Don’t be scared!
This gathering of dinosaurs, dragons, and monsters are (for the most part) pretty harmless. In fact, they’re playful and funny and cute, too. From well-known fantasy writers to debut authors, there are lots of wonderful stories to share … and might we suggest reading aloud? Yes, we might.
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BOARD BOOKS & FICTION PICTURE BOOKS
Dino Doo Dah: Dino Rhymes For Modern Times (Kindle)
Rod Chay, Leysan Sovetnikova (Illustrator)
A world of captivating dinosaurs awaits, ready to ignite the spark of wonder in young hearts. With each turn of the page, children are will meet mighty dinosaurs that once roamed the Earth. Then they go to a scene of the dino living life in modern times - and the silliness ensues.
A world of captivating dinosaurs awaits, ready to ignite the spark of wonder in young hearts. With each turn of the page, children are will meet mighty dinosaurs that once roamed the Earth. Then they go to a scene of the dino living life in modern times - and the silliness ensues.
Dragon Cat Wins the Lottery (The Make-Your-Own-Ending C…
by Audrey Beth Stein, Alina Lutaeva (Illustrator)
The Lottery sign says “Win 100,” but when an otter suddenly appears in winner Dragon Cat’s kitchen the next morning, it’s clear something unexpected is afoot. Or maybe 100 somethings. Get ready for a very silly story where the ending is up to you.
The Lottery sign says “Win 100,” but when an otter suddenly appears in winner Dragon Cat’s kitchen the next morning, it’s clear something unexpected is afoot. Or maybe 100 somethings. Get ready for a very silly story where the ending is up to you.
Dragon’s First Taco (from the creators of Dragons Love …
Adam Rubin, Daniel Salmieri (Illustrator)
What do you get when you take a tortilla, fold it in half, and fill it with all sorts of delicious things? A taco, of course! Introduce the joy of dragons to the youngest of readers in this original board book shaped like a taco!
What do you get when you take a tortilla, fold it in half, and fill it with all sorts of delicious things? A taco, of course! Introduce the joy of dragons to the youngest of readers in this original board book shaped like a taco!
Monster of the Celadon Sea
by Angie Dreher, Michelle Dreher, Aaron Palsmeier (Illustrator)
While wandering through town, young Cedar learns of a MONSTER sighted in the deep waters of the Celadon Sea! She is overwhelmed by curiosity—Is it true? What does it look like? Is it big? Is it small? Is it blue? Purple? Green? Is it shaped like a shark or an eel?
With so many questions rolling around in her mind she seeks out all the information she can find at the library. There she decides her only course of action is to CAPTURE the sea monster! After some research, a plan is hatched and with a little help from a friend, Cedar sets the stage for her grand quest. Will she succeed in tracking down this aquatic behemoth and capture it?!
While wandering through town, young Cedar learns of a MONSTER sighted in the deep waters of the Celadon Sea! She is overwhelmed by curiosity—Is it true? What does it look like? Is it big? Is it small? Is it blue? Purple? Green? Is it shaped like a shark or an eel?
With so many questions rolling around in her mind she seeks out all the information she can find at the library. There she decides her only course of action is to CAPTURE the sea monster! After some research, a plan is hatched and with a little help from a friend, Cedar sets the stage for her grand quest. Will she succeed in tracking down this aquatic behemoth and capture it?!
Santiago’s Dinosaurios
Mariana Ríos Ramírez, Udayana Lugo (Illustrator)
Santiago is new to the United States, and he doesn't speak English. On his first day of school, how will he connect with his peers? Santiago learns that even when you don't speak the same language, some interests are universal.
Santiago is new to the United States, and he doesn't speak English. On his first day of school, how will he connect with his peers? Santiago learns that even when you don't speak the same language, some interests are universal.
There’s a Monster in the Kitchen!
