A nightmare has one unfair advantage over every other childhood problem: it vanishes the moment the light goes on. There is nothing to show anybody at two in the morning — only a small person, very awake, certain that something was in the room. Books help because they do what reassurance alone cannot. They give the thing a shape, put it on a page where everyone can look at it together, and then hand the child the flashlight.
Drawing from Bookroo’s collection of 58 books about nightmares and bad dreams, our editors picked stories for both kinds of reader: the one who needs the closet checked, and the one who would happily stay up late being frightened on purpose. Start with our fixed shortlist of 12 favorites, then browse picture books for the newly scared and chapter books for readers who would rather walk into the nightmare than hide from it.
A nightmare escapes the closet. Can comfort turn fear into friendship?
A young girl's imaginary friend helps her cope with nightmares.
Frances battles bedtime with endless requests and imaginary creatures.
A Space Grizzly bad dream sends Sister Bear down the hall — and starts a family talk about where dreams come from.
A sleepless squirrel's dreams are about to come true. Can he survive the night?
A boy tries to find a suitable monster to scare him at night after his regular monster goes fishing.
A brother helps his sister overcome her fear of bad dreams with morning's happy promises.
Can Tig and Lily conquer bad dreams by staying awake all night?
Junie B. is certain a monster lives under her bed, and she is not going to be talked out of it.
A tiny dreamgiver battles dark creatures to protect a troubled boy from nightmares.
Nightmares invade reality, and only Charlie can stop them before it's too late.
A hidden door leads Coraline to a sinister world where she must fight to escape.
Read-alouds about closet monsters, 2 a.m. wake-ups, and the small moves — a flashlight, a look under the bed, a plan for tomorrow — that put a child back in charge, for ages 3–7.
A bad dream turns Little Critter into a monster facing loneliness.
A young bear confronts his fears after dreaming of a dragon.
An alligator lurks under the bed. Can a midnight snack save the night?
A boy and his monster face fears together, finding unexpected friendship.
A girl investigates mysterious attic noises and missing toys. Is it a monster?
A first grader battles relentless nightmares of a vampire. Can he find peace?
A boy discovers that monsters are real and are living under his bed, but they are not as scary as he thought.
A bedtime tale reveals a childhood fear.
Can bedtime become an adventure? Splat the Cat thinks so.
Uncover Little Green Monster's features as bedtime approaches. Sweet dreams await.
Buzz dreams of a Frankenfly monster, but is it real?
A mysterious presence lurks under the bed. What will Simon discover?
Dream thieves, sleepless towns, and doors that should have stayed shut, for independent readers ages 6–11 who like the covers pulled up a little higher.
A boy must uncover the truth behind mysterious disappearances alone.
A summer camp romance turns into a chilling nightmare when dreams become reality.
Trapped in a nightmare, Charlie faces eerie black sheep and sinister twins threatening sweet dreams.
Zombies invade Orville Falls, and no one sleeps. Can Charlie uncover the mystery before nightmares return?
A warrior rabbit must stop a hidden threat before it's too late.
A girl confronts a ghost to break a town's ancient curse.
A mysterious attic room and illness lead Violet to question if she's truly alone.
Survive the night at a haunted pizzeria where animatronics come alive.
A girl breaks dream shop rules to save her sister, facing blackmail and dark schemes.
A fearless girl confronts a thief who steals her precious dreams.
Josie discovers eerie secrets and forbidden paths in her grandmother's unsettling home.
A boy battles a dream-monster trapping his friends in nightmares.
