If you have a little one who worries about things that go bump in the night, try reading one or two of these reassuring, sweet, and helpful stories to make the dark seem a little less frightening.
Dragon night
J. R. Krause
jE Krause
Kids, Picture Books
Georgie is afraid of the dark, but after an adventure with a dragon that is afraid of the knight in the book where he normally dwells, both are ready to sleep.
Bedtime for Yeti
Vin Vogel
jE Vogel
Kids, Picture Books
"Yeti loves playing with his stuffed toy, but when it goes missing he has to find the courage to brave bedtime alone"--
Yeti is a very big guy, as yetis usually are. But he’s also a big softie at heart, and more than a little scared of the dark. When he needs to find his favorite toy, Yeti manages to face his fear and bring his toy home again.
- Angie
Night animals
Gianna Marino
jE Marino
Kids, Picture Books
Possum is hiding from the sounds in the night, and his fear sets off a chain reaction in the other night animals.
You can’t be afraid of animals who live in the dark if you’re an animal who lives in the dark, right? Well, if so, someone forgot to tell Possum, Skunk, and Wolf. The playful illustrations in Night Animals will soothe children’s worries with silly antics and lots of laughs.
- Angie
The moon inside
Sandra V. Feder
jE Feder
Kids, Picture Books
When evening comes and the sun sets, Ella becomes afraid, until one night her mother encourages her to see the beauty in night.
My new big kid bed
Debbie Bertram
jE Bertram
Kids, Picture Books
When his new dinosaur-themed bed casts scary shadows at night, a child seeks comfort from other family members.
The darkest dark
Chris Hadfield
jE Hadfield
Kids, Picture Books
"Young Chris loves pretending he's a brave astronaut, exploiring the universe. Only one problem--at night, he's afraid of the dark. Only when he watches the moon landing on TV does he realize how exciting the unknown can be. Inspired by the childhood of real-life astronaut Chris Hadfield"--
Maya
Mahak Jain
jE Jain
Kids, Picture Books
After the lights go out in her house, Maya's mother distracts her from her fear of the dark with a retelling of the legend of the banyan tree.
Mika the bear is afraid of the dark
Yann Walcker
jE Walcker
Kids, Picture Books
When Mika's fear of the dark makes him dread the long polar night, his cousin helps to banish his fears one by one.
Georgie is afraid of the night, and Dragon is afraid of the knight. Get it? Clever wordplay aside, this darling story of two friends helping each other overcome their fears is sure to be a new favorite in your house, especially if you have a little one trying to conquer their own fears.
- Angie