Books for Kids Scared of the Dark: 6 Gentle Picture Books

The best books for kids scared of the dark are gentle, a little funny, and end with the child feeling safe: think Can't You Sleep, Little Bear?, Orion and the Dark, The Dark by Lemony Snicket and Scared of the Dark? It's Really Scared of You. For the youngest children, a calm bedtime classic like Mem Fox's Time for Bed is often a better first step than a book that names the fear at all.

Below are six picture books, the ages each one suits, and a few simple ways to read them so the story becomes part of a calmer bedtime rather than one more thing to worry about.

Why a story can help with a worry about the dark

Fear of the dark is common in young children. The Better Health Channel explains that toddlers and preschoolers tend to be afraid of unfamiliar things they don't understand or can't control, and that busy imaginations can turn a wardrobe or a shadow into a monster once the light goes out.

The same page suggests a few things parents can do: don't dismiss or tease, reassure your child that they are safe, look at the room from their height for shadows that might look frightening, and put in a night light or let a little light in from the hallway. It also notes that "there are many books on managing childhood fears, both for the parents and the child".

A picture book won't make a fear disappear overnight, and none of the books below promise to. What a story does well is give you and your child something to talk about. A bear who can't sleep, a boy who meets the Dark, a dark that is shy of children: these give your child a way to say "that's like me" without having to find the words on their own.

6 picture books for children who are scared of the dark

Book	Author and illustrator	Good for ages	Tone
Time for Bed	Mem Fox, Jane Dyer	1 to 4	Calm, rhyming, no fear at all
Can't You Sleep, Little Bear?	Martin Waddell, Barbara Firth	2 to 6	Warm and reassuring
Luna Lights the Night	Sparkle Bay Books	2 to 6	Gentle, colour-your-own
Scared of the Dark? It's Really Scared of You	Peter Vegas, Benjamin Chaud	3 to 5	Funny, flips the fear
Orion and the Dark	Emma Yarlett	3 to 7	Adventurous, playful
The Dark	Lemony Snicket, Jon Klassen	4 to 8	Quiet, a little spooky, brave

Ages are our rough guide, drawing on publisher and bookseller listings where they give one. You know your child best: a sensitive five year old may want the gentlest book on the list.

1. Time for Bed by Mem Fox

This Australian classic, illustrated by Jane Dyer and first published in 1993, follows baby animals being settled for the night by their parents, ending with a mother tucking in her own child (Wikipedia). It never mentions fear. That is exactly why it's useful for the littlest ones: the dark is simply the time when everyone, from mice to calves, is safe and sleepy.

2. Can't You Sleep, Little Bear? by Martin Waddell

Little Bear can't sleep in the Bear Cave, so Big Bear brings out bigger and bigger lanterns, and finally finds the one thing that helps (Where the Wild Things Are). Barbara Firth's soft illustrations and the patient grown-up make this a lovely book to read slowly. It can open a natural chat: "What would help you, like the lantern helped Little Bear?"

3. Luna Lights the Night from Sparkle Bay Books

We wrote Luna Lights the Night as "a reassuring story for children who worry about the dark". Like all ten of our Bedtime Stories You Color Yourself, it has 14 short story pages to read aloud and 14 matching pictures to colour, and it suits ages 2 to 6. The story stays a calm read at bedtime, and the pictures give your child a daytime way back into it with crayons, which can make the night-time part feel more familiar.

4. Scared of the Dark? It's Really Scared of You by Peter Vegas

This one turns the whole idea around: the dark is the one who's shy and nervous, and it's afraid of you (Fullers Bookshop). Benjamin Chaud's illustrations keep it light and there are no monsters in it. It suits children aged about 3 to 5 who respond well to a bit of silliness.

5. Orion and the Dark by Emma Yarlett

Orion is scared of a lot of things, but most of all the dark, so one night the Dark decides to take him on an adventure (Where the Wild Things Are). Die-cut pages bring the Dark to life as a character. It's a longer, busier book, so it suits children around 3 to 7 who enjoy lots to look at.

