100 Best Monsters Books of All Time

We've ranked the best monsters books using expert recommendations, sales data, and millions of reader ratings. At Shortform, we know books. Our book guides are the best in the world. Learn why.

Where the Wild Things Are book cover1

Where the Wild Things Are

Maurice Sendak

5.0
Max, a wild and naughty boy, is sent to bed without his supper by his exhausted mother. In his room, he imagines sailing far away to a land of Wild Things. Instead of eating him, the Wild Things make Max their king.
Frankenstein book cover2

Frankenstein

Mary Shelley

4.8
Mary Shelley began writing Frankenstein when she was only eighteen. At once a Gothic thriller, a passionate romance, and a cautionary tale about the dangers of science, Frankenstein tells the story of committed science student Victor Frankenstein. Obsessed with discovering the cause of generation and life and bestowing animation upon lifeless matter, Frankenstein assembles a human being from stole
A Monster Calls book cover3

A Monster Calls

Patrick Ness, Jim Kay

4.8
An unflinching, darkly funny, and deeply moving story of a boy, his seriously ill mother, and an unexpected monstrous visitor.

At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting - he's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he's had nearly every night since his mother started
4

Go Away, Big Green Monster!

Ed Emberley

4.6
OVER 1 MILLION COPIES SOLD!
This classic interactive book that has been helping children chase away nighttime fears for 25 years is perfect for Halloween--and all-year round!
Caldecott Award-winner Ed Emberley has created an ingenious way for children to overcome bedtime frights. As kids turn the die-cut pages of this vibrantly illustrated book, they'll watch the Big Green Monster grow before thei
The Monster at the End of this Book book cover5

The Monster at the End of this Book

Jon Stone, Michael Smollin

4.6
Many adults name this book as their favorite Little Golden Book. Generations of kids have interacted with lovable, furry old Grover as he begs the reader not to turn the page—for fear of a monster at the end of the book. “Oh, I am so embarrassed,” he says on the last page . . . for, of course, the monster is Grover himself!

This all-time favorite is now available as a Big Little Golden Book—perfec
6

Leonardo, the Terrible Monster

Mo Willems

4.6
Leonardo is truly a terrible monster--terrible at being a monster that is. No matter how hard he tries, he can't seem to frighten anyone. Determined to succeed, Leonardo sets himself to training and research. Finally, he finds a nervous little boy, and scares the tuna salad out of him! But scaring people isn't quite as satisfying as he thought it would be. Leonardo realizes that he might be a terr
Dracula book cover7

Dracula

Bram Stoker

4.5
“Welcome to my house. Come freely. Go safely; and leave something of the happiness you bring.”
The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #2) book cover8

The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #2)

Rick Riordan

4.5
The heroic son of Poseidon makes an action-packed comeback in the second must-read installment of Rick Riordan's amazing young readers series. Starring Percy Jackson, a "half blood" whose mother is human and whose father is the God of the Sea, Riordan's series combines cliffhanger adventure and Greek mythology lessons that results in true page-turners that get better with each installment.

In this
This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity, #1) book cover9

This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity, #1)

Victoria Schwa

4.5
There’s no such thing as safe in a city at war, a city overrun with monsters. In this dark urban fantasy from author Victoria Schwab, a young woman and a young man must choose whether to become heroes or villains—and friends or enemies—with the future of their home at stake. The first of two books.

Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to b
Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, #1) book cover10

Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, #1)

Laini Taylor

4.4
Around the world, black hand prints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1) book cover11

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1)

Rick Riordan

4.4
Alternate cover for this ISBN can be found here

Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse - Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy's mom finds out, she knows it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from, a
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, #1) book cover12

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, #1)

Ransom Riggs

4.4
Alternate Cover edition for ISBN 9781594744761

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to
The Lord of the Rings (The Lord of the Rings, #1-3) book cover13

The Lord of the Rings (The Lord of the Rings, #1-3)

J.R.R. Tolkien

4.3
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them

In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. A
The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #4) book cover14

The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #4)

Rick Riordan

4.3
Percy Jackson isn't expecting freshman orientation to be any fun. But when a mysterious mortal acquaintance appears at his potential new school, followed by demon cheerleaders, things quickly move from bad to worse.