Patricia Strauch, Natalia Aguerre (Illustrator),
Kit Maude (Translator)
No one expects to wake up hungry for toast only to find a monster in the kitchen. One Saturday morning that's exactly what happens to Matias. Is it his imagination, or is the monster real? A hairy, gray monster with a yellow crest, pink tail, and orange paws. How scary! Enough to make even the bravest lose their appetite. So what does Matias do?
What anyone would: he calls his mom. She sees it too, but differently from how Matias did. There's a Monster in the Kitchen explores our perceptions and how they change like a clock or a compass to show us that we each see things from our own unique point of view. The sweet, funny ending opens an unexpected window into yet another perspective: that of the monster caught cooking in the kitchen.
Kit Maude (Translator)
No one expects to wake up hungry for toast only to find a monster in the kitchen. One Saturday morning that's exactly what happens to Matias. Is it his imagination, or is the monster real? A hairy, gray monster with a yellow crest, pink tail, and orange paws. How scary! Enough to make even the bravest lose their appetite. So what does Matias do?
What anyone would: he calls his mom. She sees it too, but differently from how Matias did. There's a Monster in the Kitchen explores our perceptions and how they change like a clock or a compass to show us that we each see things from our own unique point of view. The sweet, funny ending opens an unexpected window into yet another perspective: that of the monster caught cooking in the kitchen.
Easy Readers & Early Chapter Books
Little Critter: Monster Truck (My First I Can Read)
by Mercer Mayer
Perfect for fans of trucks and cars. Little Critter wants a new toy Squisher truck! For two weeks, Little Critter does all the chores so he can buy it. When he finally has enough money, the toy store is all sold out. To cheer up Little Critter, his dad takes him to his Uncle Zeb’s Monster Truck Rally. From tricks on two wheels to ridding in an actual monster truck, the rally is the best time ever! But will Little Critter ever get his Squisher truck?
Perfect for fans of trucks and cars. Little Critter wants a new toy Squisher truck! For two weeks, Little Critter does all the chores so he can buy it. When he finally has enough money, the toy store is all sold out. To cheer up Little Critter, his dad takes him to his Uncle Zeb’s Monster Truck Rally. From tricks on two wheels to ridding in an actual monster truck, the rally is the best time ever! But will Little Critter ever get his Squisher truck?
The Monsters of Marymount Mansion
Gregory G. Allen, Shelby Goodwin (Illustrator)
Toby is a young monster who has skin like a fish, fur like a dog, and smells like cotton candy when he gets excited. He lives with his family in the basement of Marymount Mansion and once a year ventures out into the real world when everyone is dressed for Halloween. Toby becomes frustrated with hiding below ground and sets off on an all-important quest.
Toby is a young monster who has skin like a fish, fur like a dog, and smells like cotton candy when he gets excited. He lives with his family in the basement of Marymount Mansion and once a year ventures out into the real world when everyone is dressed for Halloween. Toby becomes frustrated with hiding below ground and sets off on an all-important quest.
Sejal Sinha Swims with Sea Dragons
Maya Prasad, Abira Das (Illustrator)
Sejal and her brother, Abu, are excited to visit their aunt, who is a marine biologist. During a fun trip to the beach, Abu discovers a small, blue creature washed up on shore. It’s a blue dragon! Despite its name, it doesn’t breathe fire—but it is fearless, preying on much bigger animals.
Sejal is ready to see the blue dragon in action. With a submarine powered by Imagination Fuel, she plunges into an underseas adventure. She hopes she can learn more about how the small but mighty blue dragon might help her as she deals with her own battle with a class bully.
Sejal and her brother, Abu, are excited to visit their aunt, who is a marine biologist. During a fun trip to the beach, Abu discovers a small, blue creature washed up on shore. It’s a blue dragon! Despite its name, it doesn’t breathe fire—but it is fearless, preying on much bigger animals.
Sejal is ready to see the blue dragon in action. With a submarine powered by Imagination Fuel, she plunges into an underseas adventure. She hopes she can learn more about how the small but mighty blue dragon might help her as she deals with her own battle with a class bully.
