Monster Munchies by Laura Numeroff Age Level: Preschool and up
Synopsis: A funny counting book that showcases 20 different kinds of monsters. Note: While this is an easy reader book, it is a great counting book for preschoolers. The illustrations are colorful enough for a medium size group to see comfortably.

Flannel Board

	My Monster Mama Loves Me So by Laura Leuck Age Level: Preschool and up
Synopsis: At once tender and funny, this monster bedtime story is guaranteed to generate giggles, tickles, and plenty of monster hugs.

Song

	Frank Was a Monster Who Wanted to Dance by Keith Graves Age Level: Preschool and up
Synopsis: Frank the monster indulges his love of dancing by strutting his stuff on stage until his head unzips, his brains flop out, and he continues to lose body parts.

Song

	Go Away, Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberley Age Level: Preschool and up
Synopsis: Each page of this die-cut book features a new part of a big green monster--his nose, his teeth, his eyes--which soon disappear again as young readers continue to turn the pages.

	Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak Age Level: Preschool and up
Synopsis: A naughty little boy, sent to bed without his supper, sails to the land of the wild things where he becomes their king.

Films

	Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak Age Level: Pre-K-2 Running Time: 8 minutes
Synopsis: A naughty little boy, sent to bed without his supper, sails to the land of the wild things where he becomes their king.

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More Books to Read On Your Own

The Three Billy Goats Gruff
by Stephen Carpenter
Age Level: Preschool and up
Synopsis: A familiar tale, simply told. The straightforward style and repetition of phrases in the text are so accessible that very young listeners will soon be chanting along.

Monster Motel
by Douglas Florian
Age Level: Preschool and up
Synopsis: A collection of poems introducing the monstrous dwellers of the horribly horrid Monster Motel.

Monster Museum
by Marilyn Singer
Age Level: Preschool and up
Synopsis: Enter, if you dare, the Monster Museum, whose halls are crowded with the likes of Count Dracula, Bigfoot, poltergeists, Medusa, mummies, zombies, werewolves, and The Blob. Nine gawking children, dressed in itchy-looking green tweed school uniforms, are led through the spider-strewn museum by a sinister, leering docent, who introduces each ghastly monster in verse.

Glad Monster, Sad Monster
by Ed Emberley and Anne Miranda
Age Level: Preschool and up
Synopsis: Monsters of different colors explain what makes them feel glad, sad, loving, worried, silly, and angry. Fold-out masks encourage readers to talk about their feelings.

The Beast in the Bathtub
by Kathleen Stevens
Age Level: Kindergarten and up
Synopsis: Lewis tries to get his parents to believe that there really is a beast in the bathtub. The bathroom and bedtime scenarios are predictable right down to the apples for snacks and the pillow fight. When Mother and Dad come to tuck Lewis into bed, there is no beast in the bathtub: he is under Lewis' bed.

Lima Bean Monster
by Dan Yaccarino
Age Level: Kindergarten and up
Synopsis: Sammy, who hates lima beans, discovers the perfect solution for emptying his plate. Surreptitiously, he slips the offensive items into his sock and buries them in a vacant lot. Before long, all of his friends catch on and dump their vegetables there as well, along with other things they dislike. One night, during a thunderstorm, the mound of dirt, now grown big and tall, is struck by lightning and out crawls a Lima Bean Monster that scoops up all the adults in the neighborhood.

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More Songs for at Home

Monster Stomp

If you want to be a monster, now's your chance.
'Cause everybody's doing the monster dance.
You just stamp your feet, wave your arms around
[Perform actions.]
Stretch 'em up, stretch 'em up,
[Stretch up arms.]
Then put them on the ground.
[Put hands on floor.]
'Cause you're doing the monster stomp,
[Stomp feet.]
That's right! You're doing the monster stomp.
[Stomp feet.]

Monsters Galore

Monsters galore, can you roar?
[Roar.]
Monsters galore, can you soar?
[Make flying motions.]
Monsters galore, please shut the door.
[Clap hands.]
Monsters galore, fall on the floor!
[Fall down.]

If I were a Monster...

If I were a happy monster, I'd go ha! ha! ha!
[Laugh.]
If I were a sad monster, I'd go boo, hoo, hoo.
[Rub eyes.]
If I were a mad monster, I'd go stomp, stomp, stomp!
[Stomp feet.]
If I were a scared monster, I'd go AAHH! AAHH! AAHH!
[Scream.]
But I'm just me, you see, so I'll just read, read, read!
[Put hands together like book.]

Five Scary Monsters

Five scary monsters howling out a roar,
One ran away, and then there were four.
Four scary monsters hiding in a tree,
One fell out, and then there were three.
Three scary monsters eating spider stew,
One got sick, and then there were two.
Two scary monsters having lots of fun,
One ran off, and then there was one.
One scary monster, afraid to be a hero,
He ran away, and then there were zero.

Monster Man

I am the monster man!
[Point to self.]
I wave my arms! I roll my eyes!
[Suit actions to words.]
I shake my head! I gnash my teeth!
I jump up high! I say "Boo!"
I sit down very quietly, too!

Monster Hunt

We're going on a monster hunt.
[Point to self.]
We're going to find a big one!
[Raise hand above head.]
We're not scared, but --
[Shake head.]
What if he's under the bed?
[Pretend to peek under bed.]
Better go over it, squoosh, squoosh, squoosh.
[Clasp palms together.]
What if he's in the closet?
[Pretend to open door.]
Better close it, slam, slam, slam.
[Clap hands loudly.]
What if he's behind the curtains?
[Pretend to peek behind curtains.]
Better open them, swish, swish, swish.
[Rub palms together.]
What if he's in the hallway?
[Point somewhere.]
Better tiptoe down it, tiptoe, tiptoe.
[Perform this action.]
What if he's in the garage?
[Point another direction.]
Better stomp thru it, stomp, stomp, stomp.
[Perform this action.]
Aahh! It's a monster!
[Scream loudly.]
Stomp thru the garage,
[Perform following actions, as above.]
Walk thru the hallway,
Close the curtains,
Open the closet,
Jump into bed, and turn out the lights! Click!
[Jump, snap fingers.]

Monster, Monster

Monster, monster, under the bed,
[Cup hands around mouth.]
You should go somewhere else instead!
[Shake finger.]
Go, Monster, go!
[Stamp feet slowly.]
Go, Monster, go!
[Stamp feet faster.]
Go, Monster, go, go, go!
[Stamp feet very fast.]

Notes

This is a great theme for October around Halloween. Not recommended for toddlers, but surprisingly popular with preschoolers. These books have been carefully chosen to use humor to empower children to overcome their fears.