In this fourth installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone book cover15

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

J. K. Rowling

4.3
Harry Potter has never been the star of a Quidditch team, scoring points while riding a broom far above the ground. He knows no spells, has never helped to hatch a dragon, and has never worn a cloak of invisibility.

All he knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley - a great big swollen spoiled bully. Harry’s room is a tiny closet at t
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War book cover16

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War

Max Brooks

4.3
The Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the acid-etched first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the United States of America and throughout the world, from decimated cities that once teemed with upwards of thirty million souls to the most remote and inhospitable areas of the planet.
The Hobbit book cover17

The Hobbit

J. R. R. Tolkien

4.3
Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Bilb
The Gruffalo book cover18

The Gruffalo

Julia Donaldson

4.3
A mouse is taking a stroll through the deep, dark wood when along comes a hungry fox, then an owl, and then a snake. The mouse is good enough to eat but smart enough to know this, so he invents . . . the gruffalo! As Mouse explains, the gruffalo is a creature with terrible claws, and terrible tusks in its terrible jaws, and knobbly knees and turned-out toes, and a poisonous wart at the end of its
19

Buddy and the Bunnies: In Don't Play with Your Food

Bob Shea

4.3

Rahhhhhh! Buddy's a monster, and he's hungry! Time for all cute little bunnies to hop into his mouth. But the bunnies have other plans...
like baking cupcakes,
going for a swim,
playing at the carnival,
and starting a Buddy fan club.

He'll just have to eat them tomorrow.

Maybe.
Fire (Graceling Realm, #2) book cover20

Fire (Graceling Realm, #2)

Kristin Cashore

4.3
It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. The young King Nash clings to his throne while rebel lords in the north and south build armies to unseat him. The mountains and forests are filled with spies and thieves and lawless men.

This is where Fire lives. With a wild, irresistible appearance and hair the color of flame, Fire is the last remaining human monster. Equally hated and adored, she had the un
21

Love Monster

Rachel Bright

4.3
Featuring the only Monster in Cutesville, LOVE MONSTER is a wonderfully warm and witty look at how sometimes, when you least expect it, love finds you… From a phenomenal picture book talent.

It can be tough being the only funny-looking Monster in Cutesville, but this Monster is not one to hang around and feel sorry for himself, so he’s off – out into the big wide world to look for someone to love h
The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #5) book cover22

The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #5)

Rick Riordan

4.3
All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of victory are grim. Kronos's army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan's power only grows. While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now i
It book cover23

It

Stephen King

4.3
They were seven teenagers when they first stumbled upon the horror. Now they are grown-up men and women who have gone out into the big world to gain success and happiness. But the promise they made 28 years ago calls them to reunite in the same place where, as teenagers, they battled an evil creature that preyed on the city's children. Now children are being murdered again, and their repressed mem
24

The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #3)

Rick Riordan

4.3
It's not everyday you find yourself in combat with a half-lion, half-human.

But when you're the son of a Greek god, it happens. And now my friend Annabeth is missing, a goddess is in chains and only five half-blood heroes can join the quest to defeat the doomsday monster.

Oh, and guess what? The Oracle has predicted that not all of us will survive...
Our Dark Duet (Monsters of Verity, #2) book cover25

Our Dark Duet (Monsters of Verity, #2)

Victoria Schwab

4.3
Kate Harker is a girl who isn’t afraid of the dark. She’s a girl who hunts monsters. And she’s good at it. August Flynn is a monster who can never be human. No matter how much he once yearned for it. He has a part to play. And he will play it, no matter the cost.

Nearly six months after Kate and August were first thrown together, the war between the monsters and the humans is a terrifying reality.
26

I Need My Monster

Amanda Noll, Howard McWilliam

4.3
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 kn
27

Quit Calling Me a Monster!

Jory John, Bob Shea

4.3
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 abou
Days of Blood & Starlight (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, #2) book cover28

Days of Blood & Starlight (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, #2)

Laini Taylor

4.3
Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.


Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for
29

If You're A Monster And You Know It

Ed Emberley, Rebecca Emberley

4.3
A brand-new monster twist on a classic song by Caldecott Medalist Ed Emberley and his daughter, Rebecca Emberley.

Children will stomp their paws, twitch their tails, snort and growl, and wiggle and wriggle along with this bright and bold picture book twist on "If You're Happy and You Know It." Rebecca Emberley has written a rollicking text, which she has illustrated in collaboration with her father
30

There’s a Monster in Your Book

Tom Fletcher

4.3
Bestselling author of The Christmasuarus, Tom Fletcher, has written a brand new picture book perfect for bedtime, where a mischievous monster has invaded the pages of your child's book!