ELEMENTARY/MIDDLE-GRADE SPECULATIVE FICTION
Between Monsters and Marvels
by Alysa Wishingrad
Monsters are still lurking on Barrow’s Bay. Dare Coates is sure of it. No drifter or ruffian could have killed her father, the Captain of the Guard, while he was on patrol. But everyone insists that monsters have been gone for years now.
Dare’s suspicions grow even stronger when the governor (her now step-dad) suddenly ships her off to the mainland, away from any hope of uncovering the truth about her father’s death. Or so she thinks. When Dare finds solid proof that monsters still exist, she starts to question everything she’s always known. Was her father who she thought he was? Who can she trust? Where is the line between good and evil?
Monsters are still lurking on Barrow’s Bay. Dare Coates is sure of it. No drifter or ruffian could have killed her father, the Captain of the Guard, while he was on patrol. But everyone insists that monsters have been gone for years now.
Dare’s suspicions grow even stronger when the governor (her now step-dad) suddenly ships her off to the mainland, away from any hope of uncovering the truth about her father’s death. Or so she thinks. When Dare finds solid proof that monsters still exist, she starts to question everything she’s always known. Was her father who she thought he was? Who can she trust? Where is the line between good and evil?
Don’t Want to Be Your Monster
by Deke Moulton
Two vampire brothers must set aside their differences to solve a series of murders in this humorous and delightfully spooky novel for young readers. For fans of Too Bright to See.Adam and Victor are brothers who have the usual fights over the remote, which movie to watch and whether or not it’s morally acceptable to eat people.
Adam (10) knows he has a better purpose than just drinking blood. Victor (14) wants to accept his vampirism. Everything changes when bodies start to appear all over town, and it becomes clear that a vampire hunter may be on the lookout for the family. Can Adam and Victor reconcile their differences and work together to stop the killer before it’s too late?
Two vampire brothers must set aside their differences to solve a series of murders in this humorous and delightfully spooky novel for young readers. For fans of Too Bright to See.Adam and Victor are brothers who have the usual fights over the remote, which movie to watch and whether or not it’s morally acceptable to eat people.
Adam (10) knows he has a better purpose than just drinking blood. Victor (14) wants to accept his vampirism. Everything changes when bodies start to appear all over town, and it becomes clear that a vampire hunter may be on the lookout for the family. Can Adam and Victor reconcile their differences and work together to stop the killer before it’s too late?
The Great Texas Dragon Race
by Kacy Ritter
Wings of Fire meets The Hunger Games.Cassidy Drake (13) wants nothing more than to race with her best dragon, Ranga, in the annual Great Texas Dragon Race. Her mother was a racing legacy, and growing up on her family's dragon sanctuary ranch, Cassidy lives and breathes dragons.
Cassidy is so determined to race that she sneaks out of her house against her father's wishes and enters the competition. Soon, Cassidy takes to the skies with Ranga across her glorious Lone Star State. But with five grueling tasks ahead of her, dangerous dragon challenges waiting at each one, and more enemies than allies on the course, Cassidy will need to know more than just dragons to survive.
Wings of Fire meets The Hunger Games.Cassidy Drake (13) wants nothing more than to race with her best dragon, Ranga, in the annual Great Texas Dragon Race. Her mother was a racing legacy, and growing up on her family's dragon sanctuary ranch, Cassidy lives and breathes dragons.
Cassidy is so determined to race that she sneaks out of her house against her father's wishes and enters the competition. Soon, Cassidy takes to the skies with Ranga across her glorious Lone Star State. But with five grueling tasks ahead of her, dangerous dragon challenges waiting at each one, and more enemies than allies on the course, Cassidy will need to know more than just dragons to survive.
Mythical Monsters of Greenland: A Survival Guide
Maria Bach Kreutzmann, Coco Apunnguaq Lynge
(Illustrator)
What should you do if you encounter a Qivittoq? Can you outrun the fabled Ikusik? And what is a Tupilak made of? About 4500 years ago, the first Inuit landed in Greenland via North America, bringing with them stories about the mythical beings that lived alongside them. These creatures and monsters have survived the ravages of time and tide, although they have sometimes had to re-invent themselves to fit the modern world. This handy pocket guide will help guide you through the do’s and don'ts should you encounter any of these creatures in the Arctic wilderness. Happy hunting!
