Monsters at bedtime: managing fear in bedtime picture books for children

Monsters frequently appear in children's bedtime picture books as embodiments of common night-time fears. This article explores the role and nature of such 'bedtime monsters' across 20th–21st century English-language picture books for ages 2–5, with close attention to three contemporary texts: Molly and the Night Monster (Wormell, 2018), Bedtime for Monsters (Vere, 2011), and The Wardrobe Monster (Thomson, 2018). It argues that these texts mirror young children's preferred coping strategies, especially positive pretence (minimising threats by changing their perceived nature), and additionally manage fear through literary and visual devices (e.g., image framing, typography, and humor). The article concludes that this body of texts is now established enough to invite self-reference and parody, ensuring continued playful evolution of bedtime monster stories.