This read-aloud, interactive picture book treat invites children to make magic happen page by page, tilting, spinning and shaking the book, and then seeing the funny results when each page is turned. A fantastic cel
31

Monsters Love Colors

Mike Austin

4.3
An explosively bright and colorful picture book with lots of kid appeal

Did you know that monsters love to scribble, scribble, mix, dance, and wiggle?!

Why? Because monsters love to make new colors!

Celebrate along with the hilarious monsters in this wild and energetic picture book. Mixing and discovering color has never been so much fun! Sure to spark the imaginative artist in everyone.

Monsters Lov
32

The Monstrumologist (The Monstrumologist, #1)

Rick Yancey

4.3
These are the secrets I have kept. This is the trust I never betrayed. But he is dead now and has been for more than forty years, the one who gave me his trust, the one for whom I kept these secrets. The one who saved me . . . and the one who cursed me.

So starts the diary of Will Henry, orphaned assistant to Dr. Pellinore Warthorpe, a man with a most unusual specialty: monstrumology, the study of
33

The Monsters' Monster

Patrick McDonnell

4.2
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.
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.
34

Monster Trouble!

Lane Fredrickson, Michael Robertson

4.2
Nothing frightens Winifred Schnitzel—but she DOES need her sleep, and the neighborhood monsters WON'T let her be! Every night they sneak in, growling and belching and making a ruckus. Winifred constructs clever traps, but nothing stops these crafty creatures. What's a girl to do? (Hint: Monsters HATE kisses!) The delightfully sweet ending will have every kid—and little monster—begging for an encor
City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1) book cover35

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1)

Cassandra Clare

4.2
When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2) book cover36

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2)

J.K. Rowling

4.2
The Dursleys were so mean and hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he's packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike

And strike it does. For in Harry's second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3) book cover37

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3)

J.K. Rowling

4.2
For Twelve long years, the dread fortress of Azkaban held an infamous prisoner named Sirius Black. Convicted of killing thirteen people with a single curse, he was said to be the heir apparent to the Dark Lord, Voldemort.

Now he has escaped, leaving only two clues as to where he might be headed: Harry Potter's defeat of You-Know-Who was Black's downfall as well. And the Azkaban guards heard Black m
38

Marilyn's Monster

Michelle Knudsen, Matt Phelan

4.2
Some of the kids in Marilyn’s class have monsters. Marilyn doesn’t have hers yet, but she can’t just go out and look for one. Your monster has to find you. That’s just the way it works. Marilyn tries to be patient and the kind of girl no monster can resist, but her monster doesn’t come. Could she go out and search for him herself? Even if that’s not the way it works?
39

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Neil Gaiman

4.2
Sussex, England. A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. Although the house he lived in is long gone, he is drawn to the farm at the end of the road, where, when he was seven, he encountered a most remarkable girl, Lettie Hempstock, and her mother and grandmother. He hasn't thought of Lettie in decades, and yet as he sits by the pond (a pond that she'd claimed was an o
40

My Teacher Is a Monster! (No, I Am Not.)

Peter Brown

4.2
Bobby has a problem.

You see, his teacher is a monster.

But when Bobby runs into his teacher outside of school, he learns there is more to her than meets the eye.
The Maze Runner (The Maze Runner, #1) book cover41

The Maze Runner (The Maze Runner, #1)

James Dashner

4.2
There are alternate cover editions for this ASIN here and here.

If you ain’t scared, you ain’t human.

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.

Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade.

Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out
Coraline book cover42

Coraline

Neil Gaiman, Dave McKean

4.2
Coraline lives with her preoccupied parents in part of a huge old house--a house so huge that other people live in it, too... round, old former actresses Miss Spink and Miss Forcible and their aging Highland terriers ("We trod the boards, luvvy") and the mustachioed old man under the roof ("'The reason you cannot see the mouse circus,' said the man upstairs, 'is that the mice are not yet ready and
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Hogwarts Library) book cover43

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Hogwarts Library)

J. K. Rowling

4.2
An approved textbook at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry since publication, Newt Scamander's masterpiece has entertained wizarding families through the generations. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is an indispensable introduction to the magical beasts of the Wizarding World. Scamander's years of travel and research have created a tome of unparalleled importance. Some of the beast
Dreams of Gods and Monsters (Daughter of Smoke and Bone, #3) book cover44

Dreams of Gods and Monsters (Daughter of Smoke and Bone, #3)

Laini Taylor

4.2
Two worlds are poised on the brink of a vicious war. By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera's rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her.

