Fans of the new movie Minions and Monsters are going to want to discover all of these fun picture books that feature monsters!
Attention Children’s Librarians or Elementary School Librarians, Library Media Techs and Library Specialist, check out my FREE digital download of Minions and Monsters Book Recs posters and Minions Book Peekers for all of your monster loving readers.
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Image Description: The book cover of the children’s picture book I Do Not Eat Children has an orange monster with one long eyebrow and a green nose smiling.
I Do Not Eat Children
by Marcus Cutler (Author, Illustrator)
Book Description
A big orange creature lurks in a crowded playground…but don’t worry! He would never eat a child. What do you think he is…a MONSTER? And kids are definitely not disappearing every time you turn a page. You’re imagining things. The monster has nothing to hide; in fact, he loves children. And he would never, ever, ever–oops! There goes another kid….
This laugh-out-loud story will keep readers guessing until the end, then send them straight back to the beginning to keep a close eye on the wily monster (and the one kid who knows exactly what he’s up to). A great read aloud for bedtime (or anytime!), this silly and subversive picture book delivers poetic justice and giggles galore.
NOTE: The BUY NOW button below will take you directly to Bookstore.org to purchase this book.
Image Description: The book cover of the children’s picture book The Monster at the end of this Book features a brick wall a light post with the Sesame St. logo a trash can and Grover, the blue Monster.
The Monster at the End of This Book (Sesame Street)
by Jon Stone (Author), Michael Smollin (Illustrator)
Lovable, furry old Grover is distressed to learn that there’s a monster at the end of this book! He begs readers not to turn the pages, but of course kids feel they just have to see this monster for themselves. Grover is astonished—and toddlers will be delighted—to discover who is really the monster at the end of the book!
NOTE: The BUY NOW button below will take you directly to Bookstore.org to purchase this book.
Image Description: The book cover of the children’s picture book She Made a Monster How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein features a stormy background an outline of Frankenstein with Mary Shelly in a black dress sitting with a quill and paper at a desk.
She Made a Monster: How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein
by Lynn Fulton (Author), Felicita Sala (Illustrator)
On a stormy night two hundred years ago, a young woman sat in a dark house and dreamed of her life as a writer. She longed to follow the path her own mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, had started down, but young Mary Shelley had yet to be inspired.
As the night wore on, Mary grew more anxious. The next day was the deadline that her friend, the poet Lord Byron, had set for writing the best ghost story. After much talk of science and the secrets of life, Mary had gone to bed exhausted and frustrated that nothing she could think of was scary enough. But as she drifted off to sleep, she dreamed of a man that was not a man. He was a monster.
This fascinating story gives readers insight into the tale behind one of the world’s most celebrated novels and the creation of an indelible figure that is recognizable to readers of all ages.
NOTE: The BUY NOW button below will take you directly to Book Outlet to purchase this book.
Image Description: The front cover of the children’s picture book Monsters are the Worst! with a slobbery monster and the main character Gilbert under the monsters mouth with an umbrella as slobber spills from the monsters mouth onto the umbrella.
Monsters Are the Worst! (The Worst! Series)
by Alex Willan (Author, Illustrator)
Gilbert accidentally brings home a slobbery, bite-sized monster in the hilarious latest installment in The Worst! picture book series, where even the strangest of creatures can become the best of friends.
When plucky Gilbert the Goblin and his pal Chicken go camping together, they run into creatures that go bump in the night! The friends immediately flee the woods and head home—after all, everyone knows that monsters are absolutely, undeniably, unequivocally the worst!
But when a shocking stowaway appears in Gilbert’s knapsack, looking awfully cute and extra snuggly, Gilbert is…smitten! Sure, monsters can bite and drool and make a big mess, but they can also steal your heart. It’s a tale so sweet it’s scary!
NOTE: The BUY NOW button below will take you directly to Bookstore.org to purchase this book.
Image Description: The book cover of the children’s picture book I Want a Monster features a group of monsters and a young child holding one of the monsters.
I Want a Monster!
by Elise Gravel (Author, Illustrator)
Winnie wants a monster! Some monsters smell like pirate feet and some might read your diary, but they are so darn cute! All Winnie’s friends have one. 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.
NOTE: The BUY NOW button below will take you directly to Barnes & Noble to purchase this book.
Image Description: The front cover of the children’s picture book The Monsters’ Monster features a Frankenstein cartoon character peering down and three smaller monsters.
