My Mama Says There Aren't Any Zombies, Ghosts, Vampires, Creatures, Demons, Monsters, Fiends, Goblins, or Things


Judith Viorst - 1973
    Maybe there isn't any mean-eyed monster with long slimy hair and pointy claws going scritchyscratch, scritchy-scritchy-scratch outside his window. And maybe there isn't a Thing in his yard, coming to swallow him up. His Mama says there positively aren't. But...sometimes even Mamas make mistakes. Yes, once she said there wasn't any cream cheese for his sandwich, and then he found it underneath the lettuce. And once she said his tooth would fall out Thursday, and then it stayed till Sunday after lunch. And once he told her chocolate nut and she brought back rum raisin. Yes...sometimes even Mamas make mistakes. And so, when his Mama says that no creature is reaching out its hand, to pinch him or squinch him or push him or squush him or worse, can he believe her? For lots of times a Mama makes mistakes. But when it comes to demons and fiends and other bedtime terrors, sometimes even Mamas can be trusted.

Frankenstein's Fright Before Christmas


Rick Walton - 2014
    CRASH!"The little monsters, led once again by Frankenstein, have been busy getting ready for the arrival of Saint Nick, but in this creepy old castle nothing goes quite as expected...Halloween and Christmas collide in Ludworst Bemonster's unique send-up of "Twas the Night Before Christmas." Little monsters everywhere will be screaming with laughter!

Alfred's Book of Monsters


Sam Streed - 2019
    . . . Its one blood-red eye burns with an undying rage.After reading about the slimy Nixie, the angry Black Shuck, and the creepy Lantern Man in his beloved Book of Monsters, Alfred decides to invite the monsters to teatime with his crusty old aunty, who thinks monsters are an improper obsession for a respectable young boy.

I Want a Monster!


Elise Gravel - 2016
    But how much do Oogly-Wumps eat? Don’t they ever sleep? Can monsters get lonely?I Want a Monster! is a humorous, energetic celebration of the responsibility and joy of owning your dream pet, perfect for fans of Peter Brown’s Children Make Terrible Pets or anyone who’s ever longed for or loved a pet of any kind.Includes a “Would You Like to Adopt a Monster?” activity at the back of the book.

Amelia Fang and the Barbaric Ball


Laura Ellen Anderson - 2017
    Welcome to the world of Nocturnia, where darkness reigns supreme, glitter is terrifying, and unicorns are the stuff of nightmares!Amelia Fang would much rather hang out with her pet pumpkin Squashy and her friends Florence the yeti (DON'T CALL HER BEAST!) and Grimaldi the reaper than dance at her parents' annual Barbaric Ball.Then the King's spoiled son Tangine captures Squashy, Amelia and her friends must escape the party to plan a daring rescue!In their race against time, they begin to realize things in Nocturnia may not be quite what they seem...

Old Bear


Kevin Henkes - 2008
    Old Bear doesn't notice.Old Bear is dreaming about being a cub again. He is dreaming about the beauty of the world. He is dreaming of everything he loves about the forest that is his home.Turn the page and you will see!

The Wreck of the Zephyr


Chris Van Allsburg - 1983
    How did it get there? "Waves carried it up in a storm," says an old sailor. But is it possible that waves could ever get that high? There is another story—the story of a boy and his obsessive desire to be the greatest sailor, the story of a storm that carried the boy and his boat to a place where boats glide like gulls high above the water and not upon it. Chris Van Allsburg tells that story of the boy and his boat, the Zephyr, in words and haunting, full-color pastel paintings. His sailboats sail the night sky with the stars in pictures so vivid that the reader can almost hear the wind in the sails. Here is a work of unusual artistry that will enchant readers of all ages for many years to come.

Bedtime for Frances


Russell Hoban - 1960
    And then there are tigers and giants and ominous cracks in the ceiling to keep her up. Will Frances ever go to sleep?

I Loathe You


David Slonim - 2012
    Unconditional loathing is monsterly love in this sweetly humorous picture book.Just how much does Big Monster loathe Little Monster? Let it count the ways....     I loathe you more than tooth decay      More than blizzard snow in May      More than garbage in a dump      More than splinters in my rump      No matter what, through thick and thin, I loathe you there and back again!      Author and illustrator David Slonim depicts a tender, tongue-in-cheek celebration of a very special kind of loa...er, love.

Boo Who?


Ben Clanton - 2017
    Boo is new. And even if the other kids are welcoming, it can be scary being new, especially for a shy ghost who can t play any of their games. ("You tagged me? Oh, sorry. I couldn t feel it.") Can Boo find a way to fit in and make friends with the rest of the group? From the creator of Rex Wrecks It! comes a funny story about feeling invisible and finding a way to be seen and appreciated for who you are."

Stick and Stone


Beth Ferry - 2015
    But when Stick gets stuck, can Stone return the favor? With simple rhyming text, subtle messages of kindness and compassion, and Tom Lichtenheld’s signature charm, this delightful story about making and helping friends will enchant readers young and old because it’s never too early—or too late—to stick up for your friends.Don't miss further adventures with Stick and Stone in Stick and Stone: Best Friends Forever.

Pick a Pumpkin, Mrs. Millie!


Judy Cox - 2009
    Millie is at it again! In the fall, she takes her kindergarteners on a class trip to pick pumpkins for their harvest party. The class has fun guessing the meanings of their favorite teacher’s nonsense words. They go on a dragon (wagon) ride, pet the boats (goats), and drink apple spider (cider). Coupled with hilarious artwork in pen, pencil, and colored dyes by Joe Mathieu, the lighthearted text sets a class trip on its ear, even as it teaches a subtle lesson in wordplay.

Big Pumpkin


Erica Silverman - 1992
    The witch has grown the biggest pumpkin ever, and now she wants to make herself a pumpkin pie for Halloween. But the pumpkin is so big she can't get it off the vine. It’s so big the ghost can’t move it, either. Neither can the vampire, nor the mummy. It looks as if there’ll be no pumpkin pie for Halloween, until along comes the bat with an idea to save the day. How can the tiny bat succeed where bigger and strong spooky creatures have failed? You'll be surprised!

This Book Is Haunted


Joanne Rocklin - 2002
    A pumpkin head, too Monsters' teeth A smelly old shoe All in a pot For our witch's stew.Beginning readers will love this collection of scary poems, rhymes, and short tales ... told by a ghost!Lively words by Joanne Rocklin and bright, funny pictures from JoAnn Adinolfi make this a perfect treat for any time of the year.

Porkenstein


Kathryn Lasky - 2002
    Smart Pig is a famous inventor, but he doesn't have any friends. His brothers were eaten by the Big Bad Wolf, and now he's all alone. Halloween is coming up, and he doesn't have anyone to go trick-or-treating with. Suddenly, Dr. Pig has an idea. He can INVENT a friend--a pig who is bigger and better and absolutely wolf-proof! But things don't turn out quite as expected, and soon Dr. Pig realizes he's created a monster--an enormous porker who hogs the show but ultimately proves that true friendship comes in all shapes, sizes, and appetites. Who ate the Big Bad Wolf? PORKENSTEIN, that's who!