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I’m fascinated with monsters. Always have been. But in a weird way. I was never a scare seeker. I sought out the unique monsters, not the traditional werewolves and vampires. I related to the creatures who were more human than the humans. The ones that struggled to fit in, but if you took the time to get to know them, they were more interesting than anyone you had ever encountered before. And I think that’s a theme I use in my stories. Overcoming your fear of things that are strange or different can open wondrous new worlds.
This one oozes adorableness. But it’s more than just cute. It’s a story about a young skeleton who is literally falling apart. Everyone, myself included, can relate to those awkward times. The best part is that his friends help him pull together. Of course, that means lots of silly hijinks, but you’ll get the feels from this story as you read it to your kids.
Carve out family time for this clever and humorous picture book about a skeleton who is falling to pieces that needs help pulling himself together.
Bonaparte is having a tough time. It’s hard for this young skeleton to just hang loose when he can’t keep hold of himself.
When he plays catch, his throwing arm literally takes a flyer. Eating lunch can be a real jaw-dropping occasion. How can he start school when he has so many screws loose?
Luckily, Bonaparte hit the bone-anza when it came to his friends. Franky Stein, Blacky Widow, and Mummicula all have some bonehead…
I am pathologically allergic to “message” books. As the former host of The Gittle List contest for self-published authors, I’ve read hundreds of children’s books. Many were “tell, not show” books. Stories with phrases like “we all should respect each other’s differences” rather than showing characters respecting each other’s differences. My recommended books are, at least in part, about diversity. Like my own book series, they demonstrate diversity through unusual friendships. Showing how characters work out their differences by learning about each other and finding ways to get along. A good story can change hearts and minds when characters carry the message–not beat readers over the head with it.
A story I read so often in my childhood that I could recite it nearly verbatim. I read it frequently to my son. Then my grandchildren. Although they were inexplicably drawn to Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Seuss and, of course, their grandmother’s books, smart boys.
Here, a naughty boy, Max, runs away and enters a world of wild creatures and becomes their king. Max has a blast being king until he misses home. The transition from foe to friend to king moves quickly but is a topic worth exploring more in-depth.
Kids love the Wild Things dance scene done with rhythmic grunts and book shaking. I love its unique view on a child’s desire for independence and simultaneous need to come home.
Read-along with the story in this book and CD edition!
One night Max puts on his wolf suit and makes mischief of one kind and another, so his mother calls him 'Wild Thing' and sends him to bed without his supper.
That night a forest begins to grow in Max's room and an ocean rushes by with a boat to take Max to the place where the wild things are. Max tames the wild things and crowns himself as their king, and then the wild rumpus begins.
But when Max has sent the monsters to bed, and everything is quiet,…
I’m fascinated with monsters. Always have been. But in a weird way. I was never a scare seeker. I sought out the unique monsters, not the traditional werewolves and vampires. I related to the creatures who were more human than the humans. The ones that struggled to fit in, but if you took the time to get to know them, they were more interesting than anyone you had ever encountered before. And I think that’s a theme I use in my stories. Overcoming your fear of things that are strange or different can open wondrous new worlds.
This is my all-time favorite book! It’s odd, quirky, and unpredictable. While not technically monsters, the wolves are terrifying…at first. You feel the helplessness of the characters, but rest assured, you cheer when they get a handle on the situation. This is a one-of-a-kind story that you’ll want to share with your entire family.
"Gaiman does here for the older picture-book set what he did for middle-grade readers with Coraline." —Kirkus (starred review)
Lucy is sure there are wolves living in the walls of their house—and, as everybody says, if the wolves come out of the walls, it's all over. Her family doesn't believe her. Then one day, the wolves come out.
But it's not all over. Instead, Lucy's battle with the wolves is only just beginning.
There are sneaking, creeping, crumpling noises coming from inside the walls...
This New York Times Best Illustrated Book combines a deliciously creepy tale, a strong heroine, and…
I never stopped reading children’s books and started writing my own when I hit the age of 40. I gravitate toward crisp drawing styles and illustrations that bring out the magic in the everyday. These books are a few of my favorites.