When the brutal angel emperor brings his army to the human world, Karou and Akiva are finally reunited - not in love, but in a tentative alliance against their common ene
45

Bird Box

Josh Malerman

4.2
Something is out there...

Something terrifying that must not be seen. One glimpse and a person is driven to deadly violence. No one knows what it is or where it came from.

Five years after it began, a handful of scattered survivors remain, including Malorie and her two young children. Living in an abandoned house near the river, she has dreamed of fleeing to a place where they might be safe. Now, th
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1) book cover46

A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)

George R. R. Martin and Jeffrey Jones

4.2
Here is the first volume in George R. R. Martin’s magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords. As a whole, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Magic, mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill these pages and transport us to a world unlike any we have ever experienced. Already hai
47

Even Monsters Need Haircuts

Matthew McElligott

4.2
Just before midnight, on the night of a full moon, a young barber stays out past his bedtime to go to work. Although his customers are mostly regulars, they are anything but normal-after all, even monsters need haircuts. Business is steady all night, and this barber is prepared for anything with his scissors, rotting tonic, horn polish, and stink wax. It's a tough job, but someone's got to help th
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter, #4) book cover48

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter, #4)

J.K. Rowling

4.2
It is the summer holidays, and one night Harry Potter wakes up with his scar burning. He has had a strange dream, one that he can't help worrying about...until a timely invitation from Ron Weasley arrives: to nothing less than the Quidditch World Cup!

Soon Harry is reunited with Ron and Hermione and gasping at the thrills of an international Quidditch match. But then something horrible happens whic
The Last Wish: Introducing the Witcher (The Witcher, #0.5) book cover49

The Last Wish: Introducing the Witcher (The Witcher, #0.5)

Andrzej Sapkowski

4.1
A special collector's edition of the New York Times bestselling novel that inspired the international hit video game: The Witcher.

Geralt of Rivia is a witcher. A cunning sorcerer. A merciless assassin.

And a cold-blooded killer.

His sole purpose: to destroy the monsters that plague the world.

But not everything monstrous-looking is evil and not everything fair is good. . . and in every fairy tale t
Circe book cover50

Circe

Madeline Miller

4.1
In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child—not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power—the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.

Threatened, Zeus banis
51

Relic (Pendergast, #1)

Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child

4.1
Just days before a massive exhibition opens at the popular New York Museum of Natural History, visitors are being savagely murdered in the museum's dark hallways and secret rooms. Autopsies indicate that the killer cannot be human...

But the museum's directors plan to go ahead with a big bash to celebrate the new exhibition, in spite of the murders.

Museum researcher Margo Green must find out who-or
'Salem's Lot book cover52

'Salem's Lot

Stephen King, Clive Barker, David Palumbo

4.1
'Salem's Lot is a small New England town with white clapboard houses, tree-lined streets, and solid church steeples. That summer in 'salem's Lot was a summer of homecoming and return; spring burned out and the land lying dry, crackling underfoot. Late that summer, Ben Mears returned to 'salem's Lot hoping to cast out his own devils and found instead a new, unspeakable horror.

A stranger had also co
The House of Hades (The Heroes of Olympus, #4) book cover53

The House of Hades (The Heroes of Olympus, #4)

Rick Riordan

4.1
Hazel stands at a crossroads. She and the remaining crew of the Argo II could return home with the Athena Parthenos statue and try to stop Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter from going to war. Or they could continue their quest to find the House of Hades, where they might be able to open the Doors of Death, rescue their friends Percy and Annabeth from Tartarus, and prevent monsters from being reinca
54

The Princess in Black (The Princess in Black, #1)

Shannon Hale, Dean Hale, LeUyen Pham

4.1
Who says princesses don’t wear black? When trouble raises its blue monster head, Princess Magnolia ditches her flouncy dresses and becomes the Princess in Black!

