Ahhhh! Eeeek! Oh no! What's that noise?!

Monsters in the closet. Boogey man under the bed. Shadows moving outside of the window.  October is here, and Halloween is just around the corner. Monsters abound!

Are you looking for some reads that won't give your little people the frights? Monsters aren't always scary; in fact, sometimes they are silly and sweet. Check out a few of my favorite not-so-scary monsters stories: 

Glad Monster, Sad Monster  by Ed Emberley and Anne Miranda: Feelings can be scary and hard to understand, but with the help of a few emotional monsters, your little person can explore feelings of joy, sadness, love, worry, anger, and silliness.

Have You Seen My Monster?  by Steve Light : Look very carefully; a monster is hiding at the fair. Take a peep through the pages of this black and white book and discover an array of shapes as you seek out the monster hidden on each page.

Monster & Son by David LaRochelle : A charming story, reminiscent of a lullaby, follows a different  father and son pair through their day. The text is not one bit creepy, and the monsters are more cuddle worthy than frightful.

Your Pal Mo Willems presents Leonardo the Terrible Monster   by Mo Willems: No matter how hard he tries, Leonardo cannot scare anyone. His "boo" is broken-- that is until he comes across Sam. Will Leonardo be able to "scare the tuna salad" out of someone once and for all?

Tickle Monster by Édouard Manceau:  Use your tickles to make this bedtime monster disappear! Watch the picture change before your eyes as the monster transforms on each page.

Monster Trouble  by Lane Fredrickson: These monsters will not let Winifred get any sleep!! She does everything she can to scare them away so that she can snooze in peace.

Monsters Eat Whiny Children by Bruce Eric Kaplan: Who doesn't love a spicy, child vindaloo? These monsters do! Especially one made with whiny children. (Spoiler alert: The only things eaten in this book are cucumber sandwiches.)

When a Monster is Born by Sean Taylor : What will the monster be when it grows up--this or that?  Have a monstrous giggle with this silly book of alternatives.

• Check out some other picture books featuring  monsters. 
• Children's books about Halloween.