(Illustrator)
What should you do if you encounter a Qivittoq? Can you outrun the fabled Ikusik? And what is a Tupilak made of? About 4500 years ago, the first Inuit landed in Greenland via North America, bringing with them stories about the mythical beings that lived alongside them. These creatures and monsters have survived the ravages of time and tide, although they have sometimes had to re-invent themselves to fit the modern world. This handy pocket guide will help guide you through the do’s and don'ts should you encounter any of these creatures in the Arctic wilderness. Happy hunting!
The Secret of the Dragon Gems
Rajani LaRocca, Chris Baron
Tripti Kapoor, a feisty "word nerd," and Sam Cohen, a shy, imaginative, budding geologist, are both miserable at Camp Dilloway. On the last night of camp, they follow a shooting star to a quiet creek. There they find two silvery rocks glowing in the night. They each take one home, and their long-distance friendship begins.
It's soon clear that these are no ordinary rocks. They seem to move on their own, get strangely hot, and even take over Tripti and Sam's thoughts!
Tripti Kapoor, a feisty "word nerd," and Sam Cohen, a shy, imaginative, budding geologist, are both miserable at Camp Dilloway. On the last night of camp, they follow a shooting star to a quiet creek. There they find two silvery rocks glowing in the night. They each take one home, and their long-distance friendship begins.
It's soon clear that these are no ordinary rocks. They seem to move on their own, get strangely hot, and even take over Tripti and Sam's thoughts!
Three Tasks for a Dragon
Eoin Colfer, P.J. Lynch (Illustrator)
Studious Prince Lir is next in line to become the Wolfhound King, but he can’t ride a horse, lift a sword, or summon the fabled wolfhounds. So his stepmother decrees that her own son will inherit the crown instead, sending Lir away on a seemingly impossible—and assuredly fatal—to rescue the maiden Cethlenn from the once-fearsome dragon Lasvarg. With transporting language and a magnificent dragon masterfully rendered with a range of emotions, Eoin Colfer and P.J. Lynch make their own magic in this classic fantasy with a light feminist twist.
Studious Prince Lir is next in line to become the Wolfhound King, but he can’t ride a horse, lift a sword, or summon the fabled wolfhounds. So his stepmother decrees that her own son will inherit the crown instead, sending Lir away on a seemingly impossible—and assuredly fatal—to rescue the maiden Cethlenn from the once-fearsome dragon Lasvarg. With transporting language and a magnificent dragon masterfully rendered with a range of emotions, Eoin Colfer and P.J. Lynch make their own magic in this classic fantasy with a light feminist twist.
EMG GRAPHIC NOVEL
Roll Call (Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Club, #1)
Molly Knox Ostertag, Xanthe Bouma (Illustrator)
Middle school is a dungeon… At least, that’s how Jess sees it. Luckily, she and her best friend Olivia know how to escape into the sprawling worlds of their own imaginations. The two friends have always loved making up stories, first with little kid games of make-believe, and more recently with the fantasy roleplaying game, Dungeons & Dragons.
When they play, Olivia runs the game as Dungeon Master and Jess is the solo party member, playing a take-no-prisoners, lone-wolf fighter of her own design named Sir Corius. But when Olivia wants to add new players to their group, Jess finds herself struggling to share their game—and her best friend. Will their epic campaign withstand all this change, or has their adventure—and their friendship—finally come to an end?
Middle school is a dungeon… At least, that’s how Jess sees it. Luckily, she and her best friend Olivia know how to escape into the sprawling worlds of their own imaginations. The two friends have always loved making up stories, first with little kid games of make-believe, and more recently with the fantasy roleplaying game, Dungeons & Dragons.
