nature girl Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 My DD6 LOVES scary(ish) books, but she also has mild anxiety, so I learned early on that I need to pre-read any of the books we pick out to make sure they're more silly than scary, or if the monsters do start out seeming scary, they turn out to either learn kindness or to be so foolish that they're easily vanquished (a la Quillow, one of DD's favorites.) Can any of you recommend books at a 1st or 2nd grade interest level (for me to read) that might seem scary enough at first to catch her attention, but won't make her insist on sleeping in our bed at night? I'd also love to hear recommended books at a K-2nd grade reading level, which I'm sure would be fantastic motivation to get her reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethel Mertz Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Kenneth Grahame's The Reluctant Dragon Herb, the Vegetarian Dragon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nature girl Posted September 29, 2015 Author Share Posted September 29, 2015 The Reluctant Dragon is one of our favorites! The Vegetarian Dragon looks PERFECT, thank you! Exactly the kind of book she'd love. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WahM Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 She may like the Dragon Masters series. They are a second grade reading level. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdrinca Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 The Dragon books by Dav Pilkey are more funny than scary. Peggy Parish wrote a book about monsters (No More Monsters for Me!), which is an easy-reader about a girl who takes home a baby monster which grows in her basement. It's more silly than scary, although there is some of the "I'm going to get in trouble" peril that makes my ASD kiddo anxious. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73349 Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Marilyn's Monster is a picture book you should try. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmasc Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 How about Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent by Bill Peet? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 My Friend The Monster. I loved it when I was a kid, but it's one of those timeless tales that sticks with you. http://www.amazon.com/Weekly-Reader-presents-friend-monster/dp/0690040318/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1443556914&sr=8-2&keywords=my+friend+the+monster 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Princess and the Jedi Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 The Dragonbreath series 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Have you read My Father's Dragon and sequels? Loved those! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaConquest Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Dealing With Dragons: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/150739.Dealing_with_Dragons Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/770614.Jeremy_Thatcher_Dragon_Hatcher?from_search=true&search_version=service 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nature girl Posted September 29, 2015 Author Share Posted September 29, 2015 Thank you all so much, these all look fabulous! Thank goodness for interlibrary loans...I'm so excited to pick these up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonflyer Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 What about: Scared Silly (poetry compilation by Brown) Dragons Love Tacos There's a Monster in My Closet and There are Monsters Everywhere by Mayer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 Dealing With Dragons: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/150739.Dealing_with_Dragons I was going to suggest these ... as Wrede has a series (4?). Search for "Enchanted Forest Chronicles." 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 +1 for the Patricia Wrede Enchanted Forest Chronicles and My Father's Dragon. I think the Wrede might be a LITTLE over her head right now, but I think she will get enough to make it fun, and reading about a strong spunky princess is awesome. She can always reread them in a few years to get more out of them :D 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8circles Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 Harry and the Terrible Whatzit The Hungry Thing 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 http://www.amazon.com/Droofus-Dragon-Lost-Sandpiper-Books/dp/0395340667/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1443578175&sr=8-7&keywords=Bill+Peet 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. B Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 Poo-Poo and the Dragons (I only read 2 excerpts of this in a Children's lit anthology, but the 2chapters included were very cute). On the Podcast "kayray reads to you" you can listen to the 1st 11 chapters. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klaw Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 My Son is loving Chris D'Lacey's book The Fire Within...it's a book about dragons and squirrel rescue :) He has a series about dragons for even younger kids as well...the Dragons of Wayward Cresent where nothing scary at all happens 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 Poo-Poo and the Dragons (I only read 2 excerpts of this in a Children's lit anthology, but the 2chapters included were very cute). I have this book (very ancient hardcover) and it is indeed very cute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternallytired Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 Another vote for My Father's Dragon--the kids and I both love it! For her to read on her own: My kids loved Tedd Arnold's series about Huggly, the Monster Under the Bed. They're not scary, more silly (though the monsters nearly get caught in every book)--but the reading level of those books ranges from mid-1st to mid-2nd, if I remember correctly, which would be perfect. A lot of the Magic Tree House books also involve mythical animals--a sea serpent helps them in the Viking book, Pegasus saves them in the Olympics book... DD still loves these because there's the perfect hint of danger without being truly scary. Those, of course, are more 2nd-3rd grade reading level (with the later books being longer and more complex). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 For a fun picture book: Again! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerileanne99 Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 Kenneth Grahame's The Reluctant Dragon Herb, the Vegetarian Dragon Oh, fond memories of Herb, the Vegetarian Dragon! Dd loved that book:) More picture-type books but two Julia Donaldson books: Room on the Broom and Zog Zog is a personal favorite as the dragon wants to rescue a princess buy the princess is insistent that she is perfectly capable of rescuingherself. She wants to be a doctor alongside her knight in shining armor--but does consent to let Zog be a dragon ambulance. Not your Ordinary Dragon is good as well, and definitely The Reluctant Dragon. I have to say, be prepared to look lively reading this one! Challenging to read aloud:) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcitedMama Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 This one is fun and turns the scared child idea on its head: http://smile.amazon.com/Need-My-Monster-Amanda-Noll/dp/0979974623/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1443624863&sr=1-1&keywords=i+need+my+monster This one has a Frankenstein monster teach other monsters to be kind: http://smile.amazon.com/Monsters-Monster-Patrick-McDonnell/dp/0316045470/ref=la_B000APEJ20_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1443625026&sr=1-9 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEGway Posted October 12, 2015 Share Posted October 12, 2015 Edith Nesbit's _Book of Dragons_. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momling Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 Kenny and the dragon was a favorite read-aloud chapter book of one of my 6 yr olds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nature girl Posted October 15, 2015 Author Share Posted October 15, 2015 I want you to say thank you yet again for all these wonderful suggestions! We've had such a fun couple of weeks reading through them (or at least through those that were available from my library...I'm guessing that someone within our ILL system has been enjoying this thread too, because several of the books have been checked out since the thread began, and the last two recommendations were checked out within a couple of days of the recommendations here. :) ) I especially want to thank the ladies who reminded me of My Father's Dragon. I'd read it to DD when she was just barely 3, and she just finished reading it to me. There was something so poignant but wonderful and powerful listening to her read it that I can't even quite put into words, but that I'm sure you all understand... <3 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald Stoker Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 Rosemary Manning, Green Smoke http://www.amazon.ca/Green-Smoke-Rosemary-Manning/dp/1903252296 & sequels... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nature girl Posted October 16, 2015 Author Share Posted October 16, 2015 Rosemary Manning, Green Smoke http://www.amazon.ca/Green-Smoke-Rosemary-Manning/dp/1903252296 & sequels... That book looks so sweet, thank you. (Why are the best books out of print?) I just bought it (cheap!) from ebay. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald Stoker Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 Oh, I'm glad it looked good to you! My kids loved that book when they were little--I hope your daughter will love it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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