Picture Books

The Serpent Came to Gloucester by M.T. Anderson; illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline

(Children Picture Book Lg ANDER)

Rhyming text tells of a sea serpent that plays off the coast of Massachusetts the summer of 1817, and is hunted upon its return the next year. Includes a page of facts upon which the story is based.

Monster Needs His Sleep by Paul Czajak; illustrated by Wendy Grieb

(Children Picture Book + CZAJA)

Monster needs to go to sleep but keeps finding things to stay awake for until, finally, he admits that he is afraid of the dark and gets help with his bedtime problem.

Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley

(Children Picture Book + EMBER)

Die-cut pages through which bits of a monster are revealed are designed to help a child control nighttime fears of monsters.

The Dangerous Alphabet by Neil Gaiman; illustrated by Gris Grimly

(Children Picture Book GAIMA)

As two children and their pet gazelle sneak out of the house in search of treasure, they come across a world beneath the city that is inhabited with monsters and pirates.

Greedy Greeny by Jack Gantos & Nicole Rubel

(Children Picture Book GANTO)

A little monster, having disobeyed his mother by eating the watermelon intended for the family’s dessert, suffers for his greed in a subsequent dream.

Friends by Mies van Hout

(Children Picture Book + HOUT)

Little monsters become friends, laughing and playing, but also teasing, arguing and making up in this book about relationships.

The Very Worst Monster by Pat Hutchins

(Children Picture Book HUTCH)

Hazel sets out to prove that she, not her baby brother, is the worst monster anywhere.

Jeremy Draws a Monster by Peter McCarty

(Children Picture Book + MCCAR)

A young boy who spends most of his time alone in his bedroom makes new friends after the monster in his drawing becomes a monstrous nuisance.

The Legend of the Jersey Devil by Trinka Hakes Noble; illustrated by Gerald Kelley

(Children Picture Book + NOBLE)

Relates the origins of the Jersey Devil, a monstrous creature that has reportedly haunted the Pine Barrens region of New Jersey since 1735 menacing townspeople, worrying livestock, and causing all manner of ills.

The Patterson Puppies and the Midnight Monster Party by Leslie Patricelli

(Children Picture Book PATRI)

Puppy siblings Andy, Penelope, and Jack help their sister Petra overcome her fear of a nighttime monster.

Mommy? by Maurice Sendak; scenario by Arthur Yorinks; paper engineering by Matthew Reinhart

(Children Picture Book SENDA)

In this almost wordless story with only two words: mommy and baby, a very young child stumbles into a house to find his mother; he finds, instead, a collection of monsters, including a vampire, mummy, and werewolf before he finds her.

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

(Children Picture Book SENDA)

A naughty little boy, sent to bed without his supper, sails to the land of the wild things where he becomes their king.

Gullible’s Troubles by Margaret Shannon

(Children Picture Book + SHANN)

Although Gullible Guineapig believes everything his aunt, uncle, and cousin tell him, they dismiss his warning about what is in the basement.

Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman; illustrated by S.D. Schindler

(Children Picture Book SILVE)

A witch trying to pick a big pumpkin on Halloween discovers the value of cooperation when she gets help from a series of monsters.

Rotten Island by William Steig

(Children Picture Book + STEIG)

Rotten Island has always been a paradise for nasty creatures, until one awful day a beautiful flower begins to grow, threatening to spoil the island forever.

Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems

(Children Picture Book Lg WILLE)

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 Big Ugly Monster and the Little Stone Rabbit by Chris Wormell

(Children Picture Book + WORME)

A monster who is shunned for his ugliness finds relief from loneliness when he befriends an inanimate rabbit he carved from stone.

Simon’s Book by Henrik Drescher

(Children’s + PZ7.D78383 Si 1983)

Simon flees from a friendly monster with the aid of some drawing pens and a bottle of ink.

I’m Coming to Get You by Tony Ross

(Children’s + PZ7.R71992 Im)

After eating all the planets in outer space, a horrible monster gets a big surprise when it comes to Earth and tries to capture a little boy.

Chapter Books

The Luck Uglies by Paul Durham; illustrations by Pétur Antonsson

(Children’s PZ7.D9337 Luc 2014)

Eleven-year-old Rye O’Chanter and her two friends delve into the secret lore of their village when mysterious creatures of legend reappear on the night of the Black Moon, leading them to the notorious secret society, the Luck Uglies.

The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale & Dean Hale; illustrated by LeUyen Pham

(Children’s PZ7.H1385 Pr 2015)

“Who says princesses don’t wear black? When trouble raises its blue monster head, Princess Magnolia ditches her flouncy dresses and becomes the Princess in Black!”—Provided by publisher

How to Catch a Bogle by Catherine Jinks; illustrated by Sarah Watts

(Children’s PZ7.J5754 Ho 2013)

In 1870s London, a young orphan girl becomes the apprentice to a man who traps monsters for a living.

The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens

(Children’s PZ7.S83218 Eme 2011)

Kate, Michael, and Emma have passed from one orphanage to another in the ten years since their parents disappeared to protect them, but now they learn that they have special powers, a prophesied quest to find a magical book, and a fearsome enemy.

Young Adult

Bull by David Elliott

(Young Adult PZ7.E4685 Bu 2017)

“Much as Lin-Manuel Miranda did in Hamilton, David Elliott turns a classic on its head in form and approach, updating the timeless story of Theseus and the Minotaur for a new generation. A rough, rowdy, and darkly comedic young adult retelling in verse, Bull will have readers re-evaluating one of history’s most infamous monsters.”—Provided by publisher.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness; inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd; illustrations by Jim Kay

(Young Adult PZ7.N4954 Mno 2011)

Thirteen-year-old Conor awakens one night to find a monster outside his bedroom window, but not the one from the recurring nightmare that began when his mother became ill–an ancient, wild creature that wants him to face truth and loss.

A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett

(Young Adult PZ7.P8865 Hat 2004)

Tiffany Aching, a young witch-in-training, learns about magic and responsibility as she battles a disembodied monster with the assistance of the six-inch-high Wee Free Men and Mistress Weatherwax, the greatest witch in the world.

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

(Young Adult PZ7.S8475 Ni 2015)

“Nimona is an impulsive young shape-shifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren’t the heroes everyone thinks they are.”—Provided by publisher