6 Best Monster Books
The best monster books for children, ranked by how many expert sources recommend each one, with notes on playful read-alouds and which young readers they suit.
Our take
Monster picture books give young children room to enjoy a little suspense, laugh at something strange and talk about what feels frightening. Some turn the book itself into a game, while others make monsters part of an imagined adventure or a familiar bedtime routine. Parents, teachers and librarians can choose by the child’s appetite for silliness, participation and suspense.
The Monster at the End of This Book invites children into a comic struggle over turning pages. There’s a Monster in Your Book asks for movement and participation, while Eat Pete uses an unusual friendship for mischievous humor. Go Away, Big Green Monster! builds its effect through changing pictures and repeated words. Where the Wild Things Are offers a richer imaginative journey, and I Need My Monster plays with expectations about bedtime visitors.
Start with The Monster at the End of This Book for a lively shared reading, or Go Away, Big Green Monster! for a simple, repeatable game.
6 books · 5 sources · Last updated
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How to choose from this list
Skip to the full rankingIf your child loves joining in: The Monster at the End of This Book → There's a Monster in Your Book
If you want repeated words and changing pictures: Go Away, Big Green Monster!
If you want an imaginative adventure: Where the Wild Things Are
If your child likes mischievous humor: Eat Pete
If you want a playful bedtime story: I Need My Monster
The 6 books, ranked
Ranked by how many expert sources name each book. Ties go to the book more people recommend.
The Monster at the End of This Book
For children who enjoy talking back to a book and adults who like performing a funny voice. The page-turning game makes shared reading lively, but its comic suspense may need gentle handling with very cautious listeners.
What it's about
Grover learns that a monster waits at the end of the book and begs readers to stop turning pages. His increasingly frantic attempts to prevent further reading make the act of moving through this picture book part of the story.
Also recommended by
2 people
Jimmy Fallon recommended this bookJimmy Fallon
"I loved as a kid - [one of the books] that stuck in my head." - Jimmy Fallon
Jimmy Fallon's recommendation of this book 
Lin-Manuel Miranda recommended this bookLin-Manuel Miranda
"The best kid's book ever written." - Lin-Manuel Miranda
Lin-Manuel Miranda's recommendation of this book
For energetic listeners who want an active role in storytime. Its prompts make reading feel like a game, but shaking and moving the book can make it a livelier choice than some families want at bedtime.
What it's about
The book that started it all: a mischievous blue monster is loose on the pages. The reader must shake, tilt, and spin the book to get him out before he makes a mess.
Where the Wild Things Are
For children ready for a picture book with strong feelings and room for interpretation. The pictures carry much of its emotional weight, but the fierce creatures and moments of anger can feel intense to sensitive listeners.
What it's about
Sent to his room after misbehaving in a wolf suit, Max imagines a voyage to an island of enormous creatures. Maurice Sendak's picture book follows his encounter with the Wild Things, who welcome him as their king.
Also recommended by
2 people
Richard Branson recommended this bookRichard Branson
Richard Branson recommended this book on his "70 must-read books" blog post.
Richard Branson's recommendation of this book 
Fred Wilson recommended this bookFred Wilson
"I loved [this book]." - Fred Wilson
Fred Wilson's recommendation of this book
Eat Pete
For children who enjoy mischievous jokes and unusual friendships. The tension between playtime and a monster’s appetite gives adults plenty to perform, but the idea of being eaten may unsettle children who prefer entirely gentle stories.
What it's about
Pete welcomes a monster into his bedroom because he finally has someone to play with. The monster has a different plan: eat Pete. Games of cars and pirates keep distracting the hungry visitor in this picture book about an unusual playdate.
Go Away, Big Green Monster!
For young children who like repeated phrases and a clear role in a read-aloud. Its changing cutout pictures make participation simple, but the minimal story offers less narrative depth than an imaginative adventure.
What it's about
Ed Emberley uses colorful cutout pages to reveal a monster’s face feature by feature. Repeated phrases then invite the reader to send those features away, turning the changing illustrations into a simple game about looking and responding.
I Need My Monster
For children who enjoy reversing the usual rules of a monster story. Its bedtime humor treats a familiar fear playfully, but the detailed creatures and longer storytelling suit some listeners better than a very simple board book.
What it's about
When Ethan discovers that his usual under-the-bed monster is away, he interviews possible replacements. Amanda Noll’s picture book, illustrated by Howard McWilliam, uses unexpected bedtime preferences and a succession of creatures to play with a familiar childhood fear.
Sources
- 1
12 Funny Children’s Books Starring Silly, Lovable Monsters
readbrightly.com
- 2
50 Monster Books That Kids Love to Read
imaginationsoup.net
- 3
Picture Books with Monsters (232 books)
goodreads.com
- 4
Looking for toddler books for kiddo afraid of monsters
reddit.com
- 5
Fave books for toddlers that feature monsters?
reddit.com
Edited by
Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.
Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shape MRB and its growth.
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