Monsters

And how not to be scared of them

Go Away Big Green Monster by Ed Emberley
Cleverly made cutouts create this monster in all his sharp teethed glory, but he can easily be uncreated if you tell him to go away.

Bootsie Barker Bites by Barbara Bottner
Children can be monstrous. I know, it's not going to make me Mum of the Year, but really, they can. Bootsie Barker is a bully, she pulls hair, destroys property and intimidates our heroine and her pet salamander. Thankfully, this is a brains over brawn story and when the tables are turned and "Bootsie throws a tantrum on the sidewalk." the balance of power is rightfully adjusted.

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Here we are again with monstrous children, but then if Max hadn't been a Wild Thing he probably wouldn't have been King of the Wild Things. The illustrations are dynamic and timeless. It's a classic for a reason.

Horns to Toes and Inbetween by Sandra Boynton
This is a little board book with big personality. It's a simple "parts of the body" book, but because we're learning with monsters there are also tails and horns in the picture. I love reading this to preschoolers and asking them to point to their body parts, when it gets to their tails, they always laugh.

The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
This author and illustrator are my dream team for read aloud children's books. And The Gruffalo is the best of their great work. Refusing to shy away from a concept as gruesome as the food chain, this book follows the adventures of an extremely fast thinking and fast talking mouse who lives to eat nuts another day.

We'll be singing "There's a Monster in My Closet", "Row Your Boat" and "Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes". The poem will be "A Little Grue" by Roger McGough (which for some strange reason, I know by heart).