Princess Magnolia is having hot chocolate and scones with Duchess Wigtower when . . . Brring! Brring! The monster alarm! A big blue monster is threatening the goats! Stopping monsters is no job for dainty Princess Magnolia. But luckily Pri
55

Mostly Monsterly

Tammi Sauer, Scott Magoon

4.1
Bernadette might seem like an ordinary monster, but sometimes she likes to do some very unmonsterlike things, like pick flowers. And pet kittens. And bake.

When the time comes for Bernadette to go to Monster Academy, she's just a teensy bit nervous. Her classmates just don't understand her. They'd rather uproot trees than sing friendship songs. And they prefer fried snail goo to Bernadette's homem
56

Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #1)

Leigh Bardugo

4.1
▶ Alternative Cover Edition #1

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally
57

Monster Hunter International (Monster Hunter International, #1)

Larry Correia

4.1
Five days after Owen Zastava Pitt pushed his insufferable boss out of a fourteenth story window, he woke up in the hospital with a scarred face, an unbelievable memory, and a job offer.

It turns out that monsters are real. All the things from myth, legend, and B-movies are out there, waiting in the shadows. Officially secret, some of them are evil, and some are just hungry. On the other side are t
The Mark of Athena (The Heroes of Olympus, #3) book cover58

The Mark of Athena (The Heroes of Olympus, #3)

Rick Riordan

4.1
Annabeth is terrified. Just when she's about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can't blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon figurehead, Leo's fantastical creation doesn't appe
59

Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening

Marjorie Liu, Sana Takeda

4.1
Set in an alternate matriarchal 1900's Asia, in a richly imagined world of art deco-inflected steam punk, MONSTRESS tells the story of a teenage girl who is struggling to survive the trauma of war, and who shares a mysterious psychic link with a monster of tremendous power, a connection that will transform them both and make them the target of both human and otherworldly powers. Collects MONSTRESS
60

Don't Push the Button!

Bill Cotter

4.1
There's only one rule in Larry's book: don't push the button.

(Seriously, don't even think about it!)

Even if it does look kind of nice, you must never push the button. Who knows what would happen?

Okay, quick. No one is looking... push the button.

Uh, oh.
61

The Son of Neptune (The Heroes of Olympus, #2)

Rick Riordan

4.1
Percy is confused. When he awoke from his long sleep, he didn't know much more than his name. His brain fuzz is lingering, even after the wolf Lupa told him he is a demigod and trained him to fight with the pen/sword in his pocket. Somehow Percy manages to make it to a camp for half-bloods, despite the fact that he has to keep killing monsters along the way. But the camp doesn't ring any bells wit
62

Big Bad Bubble

Adam Rubin, Daniel Salmieri

4.1
A bubble is a sneaky thing. It appears out of nowhere, then it attacks! At least, that's what Mogo says. He has convinced the other monsters in La La Land that bubbles are scary. But you know better, don't you? Talk to the monsters. See if you can convince them not to be afraid.
63

Interview with the Vampire (The Vampire Chronicles, #1)

Anne Rice

4.1
This is the story of Louis, as told in his own words, of his journey through mortal and immortal life. Louis recounts how he became a vampire at the hands of the radiant and sinister Lestat and how he became indoctrinated, unwillingly, into the vampire way of life. His story ebbs and flows through the streets of New Orleans, defining crucial moments such as his discovery of the exquisite lost youn
City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments, #3) book cover64

City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments, #3)

Cassandra Clare

4.1
Also see: Alternate Cover Editions for this ISBN [ACE]
ACE #1

To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters - never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shado
65

Jeremy Draws a Monster

Peter McCarty

4.1
Alone in his room, Jeremy draws amonster. But then themonster wants lunch! As his creation takes over, Jeremy begins to wonder how he will ever get rid of themonstrous nuisance.He entertains his unwanted guest all day, but enough is enough. Jeremy finally draws him a bus ticket out of town!

