"The Scary Cloud Monster- A Kid Hero Story" is one of several stories originally written for my children. Although the idea of a scary story may seem antithetical to child development and child safety, these stories were designed to be exciting for the relevant age group while promoting the idea that children can use their innate and learned abilities to meet the challenges of their lives. There is a strong educational and science component to the story. Indeed, The Scary Cloud Monster, is colorfully illustrated by a talented graphic artist who is also my daughter-in law, is the story of two young brothers, (around ages 5 and 7) who on a sunny day with a friend, are chatting about the rumor of a cloud monster. As the sun disappears and their friend runs home, Nick and Max are faced with the appearance of an ominous dark cloud that comes alive. As the "hands" of the giant cloud grab hold of Max, the boys use their knowledge about clouds and rain to defeat the monster cloud. The boys use the garden hose in the yard to spray water into the cloud causing it to rain out, successfully defeating the cloud monster. The boys talk about a "Make it Rain" experiment learned in school that showed them when a cloud fills with water, it rains out. Children are urged to try the very simple experiment which is set out for them after the story ends. There is also a safety rule reminding children to tell a trusted adult if they are ever in trouble. It is important to note that the goal of the story is to show that children are heroes who can solve difficult situations without the "special powers" of superheroes. This story is unique in that it uses an age appropriate "scary" theme to encourage children to resolve challenges facing them by using their own education and abilities.

Big Scary Monster learns some surprising things about himself when he goes down his mountain to find the creatures he has frightened away.

The Mother Goose Monsters tell some of their favorite spooky fairy tales, substituting themselves for the familiar characters.

Twins Lance and Chance LaRue are seeking a pet in the swamp near their Texas shack when they happen upon an egg and bring it home to hatch, but the creature's mother finds them, determined to rescue her little one.

Shortlisted for the 2022 Miles Franklin Literary Award A profoundly original exploration of racism, misogyny, and ageism—three monsters that plague the world—this novel from a beloved and prize-winning author is made up of two narratives, each told by a South Asian migrant to Australia “When my family emigrated it felt as if we’d been stood on our heads.” Michelle de Kretser’s electrifying take on scary monsters turns the novel upside down, just as migration has upended her characters’ lives. Lili’s family migrated to Australia from Asia when she was a teenager. Now, in the 1980s, she’s teaching in the south of France. She makes friends, observes the treatment handed out to North African immigrants, and is creeped out by her downstairs neighbor. All the while, Lili is striving to be A Bold, Intelligent Woman like Simone de Beauvoir. Lyle works for a sinister government department in near-future Australia. An Asian migrant, he fears repatriation and embraces “Australian values.” He’s also preoccupied by his ambitious wife, his wayward children, and his strong-minded elderly mother. Islam has been banned in the country, the air is smoky from a Permanent Fire Zone, and one pandemic has already run its course. Three scary monsters—racism, misogyny, and ageism—roam through this mesmerizing novel. Its reversible format enacts the disorientation that migrants experience when changing countries changes the stories of their lives. With this suspenseful, funny, and profound book, Michelle de Kretser has made something thrilling and new. “Which comes first, the future or the past?”

WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A searing, post-apocalyptic novel about a father and son's fight to survive, this "tale of survival and the miracle of goodness only adds to McCarthy's stature as a living master. It's gripping, frightening and, ultimately, beautiful" (San Francisco Chronicle). • From the bestselling author of The Passenger A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other. The Road is the profoundly moving story of a journey. It boldly imagines a future in which no hope remains, but in which the father and his son, "each the other's world entire," are sustained by love. Awesome in the totality of its vision, it is an unflinching meditation on the worst and the best that we are capable of: ultimate destructiveness, desperate tenacity, and the tenderness that keeps two people alive in the face of total devastation. Look for Cormac McCarthy's latest bestselling novels, The Passenger and Stella Maris.

One night, when Ethan reaches under his bed for a toy truck, he finds this note instead: "Monsters! Meet here for final test." Ethan is sure his parents are trying to trick him into staying under the covers, until he sees five colorful sets of eyes blinking at him from beneath the bed. Soon, a colorful parade of quirky, squeaky little monsters compete to become Ethan's monster. But only the little green monster, Gabe, has the perfect blend of stomach-rumbling and snorting needed to get Ethan into bed and keep him there so he falls asleep—which as everyone knows, is the real reason for monsters under beds. With its perfect balance of giggles and shivers, this silly-spooky prequel to the award-winning I Need My Monster and Hey, That's MY Monster! will keep young readers entertained.