6. The Dark by Lemony Snicket and Jon Klassen

Laszlo is afraid of the dark that lives in the basement, until one night the dark comes to his room and he has to listen to what it says (Hachette Book Group). The publisher lists it for ages 4 to 8. It's the most atmospheric book here, so preview it yourself first and save it for a child who likes a slightly spooky story that ends well.

How to read these books so they help, not hinder

The right book read the wrong way can stir a worry up rather than settle it. A few small choices make a difference.

Read it in daylight first

Try a new "dark" book after lunch or on the couch before dinner, not as the last thing before lights out. Once the story feels familiar and the ending is known, it can move into the bedtime slot.

Let your child lead the pages

Starting Blocks, the Australian Government's early learning site for families, suggests letting your child hold the book and turn the pages, sitting close while you read, and being willing to read only parts of a book or pages out of order. With a book about the dark, that control matters. If a page feels too much, skip it.

Do a picture walk

Starting Blocks also suggests a "picture walk", where you talk about the illustrations together before or instead of reading the words. Point out the friendly details: the lantern, the moon, the teddy, the open door. It shifts the attention from what's scary to what's comforting.

Make a "protector" from the story

ZERO TO THREE suggests making a favourite stuffed animal a child's "protector" and including it in the bedtime routine. A story makes this easy. The teddy can be Big Bear with the lantern, or Luna lighting the way.

Keep the rest of the evening gentle

The Better Health Channel suggests making sure television and reading material suit your child's age. Fast, loud or scary shows earlier in the evening can undo the work of a gentle story.

Pair the story with practical comfort

Books work best alongside the simple things. Both Better Health Channel and ZERO TO THREE mention a night light or a hallway light with the door ajar. ZERO TO THREE also suggests a dimmer, so a child can get used to a darker room at their own pace.

What to say after the story

You don't need a script, but a few gentle questions can help a child put their feelings into words:

"What did Little Bear need to feel better?"
"Which part of the dark do you notice most at night?"
"What could we put in your room to help, like a lantern or a teddy?"
"Shall we say goodnight to the dark, like Luna does?"

Keep answers short and calm. The Better Health Channel advice is simple: accept the feeling as real, and reassure your child that they are safe.

A note about older children

Worries at night don't only belong to toddlers. The Sleep Health Foundation notes that night-time fears affect up to 85% of children aged 7 to 12, and that many of them also have trouble falling or staying asleep. If your child's worry about the dark is stopping them sleeping most nights or seems to be growing, talk to your GP or child health nurse.

Try a gentle story tonight

Pick one book from the list that fits your child's age and mood, read it in daylight first, and let it find its way into bedtime over a week or so. If you'd like a story written for this exact worry, have a look at Luna Lights the Night and the rest of our bedtime stories, or start with our five free colouring pages and colour a friendly baby unicorn together before tonight's story.

Questions and answers

Are picture books about the dark a good idea for a child who is already scared?

They can be, if you choose gentle ones and read them in daylight first. Better Health Channel notes there are many books on managing childhood fears, and also suggests keeping reading material appropriate to your child's age.

Which book should I start with for a two or three year old?

Start with something calm and familiar, such as Mem Fox's Time for Bed, then try Can't You Sleep, Little Bear? once your child enjoys longer stories.

Should I read a book about the dark right before lights out?

Try it during the day or early in the evening first. Once the story feels familiar and safe, it can move into the bedtime slot.

Is a night light okay alongside bedtime stories?

Yes. Better Health Channel and ZERO TO THREE both suggest a night light or a little light from the hallway for children who are worried about the dark.

When should I talk to someone about my child's fear of the dark?

If the worry is stopping your child sleeping most nights or is getting worse, talk to your GP or child health nurse.

Sources

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