Reading List: Picture Books about Fears

The world is a big place with lots of different things that can be scary, especially to little ones. These picture books (and a few juvenile nonfiction books) are about characters overcoming a variety of fears from fear of the dark, to heights, to dogs, change, monsters and more.

Fear of Dogs:

Ellis, Sarah - Ben and the Scaredy-Dog

Pitzer, Susanna - Not Afraid of Dogs

Thomas, Jan - The Doghouse

Fear of the Dark:

Czajak, Paul - Monster Needs His Sleep

Davis, Jon - Small Blue and the Deep Dark Night

Dewdney, Anna - Llama Llama Red Pajama

Diesen, Deborah - The Pout-Pout Fish in the Big-Big Dark

Hale, Bruce - Clark the Shark: Afraid of the Dark

Krause, J.R. - Dragon Night

Snicket, Lemony - The Dark

Thomas, Jan - Let's Sing a Lullaby With the Brave Cowboy

Fear of Change:

Dewdney, Anna - Llama Llama Misses Mama

Foley, Greg E. - Don't Worry Bear

McFarland, Clive - Caterpillar Dreams

Sanna, Francesca - Me and My Fear

Fear of Heights/Falling:

Cornwall, Gaia - Jabari Jumps

Könnecke, Ole - You Can Do It, Bert!

Parker, Danny - Parachute

Santat, Dan - After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again

Fear of Water:

Andreae, Giles - Be Brave, Little Penguin

Atkinson, Cale - Off & Away

Sattler, Jennifer Gordon - Pig Kahuna

Fear of Monsters:

Balmes, Santi - I Will Fight Monsters for You

Bright, Rachel - Love Monster and the Scary Something

Fredrickson, Lane - Monster Trouble!

Mayer, Mercer - There's a Nightmare in My Closet

Mayer, Mercer - There's an Alligator Under My Bed

Mull, Brandon - Smarter Than a Monster: A Survival Guide

Reynolds, Aaron - Creepy Carrots!

A Variety of Other Fears:

Bright, Rachel - The Lion Inside

Carlin, Patricia - Alfie Is Not Afraid

Cena, John - Elbow Grease

Choldenko, Gennifer - Dad and the Dinosaur

Dyckman, Ame - Wolfie the Bunny

Freedman, Deborah - Shy

Gliori, Debi - The Scariest Thing of All

Jarvis - Alan's Big, Scary Teeth

Kirk, David - Oh So Brave Dragon

Krosoczka, Jarrett - Peanut Butter and Jellyfish

Latimer, Alex - Lion Vs. Rabbit

Meiners, Cheri J. - When I Feel Afraid

O'Byrne, Nicola - Open Very Carefully

Parr, Todd - The Don't Worry Book

Parr, Todd - The I'm Not Scared Book

Rees, Douglas - Tyrannosaurus Rex Vs. Edna, The Very First Chicken

Reynolds, Peter H. - Say Something!

Seeger, Laura Vaccaro - I Used to Be Afrai

Thomas, Jan - What Is Chasing Duck?

Watt, Melanie - Scaredy Squirrel

Wilson, Karma - Bear Feels Scared