Monsters Under the Bed?

There has been a lot of talk about monsters in our home lately. Not sure why it is coming up now, but I am prepared! I pulled out all my monster books and we are going to read away are fears!  I love all these books because they make unknown, scary monsters into funny, silly, known creatures which (hopefully) allows children to overcome their fears.

Note:  All these books and more are now available through BMTM’s aStore. Click here for more information.

Go Away Big Green Monster by Ed Emberley

I love how this story creates a monster piece by piece page by page and then turns right around and takes that very same, scary monster apart the exact same way. The words, “You don’t scare me! So go away…” Are wonderful words to repeat over and over with your child while making the monster disappear right before their very eyes!

• Here is a link to a great animation of the book on YouTube
• And a felt board craft from Little Gene Green Bean

 Glad Monster, Sad Monster by Ed Emberly

Another monster book by Ed Emberley. This one helps young children explore their feelings while trying on different colored masks for different feelings. Children can explore feelings of being scared by trying on the mask and then changing those feelings to others like silly or glad.  A great way to help children turn fear into something else!

Tickle Monster by Jodie Bissett

There is no better cure for feeling scared than laughter and this book will have your little ones in stitches. My youngest loves this book and awaits each new tickle with giggles and wriggles.

Haven’t seen it yet, but Boogie Monster ,also by Jodie Bissett, is now available.

The Monster Bed by Jeanne Willis

I worked in a children’s bookstore years ago when this book first came out and we could not keep it on the shelves. This is a story of Dennis, the monster, who is afraid that there might be a human under his bed! His mom tells him humans aren’t real and he shouldn’t be afraid, but tell that to the little boy who wanders into Dennis’ cave that night!

I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll

When Ethan looks under his bed for his monster, he finds a note that says, “Gone Fishing. Back in a week. -Gabe”  Ethan doesn’t know what to do. He NEEDS his monster under his bed to help him sleep. Substitute monsters show up, but none of them will do and Ethan worries that he will never get to sleep without HIS monster.

The Monster at the End of this Book by Jim Stone

This is the quintessential monster book.  Our beloved Grover frets throughout the entire book about the monster at the end of the book. He does everything in his power to keep from meeting the monster, but, in the end, he DOES meet the monster and the monster is him!

More Books:

• There’s an Alligator Under My Bed by Mercer Mayer
• There’s a Nightmare in My Closet by Mercer Mayer
• There’s Something in My Attic by Mercer Mayer