With a sure artistic touch and more than a dose of humor, Peter McCarty cleverly blurs the line between his o
City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, #2) book cover66

City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, #2)

Cassandra Clare

4.1
Also see: Alternate Cover Editions for this ISBN [ACE]
ACE #1

Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best fr
67

Nighty Night, Little Green Monster

Ed Emberley

4.1
Children will love this monsterously fun story, featuring die-cuts on every spread. With each turn of the page, readers reveal Little Green Monster's little yellow eyes, his little red mouth, and even a cute, tiny white monster tooth. Then, when the stars begin to appear, it's time for bed... so, nighty night, little yellow eyes. Nighty night, little red mouth. Nighty night, cute little white toot
68

The Curse of the Wendigo (The Monstrumologist, #2)

Rick Yancey

4.1
While attempting to disprove that Homo vampiris, the vampire, could exist, Dr. Warthrop is asked by his former fiancé to rescue her husband from the Wendigo, a creature that starves even as it gorges itself on human flesh, and which has snatched him in the Canadian wilderness. Although Warthrop also considers the Wendigo to be fictitious, he relents and rescues her husband from death and starvatio
Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3) book cover69

Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3)

Sarah J. Maas

4.1
She was the heir of ash and fire, and she would bow to no one.

Celaena Sardothien has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak—but at an unspeakable cost. Now she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth...a truth about her heritage that could change her life—and her future—forever.

Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her
70

The Monster Who Lost His Mean

Tiffany Strelitz Haber and Kirstie Edmunds

4.1

Everyone knows that the M in “monster” stands for MEAN. But what happens when a monster can’t be mean any more? Is he still a monster at all?

One young monster's attempts to live up to his name go hilariously awry as he discovers—with a little help from new friends—that it's not what you're called but who you are that counts.

Beowulf book cover71

Beowulf

Seamus Heaney

4.1
Beowulf is a major epic of Anglo-Saxon literature, probably composed between the first half of the seventh century and the end of the first millennium. The poem was inspired by the oral tradition Anglo-Saxon and Germanic transcribed a verse epic, recounting the exploits of Beowulf hero who gave his name to the poem, on which are grafted chretiens additions.
A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1) book cover72

A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)

Sarah J. Maas

4.1
Feyre's survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price ...

Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Fey
73

Tickle Monster

Josie Bissett, Kevan J. Atteberry

4.1
This book is well on its way to becoming a true children's classic. Early reviews of the story and the tickle me concept are creating a very positive reaction from everyone that reviews the book. The story is about a loveable rascal that has just flown in from Planet Tickle. His mission is to tickle any child who happens to follow along in this book. Parents read aloud and do the tickling, while c
74

100 Provocative Statements about the Heroes of Olympus, Book One: The Lost Hero

Rick Riordan

4.0
In this book, we have hand-picked the most sophisticated, unanticipated, absorbing (if not at times crackpot!), original and musing book reviews of "The Heroes of Olympus, Book One: The Lost Hero." Don't say we didn't warn you: these reviews are known to shock with their unconventionality or intimacy. Some may be startled by their biting sincerity; others may be spellbound by their unbridled fligh
Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #2) book cover75

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #2)

Sarah J. Maas

4.0
From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeki
76

Bedtime for Monsters

Ed Vere

4.0
Bedtime for Monsters is Ed Vere's hilarious monsterish tale - with a big twist!

What if a monster were looking for a bedtime snack? And what if that snack just happened to be you? GULP! He's getting closer and closer . . . and his tummy is rumbling REALLY loudly. You'd be very scared! BUT all this monster actually wants is a lovely monster-sized goodnight kiss. Night, night!

Ed Vere is also the auth
77

Monsters Don't Eat Broccoli

Barbara Jean Hicks and Sue Hendra

4.0
What do monsters eat?

The waitress in this restaurant just doesn’t have a clue.
Monsters don’t eat broccoli!
How could she think we do?

In this rollicking picture book written by Barbara Jean Hicks and illustrated by Sue Hendra, monsters insist they don’t like broccoli. They’d rather snack on tractors or a rocket ship or two, or tender trailer tidbits, or a wheely, steely stew. But boy do those trees
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7) book cover78

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7)

J. K. Rowling, Mary GrandPré

4.0
Harry Potter is leaving Privet Drive for the last time. But as he climbs into the sidecar of Hagrid’s motorbike and they take to the skies, he knows Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters will not be far behind.

The protective charm that has kept him safe until now is broken. But the Dark Lord is breathing fear into everything he loves. And he knows he can’t keep hiding.