This book (and its two sequels) presents a place where all sorts of monsters and unwanted creepy-crawlies can find shelter and a home—Julia’s house.
It’s a book about inclusion and acceptance and maybe even some bad manners. All of Ben Hatke’s books are smartly told and beautifully drawn (Zita te Space Girl, Mighty Jack, Nobody Likes a Goblin)—but even with a simple story, the magic on every page is evident, and one can linger on the pictures well past the time it takes to read the words.
Julia's housemates have to do their chores - even if they're fairies, goblins, mermaids, and dragons! When Julia and her walking house come to town, she likes everything about her new neighbourhood except how quiet it is! So Julia puts a sign up: "Julia's House for Lost Creatures." Soon she's hosting goblins, mermaids, fairies, and even a dragon. Quiet isn't a problem anymore for Julia...but getting her housemates to behave themselves is!
I’m fascinated with monsters. Always have been. But in a weird way. I was never a scare seeker. I sought out the unique monsters, not the traditional werewolves and vampires. I related to the creatures who were more human than the humans. The ones that struggled to fit in, but if you took the time to get to know them, they were more interesting than anyone you had ever encountered before. And I think that’s a theme I use in my stories. Overcoming your fear of things that are strange or different can open wondrous new worlds.
Books teaching kids not to be afraid of the dark can be cliched and a bit preachy. I stay away from books that “talk” to kids. However, while this book does deal with fear and bravery, it does so in a subtle way and feels genuine. The lessons come from the characters and not the writer. This is a sweet story and you will find yourself rooting for Martina.
Two little girls―one human and the other a monster―are afraid to go to sleep for fear of what's living under their beds.
What if an entire world of MONSTERS lived underneath your floor? Martina is having trouble sleeping because she is afraid monsters might break through the floor and bring her into the monster world where she'll have to learn how to scare humans. Meanwhile, Anitram, a little girl monster, is also having trouble sleeping. There's a noisy little human jumping on the bed in the upside-down world under her floor! Martina and Anitram have more in common than they…
Hi there! I am a children’s author, illustrator, and designer living in MA. I spend a lot of time thinking about how important friendship is to me; both the good and bad times, and how I could have handled certain scenarios differently. Books give us the opportunity to act out scenarios without having to live them. Books can teach us mannerisms and coping skills, making us more prepared for life. They also give us an opportunity to take a break from reality and sneak off into other worlds from time to time. Every book on my list highlights the importance of friendship and the thrill of adventure, I hope you enjoy them!
This book is such a clever way to approach a nightmare discussion with older kids. I first picked it up because I love Emily’s art; her watercolors are so expressive and rich.
It’s easy to fall in love with the simplicity of the little futuristic world that Tiger lives in. She has a monster living under her bed that actually helps fight off nightmares, how lucky!
The way Emily weaves the story, you can clearly see Tiger’s struggles with the scary thoughts on her mind. Emily highlights the importance of talking about it and working together to conquer those fears. It’s a very powerful experience!
If a kid can relate to Tiger’s character, I would imagine they would feel empowered to conquer their own scary thoughts, too.
Tiger is a lucky kid: She has a monster living under her bed.
This monster arrived when Tiger was just a baby. It was supposed to scare her - after all, that's what monsters do. But Tiger was just too cute! Now, Tiger and Monster are best friends.
But Monster is a monster, and it needs to scare something. So every night, Monster stands guard and scares all of Tiger's nightmares away. This arrangement works out perfectly, until a nightmare arrives that's too big and scary for even Monster. Only teamwork and a lot of bravery can chase this nightmare…
Maia Haag is the president and co-founder of I See Me! Personalized Books & Gifts. She had the idea to write her own personalized children’s book while on maternity leave. She and her husband, who is a graphic designer, published My Very Own Name, which launched their company. Maia has written over ten engaging, uniquely personalized stories that make each child feel special. She’s even written a personalized book for dog lovers If My Dog Could Talk—based on her own family pet!