The Monsters’ Monster
by Patrick McDonnell(Author/Illustrator)
Once upon a time, there were three little rascals who thought they were the BIGGEST, BADDEST monsters around. Then along came an even BIGGER monster who changed their minds. And all it took was two little words…”Thank you!”
In this playful tale from bestselling picture book author Patrick McDonnell, a very BIG monster shows three very BAD little monsters the power of boundless gratitude.
NOTE: The BUY NOW button below will take you directly to Bookstore.org to purchase this book.
Image Description: The front cover of the children’s book The Color Monster has four cartoon character monsters in each corner of the book top left, red, top right, yellow, bottom left, green, bottom right blue.
he Color Monster: A Story About Emotions
by Anna Llenas (Author/Illustrator)
One day, Color Monster wakes up feeling very confused. His emotions are all over the place; he feels angry, happy, calm, sad, and scared all at once! To help him, a little girl shows him what each feeling means through color. As this adorable monster learns to sort and define his mixed-up emotions, he gains self-awareness and peace as a result. Everyone will enjoy sharing this concept book that taps into both socio-emotional growth and color concepts in a simple, friendly way.
NOTE: The BUY NOW button below will take you directly to Bookstore.org to purchase this book.
Image Description: The cover of the picture book How to Catch a Monster has a blue background with a full moon in the right corner and a colorful monster escaping the cover on the bottom right.
How to Catch A Monster
by Adam Wallace (Author), Andy Elkerton (Illustrator)
Get ready to laugh along in this fun children’s monster book as a brave young ninja heads into the closet to meet the monster that’s been so scary night after night! But what if our monster isn’t scary at all? Maybe our hero is about to make a friend of the strangest sort…
Whether you’re looking for first day of school books about fears, spooky basket stuffers, festive gifts for children, a great bedtime story, or inspiration to build your very own STEAM traps and activities, parents, educators, and children alike will love sharing this silly read aloud! This inventive picture book about conquering fears and overcoming anxiety reminds us that things aren’t always as scary as they seem!
NOTE: The BUY NOW button below will take you directly to Bookstore.org to purchase this book.
Image Description: The front cover of the children’s picture book I Need My Monster features a black background with a child looking under his bed and bedroom items behind him.
I Need My Monster
by Amanda Noll (Author), Howard McWilliam (Illustrator)
A unique monster-under-the-bed story with the perfect balance of giggles and shivers, this picture book relies on the power of humor over fear, appeals to a child’s love for creatures both alarming and absurd, and glorifies the scope of a child’s imagination. One night, when Ethan checks under his bed for his monster, Gabe, he finds a note from him instead: “Gone fishing. Back in a week.” Ethan knows that without Gabe’s familiar nightly scares he doesn’t stand a chance of getting to sleep, so Ethan interviews potential substitutes to see if they’ve got the right equipment for the job—pointy teeth, sharp claws, and a long tail—but none of them proves scary enough for Ethan. When Gabe returns sooner than expected from his fishing trip, Ethan is thrilled. It turns out that Gabe didn’t enjoy fishing because the fish scared too easily.
NOTE: The BUY NOW button below will take you directly to Bookstore.org to purchase this book.
Image Description: The front cover of Are You a Monster? Features a monster with pink glasses and a blue bowtie.
Are You a Monster?
by Guilherme Karsten (Author/Illustrator)
Warning! This book contains a monster. A really angry, really scary, really bad monster… or so the monster says. And Monster has a very important question: are you a monster too?
Children will love playing along with the book as monster tests them on their monster skills. Do you have a long pointy tail? Big yellow eyes? No? Can you make a big, loud noise? You can!
Kids get to join in with this hilarious story and play their monstrous part, and by the end Monster may just regret asking that all important question.
NOTE: The BUY NOW button below will take you directly to Bookstore.org to purchase this book.
Image Description: The front cover of the children’s picture book Quit Calling Me a Monster features a red background with a brown hairy monster popping out of the picture book cover.
Quit Calling Me a Monster!
by Jory John (Author), Bob Shea (Illustrator)
The talented creators of I Will Chomp You! brilliantly frame the struggle to buck stereotypes and learn empathy in this monster’s hilarious lament.
Floyd Peterson is so much more than shaggy purple fur and pointy monster teeth–
why can’t people just see him for him? Jory John and Bob Shea have struck gold in creating a knee-slapping, read-it-again story that will start a valuable discussion about how we treat others and how it feels to be seen as “different.”
