I visit the local intermediate unit in my county once a month to present story time to two different classes of toddlers and preschoolers who are on the autism spectrum and/or have other possible learning disabilities. The classes are usually between 5 – 12 kids and are the majority are boys. This is probably one of the best parts of my job! I love the challenge that these children present and I love trying to find at least one piece of story time that interests each child. We’ve done a construction theme, dinosaur theme, and bug theme in the past, so even though it’s nowhere near Halloween, I’m planning a monster themed story time for next week. For the most part, I don’t choose books based on the children’s disabilities, I choose books that I think any child would enjoy. There are tons of great monster books for kids – everything from relieving night-time fears to funny stories that are sure to make your kids giggle! Because I see two different classes, I’m choosing a couple more books than I usually do. Some are for the younger kids (mostly two-year-olds) and others are for the older (3 & 4 year-olds). Storytime Titles: Title: I’m Not Going Out ThereAuthor: Paul BrightSummary: Monsters, witches, and een a dragon quake in fear when a prank transforms an ordinary person into a terrible beast! Title: There Was an Old Monster!Author: Rebecca, Adrian, & Ed EmberleySummary: In this variation on the traditional cumulative rhyme, a monster swallows ants, a lizard, a bat, and other creatures to try and cure a stomachache that began when he swallowed a tick. Title: Can You Make a Scary Face?*Author: Jan ThomasSummary: A ladybug invites the reader to play a game of “let’s pretend.” * This is one of the funniest books to read out loud to a group of kids! They absolutely love it! Other monster books you might want to take a look at include: Jumpy Jack & Googily by Meg Rosoff & Sophia Blackall Billy Monster’s Daymare by Alan Durant My Monster Mama Love Me So by Laura Leuck Thelonius Monster’s Sky-High Fly Pie by Judy Sierra Monster Hug by David Ezra Stein What Do You Say When a Monster Says Boo? by Hope Vestergaard Socksquatch by Frank W. Dormer Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems Mostly Monsterly by Tammi Sauer