactive books and Tickle Monster fits into this category.  Children are encouraged to tickle each part of the monster’s body to turn it into something else.  For example, tickle the horns and they turn into the moon in the sky.  Eventually, kids tickle away the monster into a picture of a house and car outside.  The last pages tell the monster that if he returns, the child will just tickle him away again.  This book may remind you of a very similar book, Go Away Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberly.

Scare Factor: 1 Monster

Let’s Play Monsters! by Lucy Cousins is the story of a little boy named Gabriel who loves when his family plays monsters with him. Will a monster be able to catch him before bed?  In true Lucy Cousins form, the book is fun and playful and full of beautiful vivid illustrations.

Scare Factor: 1 Monster

My next favorite book on this list is I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll.  A little boy’s monster is on vacation and there are a whole slew of monsters who try to fill in the vacancy.  But, no monster has all the creepy factors needed for the job.  The illustrations are well done in this book which push it right to the top of my favorite list.  And, you have to watch Rita Moreno read the story.  Your read-aloud skills will kick up a notch after listening to her!

Scare Factor: 3 Monsters

I recently featured this next book on my Favorite New Books for Preschoolers list.  The Color Monster explores the relationship between colors and feelings.  The pop-up book starts with a multi-colored monster who has so many feelings that he is confused.  He learns to sort his feelings and identify each one by putting each in a separate jar and labeling all of them. If you are looking for another monster book to explore colors, check out Monsters Love Colors by Mike Austin.

Scare Factor: 2 Monsters

Have You Seen My Monster? by Steven Light invites the reader to search for the monster at a scene from the county fair on each page spread.  The pen and ink illustrations are full of details with pops of color.  At the same time, little ones are learning about different shapes from trapezoids to nonagons.

Scare Factor: 1 Monster

So here is an interesting collaboration:  R.L. Stine (think Goosebumps books) and Marc Brown (think the Arthur series). The two men are actually friends who have wanted to work together for quite some time.  I was pleasantly surprised that The Little Shop of Monstersworks pretty well.  Imagine visiting a shop full of monsters.  You get to learn about all the different names and their creepy and yucky characteristics.  Would you want to buy a monster? Well, maybe we don’t choose our monsters, but rather they choose us!

Scare Factor: 4 Monsters

If You’re a Monster and You Know It by Rebecca and Ed Emberly take a monster twist on the classic song, “If You’re Happy and You Know It.”  I love when books and music combine.  Little ones will love singing and acting out this book.  It’s great to get kids moving and interacting with the text.  You can also listen the song being performed from Scholastic.

Scare Factor: 1 Monster

My kids have always loved The 10-Step Guide to Living With Your Monster by Laura Numeroff especially the part about picking your monster’s name.  This is a fun and silly book.

Scare Factor: 1 Monster

Monster Trucks by Joy Keller introduces us to different monsters from ogres to yetis and the trucks they drive.  Of course, a mummy drives an ambulance and a witch trades her broom for a street sweeper.

Scare Factor: 1 Monster

This interactive monster book called Beware the Monster! by Michael Escoffier will literally have kids running around the room.  So be prepared for lots of animation in this monstery tale.

Scare Factor: 4 Monsters

After reading these books, “scary monsters” might not frighten your child as much or maybe he or she will seek out more thrill-seeking monster books.  Either way, don’t forget to turn on the light in the closet tonight.

Printable Monster Book List

Would you like a printable list of these monster books to take to the library?  Grab it below.

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