NOTE: The BUY NOW button below will take you directly to Bookstore.org to purchase this book.
Image Description: The front cover of the children’s picture book Love Monster is a pink/red monster holding a stuffy with a heart shape under its mouth.
Love Monster
by Rachel Bright (Author/Illustrator)
Love Monster wants to belong with the cuddly residents of Cutesville. But as it turns out, it’s hard to fit in with the cute and the fluffy when you’re a googly-eyed monster. And so, Love Monster sets out to find someone who will love him just the way he is. His journey is not easy―he looks high, low, and even middle-ish. But as he soon finds out, love can find you when you least expect it.
With sweet illustrations and a heartwarming message about how everyone deserves love, this is the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day, baby showers, and celebrating love year-round.
NOTE: The BUY NOW button below will take you directly to Bookstore.org to purchase this book.
Image Description: The front cover of the picture book If Your Monster Won’t Go to Bed features a aqua background with a fairy yellow monster with puff ears and a little child in pink pajamas sitting cross legged on top of it.
If Your Monster Won’t Go To Bed
by Denise Vega (Author), Zachariah OHora (Illustrator)
If you have a monster that won’t go to bed, don’t bother asking your parents to help. They know a lot about putting kids to bed, but nothing about putting monsters to bed. It’s not their fault; they’re just not good at it. Read this book instead.
It will tell you what to feed your monster before bed (it’s not warm milk), and what to sing to your monster (it’s not a soothing lullaby), and what to read to your monster to send him off to dreamland in no time (the scarier, the better).
Just make sure you don’t get too good at putting monsters to bed—or you might have a BIG problem on your hands!
NOTE: The BUY NOW button below will take you directly to Bookstore.org to purchase this book.
Image Description: The front cover of the children’s picture book Go Away, Big Green Monster! has a black background with a green monster looking over the title box out at the reader.
Go Away, Big Green Monster!
by Ed Emberley (Author) (Author/Illustrator)
Caldecott winner Ed Emberley’s classic interactive story lets children scare away their bedtime frights and is silly fun for Halloween and every other day of the year!
As kids turn the die-cut pages of this vibrantly illustrated book, they’ll watch the Big Green Monster grow before their very eyes. Then, when they’re ready to show him who’s in charge, they’ll turn the remaining pages and watch him disappear!
NOTE: The BUY NOW button below will take you directly to Bookstore.org to purchase this book.
Image Description: The front cover of the picture book Take A Breath, Big Red Monster has a black background with a mad red monster looking over the title out at the reader.
Take a Breath, Big Red Monster!
by Ed Emberley (Author) (Author/Illustrator)
This monstrously fun companion to the bestselling classic Go Away, Big Green Monster! shows kids how to calm down with more than ten interactive peekaboo pages.
Big Red Monster is angry! Turning the pages reveals colorful illustrations of different parts of the cranky creature’s face—from two mean green eyes to a big thundery loud mouth—as he gets increasingly upset. We can help him calm down by taking deep breaths—in and out—until even his yellow-and-orange firecracker hair disappears.
NOTE: The BUY NOW button below will take you directly to Bookstore.org to purchase this book.
Image Description: The front cover of the children’s picture book Alma and the Beast features a hairy gray monster’s face surrounded by coral like flowers on the bottom and a young girl at the top of the book smiling with bright flowers surrounding her face.
Alma and the Beast
by Esmé Shapiro (Author) (Author/Illustrator)
Alma lives happily in her hairy world, where she can braid the trees, comb the grass, pet the roof and feed her plumpooshkie butterfly. Until one day . . . a hairless, button-nosed beast appears in the garden! At first Alma is scared but when she realizes the beast is lost and misses her hairless home, Alma offers to help her find her way back. As the two take a fantastical journey through the red-headed woods and the bearded mushroom glen to the beast’s bald abode, they discover that they are much more alike than different.
NOTE: The BUY NOW button below will take you directly to Bookstore.org to purchase this book.
Librarians and Educators: Download your FREE Monsters in the Library Posters and Minion Book Peekers for your Monsters in the Library Display
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Welcome Reader!
I’m Cece and I’m so glad you’re here! You’ll find honest reviews, book recommendations, along with other bookish essentials. So happy you stopped by!
– C
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ABOUT THE CREATOR
CECE BECKMAN
Cece holds a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing from California State University, Long Beach. When she’s not reading or writing reviews she can be found wandering book aisles at local library, drinking iced cold lattes with cold cream foam, or passing the time with her cats.
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