To stop Voldemort, Harry knows
The Lord of the Rings book cover79

The Lord of the Rings

J.R.R. Tolkien, Dramatization, Ian Holm

4.0
A full-cast dramatization
approx. 4 hours
4 cassettes
J.R.R. Tolkien's
The Fellowship of the Ring
Order the audiobook today before the feature film release this holiday season.
J. R. R. Tolkien's groundbreaking epic of good versus evil, extraordinary heroes, wondrous creatures and dark armies of terror will be presented in a trilogy of feature films.
"The Fellowship of the Ring" - December 19, 2001
"T
80

I Want to Be in a Scary Story

Sean Taylor, Jean Jullien

4.0
Monster may think he wants to be in a scary story, but then again . . . A hilarious return by the team that brought us Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise.
Our author would like to write a funny story, but his main character Monster has a different idea. He wants to be the star of a chilling, petrifying, utterly terrifying SCARY story. But scary stories . . . well, they can be very scary especially for th
The Mist book cover81

The Mist

Stephen King

4.0
It's a hot, lazy day, perfect for a cookout, until you see those strange dark clouds. Suddenly a violent storm sweeps across the lake and ends as abruptly and unexpectedly as it had begun. Then comes the mist...creeping slowly, inexorably into town, where it settles and waits, trapping you in the supermarket with dozens of others, cut off from your families and the world. The mist is alive, seethi
82

The Monstore

Tara Lazar, James Burks

4.0
The Monstore is a one-stop shop for all your monsterly needs in this enormously funny story that’s full of friendly, kooky creatures.

At the back of Frankensweet’s Candy Shoppe, under the last box of sour gumballs, there’s a trapdoor.
Knock five times fast, hand over the bag of squirmy worms, and you can crawl inside The Monstore.

The Monstore is the place to go for all of your monsterly needs. Which
83

Tickle Monster

Edouard Manceau

4.0
This engaging picture book prompts young children to face their fear of monsters and take charge of the situation! The reader is prompted to tickle various parts of a monster, deconstructing the creature and repurposing his parts into a far less threatening scene. His horns become the moon, his legs and arms become trees, his nose becomes a car. . . . Slowly but surely, the monster’s shapes build
The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead book cover84

The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead

Max Brooks

4.0
The Zombie Survival Guide is your key to survival against the hordes of undead who may be stalking you right now. Fully illustrated and exhaustively comprehensive, this book covers everything you need to know, including how to understand zombie physiology and behavior, the most effective defense tactics and weaponry, ways to outfit your home for a long siege, and how to survive and adapt in any te
85

My Monster Mama Loves Me So

Laura Leuck, Mark Buehner

4.0
She tucks me tightly into bed,
then asks me if my spider's fed
and hangs my favorite bat above me.
That's how I know my mama loves me!
At once tender and funny, this monster bedtime story is guaranteed to generate giggles, tickles, and plenty of monster hugs.
86

Have You Seen My Monster?

Steven Light, Steve Light

4.0
In a follow-up to Steve Light’s highly praised Have You Seen My Dragon?, the county fair is filled with shapes—and somewhere among them a monster is waiting to be found.

A little girl gallivants through a county fair, searching for her furry friend. Readers will surely spot the friendly monster as well as twenty shapes, identified here by their proper names—trapezoids, ellipses, kites, and more—hi
87

Reliquary (Pendergast, #2)

Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child

4.0

Hidden deep beneath Manhattan lies a warren of tunnels, sewers, and galleries, mostly forgotten by those who walk the streets above. There lies the ultimate secret of the Museum Beast. When two grotesquely deformed skeletons are found deep in the mud off the Manhattan shoreline, museum curator Margo Green is called in to aid the investigation. Margo must once again team up with police lieutenant D

88

The Little Shop of Monsters

R. L. Stine, Marc Brown

4.0
A frighteningly fun picture book adventure from two monstrously talented children's book icons--Marc Brown and R.L. Stine!

Are you are afraid of monsters?
Do they make you shiver and shake and shut your eyes really tight at night?