This personalized storybook is soothing to young children because it shares the names of everyone who loves the child. When you order the book, you’ll provide the names of family members, relatives, and even the family pet, and the book will feature rhymes about how much those people adore your child.
I spent 10+ years in supply chain and analytics, but now I tell the stories that data doesn’t. I love exposing the hidden logic that makes the world work. Correction: I love discovering the hidden logic that makes the world work, and what I figure out, I love to share. Whether it’s getting kids interested in supply chain (e.g., how the things in the Amazon package actually get to their mailbox) or shedding light on corporate absurdity in funny novels (e.g., Firebrand), I figure that the more we can pull back the curtain and look behind the scenes, the more we can understand—and appreciate—the world around us.
Sometimes, things that are mainstream-popular are mainstream-popular for a reason. Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site may be the Starbucks of big-truck-oriented kidlit, but every once in a while, you just want a nice, reliable $7 latte instead of a matcha-oat-single-origin-barista-art-cortado out of a chipped vintage teacup.
And, sometimes, your kids want the same book they read at daycare with their friends instead of one of Mom or Dad’s gold or silver nostalgia trips. Luckily, GGCS lives up to its best-selling reputation: it rhymes, the illustrations are pretty, and the dump truck is a girl. It just goes to show that, sometimes, a book doesn’t have to be old to be a classic.
The #1 New York Times bestselling children's book now available in board book!
An unabridged board book for kids version of the bestselling, best-beloved hardcover, perfect for small hands! Even the roughest, toughest readers will want to turn off their engines, rest their wheels, and drift to sleep with this sweet and soothing story. Vibrant illustrations and gentle rhyming text make this construction book for kids a surefire bedtime favorite for truck-crazy kids everywhere.
Can't get enough of these tough trucks? The long-awaited sequel to this bestselling book series, Mighty, Mighty, Construction Site, is now available for preorder!
As a mom of young kids who love animals, I know firsthand the benefit of finding fun books that are also easy to read, fun to look at, and short enough not to make you flinch when your kids pull them off the shelves during those later bedtime nights.
This gentle rhyming book is the perfect book for your child and their best stuffy friend to read just before they drift off to sleep. The imaginative watercolor pictures will stick with you, and children will love finding how each child’s BFFs find their way into dreamland. Bonus? The book is short enough for a quick bedtime story, but has enough of a story for you to read it over and over without making you feel tired, too!
Take a bedtime journey with the New York Times bestselling author of The Wonderful Things You Will Be and discover the adventures that await while you dream!
You only have to close your eyes And when you snuggle in…. You’ll be carried to your dream tonight On wing or paw or fin
Snuggle into bed and discover what your dream animal might be and where it could take you! Could it be a bear who brings you to bake pastries? A fox who ushers you into a magical forest? Mermaids with whom you can sip tea?
With three kids, bedtime at my house is usually nuts. When we strike gold with a great bedtime read that’s funny or cozy, or better yet, BOTH, it becomes part of our permanent rotation. I love finding books that make my kids excited about story time (and just maybe encourage them to get through their bedtime routines a little faster). As a children’s picture book author, my own books are inspired by my kids’ everyday lives, and sleep, or lack thereof, is a topic that I always find so very relatable!
This book is my all-time favorite bedtime story for toddlers. Just thinking about this book has me yawning already.
It’s silly AND sleepy, with illustrations my kids always giggle at (I'm looking at you, animals wearing PJs that are too small.) It’s also rhythmic and rhyming and ends with a dreamy illustration of a boat rocking gently on the waves. This is a classic in my house!
Getting ready for sleep is tons of fun in this Sandra Boynton classic.
The sun has set not long ago. Now everybody goes below to take a bath in one big tub with soap all over-SCRUB SCRUB SCRUB!
This classic bedtime story is just right for winding down the day as a joyful, silly group of animals scrub scrub scrub in the tub, brush and brush and brush their teeth, and finally rock and rock and rock to sleep.
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