Shy Little Monster

Baby falls asleep to a thunderstorm in the city, where all of the sounds blend together into a lullaby.

This winning debut picture book from Mexican artist Flavia Z. Drago about finding the courage to make friends is perfect for the spooky season — or anytime. Gustavo is good at doing all sorts of ghostly things: walking through walls, making objects fly, and glowing in the dark. And he loves almost nothing more than playing beautiful music on his violin. But Gustavo is shy, and some things are harder for him to do, like getting in a line to buy eye scream or making friends with other monsters. Whenever he tries getting close to them, he realizes they just can’t see him. Now that the Day of the Dead is fast approaching, what can he do to make them notice him and to share with them something he loves? With fancifully detailed artwork and visual humor, debut picture-book creator Flavia Z. Drago’s vivid illustrations tell a sweet and gently offbeat story of loneliness, bravery, and friendship that is sure to be a treat for little ghouls and goblins everywhere.

The Shy Monster is a story about a little girl who struggles to overcome her shyness. Her shyness is depicted as a mean monster who bullies her, making her scared to speak up and go after her dreams. Her acting teacher teaches her to become more confident. With her newfound courage, she is able to defeat the "shy monster" and achieve her dreams.

Twilight's here. The death bell rings. Everyone knows what the death bell brings—it's time for class! You're in the place where goblins wail and zombies drool. (That's because they're kindergartners.) Welcome to Monster School. In this entertaining collection of poems, award-winning poet Kate Coombs and debut artist Lee Gatlin bring to vivid life a wide and playful cast of characters (outgoing, shy, friendly, funny, prickly, proud) that may seem surprisingly like the kids you know . . . even if these kids are technically monsters.

Mr. Men meets The Color Monster--with a unicorn!--in the fourth book in this series that taps into the current trend of books about childhood emotions, this one about shyness. A little unicorn's rainbow-colored mane shifts to a single color when he's feeling a particularly strong emotion. When he's feeling shy, like when he needs to speak up in class or meet someone new, his mane turns purple. But when he repeats a breathing exercise, his rainbow returns--and if he ever feels shy again, he'll know just what to do. This distinctive series about coping with strong feelings integrates a breathing exercise into the story, making these books perfect for parents who are seeking practical tools for their children. With accessible, mainstream artwork and unicorn character appeal, each book focuses on just one emotion, allowing parents and children to dive deeper into individual moods. Little Unicorn is Sad will release at the same time.