When they play, Olivia runs the game as Dungeon Master and Jess is the solo party member, playing a take-no-prisoners, lone-wolf fighter of her own design named Sir Corius. But when Olivia wants to add new players to their group, Jess finds herself struggling to share their game—and her best friend. Will their epic campaign withstand all this change, or has their adventure—and their friendship—finally come to an end?
POETRY COLLECTION
Welcome to Monsterville
Laura Shovan, Michael Rothenberg (Illustrator)
Welcome to Monsterville, where the residents are anything but ordinary. The monsters here are “friendly! thoughtful! shy and scary,” much like their human neighbors. Readers will meet a monster house who plays hopscotch and makes the sidewalks quake, laugh at a bubblegum-headed monster’s epic tantrum, and cry with a monster called Sadness.
This quirky collection of illustrated poems is a celebration of friendship, emotional intelligence, and creative play as a form of healing.
Welcome to Monsterville, where the residents are anything but ordinary. The monsters here are “friendly! thoughtful! shy and scary,” much like their human neighbors. Readers will meet a monster house who plays hopscotch and makes the sidewalks quake, laugh at a bubblegum-headed monster’s epic tantrum, and cry with a monster called Sadness.
This quirky collection of illustrated poems is a celebration of friendship, emotional intelligence, and creative play as a form of healing.
YA SPECULATIVE FICTION
Delicious Monsters
by Liselle Sambury
The Haunting of Hill House in this evocative and mind-bending psychological thriller following two teen girls navigating the treacherous past of a mysterious mansion 10 years apart.
Daisy sees dead people—something impossible to forget in bustling, ghost-packed Toronto. She usually manages to deal with her unwanted ability, but she’s completely unprepared to be dumped by her boyfriend. So when her mother inherits a secluded mansion in northern Ontario where she spent her childhood summers, Daisy jumps at the chance to escape. But the house is nothing like Daisy expects, and she begins to realize that her experience with the supernatural might be no match for her mother’s secrets, nor what lurks within these walls…
The Haunting of Hill House in this evocative and mind-bending psychological thriller following two teen girls navigating the treacherous past of a mysterious mansion 10 years apart.
Daisy sees dead people—something impossible to forget in bustling, ghost-packed Toronto. She usually manages to deal with her unwanted ability, but she’s completely unprepared to be dumped by her boyfriend. So when her mother inherits a secluded mansion in northern Ontario where she spent her childhood summers, Daisy jumps at the chance to escape. But the house is nothing like Daisy expects, and she begins to realize that her experience with the supernatural might be no match for her mother’s secrets, nor what lurks within these walls…
Monstersona
by Chloe Spencer
After her parents’ divorce, Riley Grishin (16) is forced to move from Oregon to Maine. Having no friends, Riley spends most of her days running through the woods with her dog Tigger, and eavesdropping on her classmates—in particular, the gorgeous, but very strange, Aspen Montehugh.
On the night of the homecoming game, Riley wakes up to find that her town is on fire, and being terrorized by an unseen monster. She and Tigger jump in their pickup truck to escape. As they're driving away, they come across the only other survivor: Aspen.
As they travel across the country, they are attacked by monsters and strange armed men in the dead of night. Slowly, Riley realizes that something's not quite right with Aspen, which puts her feelings for her—and her own humanity—to the ultimate test.
After her parents’ divorce, Riley Grishin (16) is forced to move from Oregon to Maine. Having no friends, Riley spends most of her days running through the woods with her dog Tigger, and eavesdropping on her classmates—in particular, the gorgeous, but very strange, Aspen Montehugh.
On the night of the homecoming game, Riley wakes up to find that her town is on fire, and being terrorized by an unseen monster. She and Tigger jump in their pickup truck to escape. As they're driving away, they come across the only other survivor: Aspen.
As they travel across the country, they are attacked by monsters and strange armed men in the dead of night. Slowly, Riley realizes that something's not quite right with Aspen, which puts her feelings for her—and her own humanity—to the ultimate test.