Welcome to the Little Shop of Monsters! Do you want a SNEEZER? A TICKLER? Or one of the CREEPIEST monsters of all? Come on in and choose your favorite, if you dare (befor
89

My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, Vol. 1 (My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, #1)

Emil Ferris

4.0
Set against the tumultuous political backdrop of late ’60s Chicago, My Favorite Thing Is Monsters is the fictional graphic diary of 10-year-old Karen Reyes, filled with B-movie horror and pulp monster magazines iconography. Karen Reyes tries to solve the murder of her enigmatic upstairs neighbor, Anka Silverberg, a holocaust survivor, while the interconnected stories of those around her unfold. Wh
90

Goodnight, Little Monster

Helen Ketteman, Bonnie Leick

4.0
Little Monster needs to get ready for bed. That means howling at the moon, scrubbing his scales, getting into his creepy PJs, and enjoying a nice snack before bed: worm juice and baked beetle bread. And, of course, Little Monster’s mother is nearby to tuck Little Monster into bed and turn on his night-light—because even little monsters can be afraid of the dark. Bonnie Leick’s soft, child-friendly
Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1) book cover91

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)

Sarah J. Maa

4.0
This is a previously published edition of ISBN13: 9781599906959.

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins a
92

Romping Monsters, Stomping Monsters

Jane Yolen, Kelly Murphy

4.0
Those little monsters are back — and on the move! Jane Yolen takes her rhymes to the playground, aided by Kelly Murphy’s exuberant illustrations.

Stretching, twirling, tumbling, jumping! Welcome to a playground teeming with monsters, bristling with energy, and scaring up ways to have fun. Monsters swing and slide and piggyback ride. Monsters run three-legged races and fall on their faces. Monsters
93

Annihilation (Southern Reach #1)

Jeff Vandermeer

4.0
Area X has been cut off from the rest of the world for decades. Nature has reclaimed the last vestiges of human civilization. The first expedition returned with reports of a pristine, Edenic landscape; the second expedition ended in mass suicide, the third in a hail of gunfire as its members turned on one another. The members of the eleventh expedition returned as shadows of their former selves, a
Uprooted book cover94

Uprooted

Naomi Novik

4.0
“Our Dragon doesn’t eat the girls he takes, no matter what stories they tell outside our valley. We hear them sometimes, from travelers passing through. They talk as though we were doing human sacrifice, and he were a real dragon. Of course that’s not true: he may be a wizard and immortal, but he’s still a man, and our fathers would band together and kill him if he wanted to eat one of us every te
95

The Terror

Dan Simmons

4.0
The men on board HMS Terror have every expectation of triumph. As part of the 1845 Franklin Expedition, the first steam-powered vessels ever to search for the legendary Northwest Passage, they are as scientifically supported an enterprise as has ever set forth. As they enter a second summer in the Arctic Circle without a thaw, though, they are stranded in a nightmarish landscape of encroaching ice
Ruin and Rising (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #3) book cover96

Ruin and Rising (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #3)

Leigh Bardugo

4.0
▶ Alternative Cover Edition #1

The capital has fallen.

The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint.
Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, #1) book cover97

Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, #1)

Cassandra Clare

4.0
In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.

The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soo
98

There Was An Old Monster!

Rebecca Emberley, Adrian Emberley, Ed Emberley

4.0
A brand-new monster twist--by a Caldecott medalist and his daughter!
There was an old monster who swallowed a tick
I don't know why he swallowed that tick
'Cause it made him feel sick!

When he swallowed some ants, he danced in his pants. He swallowed a lizard, a bat, a jackal, and a bear. Then he tried to swallow a lion . . . ROAR!--Now that monster is no more! Children will laugh along with the funny
99

Creepy Monsters, Sleepy Monsters

Jane Yolen and Kelly Murphy

4.0
Beloved author Jane Yolen scares up a new rhyming read-aloud about the snarfing, growling, snoring way that monsters go to bed.

Creep, gurgle, crawl, tumble! Meet two young monsters who are far from scary - they’re too busy having fun. They go to school, play outside with their friends, and eat after-school snacks. But they also have a bedtime, whether or not they’re ready for it! Young children an
The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, #2) book cover100

The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, #2)

J. R. R. Tolkien

4.0
The Fellowship was scattered. Some were bracing hopelessly for war against the ancient evil of Sauron. Some were contending with the treachery of the wizard Saruman. Only Frodo and Sam were left to take the accursed Ring of Power to be destroyed in Mordor–the dark Kingdom where Sauron was supreme. Their guide was Gollum, deceitful and lust-filled, slave to the corruption of the Ring. Thus continue