Monsters don’t have to be scary

I know that Halloween is over, but this week after is probably the time when children are a little jumpy after seeing ghosts, ghouls, goblins and other frightening creatures on their rounds from house to house that night.

I spent Halloween at a relative’s house at the North Carolina coast. My husband and I pulled up into their driveway and as I stepped out of the car, the neighborhood sounded like a playground. I grabbed a bite to eat and planted myself in a big white rocking chair on the front porch, settling in to watch the kids parade by to get candy from Aunt Joyce.

I couldn’t help but wonder how many kids wouldn’t be able to sleep that night – and whether it would be from too much sugar, too much activity or too many monsters.

But not all monsters have to be scary.

	This darling Mr. X is a Boogaloos doll from Blabla. While he looks like a little monster (and somewhat resembles my Yorkie), he almost looks frightened himself. At least a child shaking under their sheets would feel like they have a monster on their side! Mr. X stands 10” tall and 5” wide.  Blabla’s collection is designed by Florence Wetterwald and hand-knitted of 100% cotton by Peruvian artisans, $38.
	Children can dry off after bath time and run around the house wrapped up in their own Monster Towel, a best-seller from Yikes Twins. These 100% cotton, 54×28” (plus hood) towels are big enough for kids from 2 to 8 years old and sturdy enough to last until they grow out of them, $37 (or personalized, $42).
	In the same vein, the Zeek Blanket by Snugaboo is hooded and made of fuzzy fleece with satin trim. The hood has embroidered freckles, gold horns and a two-toned spiked mane. The blanket sports a tail in the back. The blanket is coco brown and turquoise blue, is 30×30” and 100% polyester, $34.99.
	While not technically a monster, dinosaurs are still big, loud and scary. Well, except when it’s the 100 % cotton Scribble Dino T-shirt from Gimos Kidswear for boys aged 6-24 months. If I were a monster, I think I’d run screaming from a dinosaur – so little boys might feel safe in this, $14.
	Dinnerware with an image was incentive to finish my oatmeal as a child, and I think the funny little creatures and colorful graphic backgrounds on this Monster Plate Set from French Bull would get me to finish even my veggies now. The plates are 8” melamine, dishwasher safe and heat resistant, although they’re not recommended for microwave use, $32/set.
	A kid-designed plush monster has now made its way onto a T-shirt at North American Bear Co. The front of the shirt has a large picture of “Claws,” and the back has a description of him, straight from the designer’s young imagination: “Claws comes out when I go to bed at night. His long fingers can reach up to turn on the lightswitch and his special eye can see in the dark so I can find my way to Mommy and Daddy’s room.” Part of the My Own Monster collection, the T-shirts come in two sizes for kids, 3-4 and 5-6 years, $20.
	And for the youngsters who really want to show the monsters who’s boss, the Fear Bust’r Tool Kit from The Shrunks contains everything they need to eliminate fear and manage a safe zone in their bedroom or on an adventure. The kit includes two Fear Free metal signs to hang on bedroom and closet doors to send the anti-fright message to intruders; a roll of Safe-Zone Barricade Tape to create a safe zone throughout the house and a Blow’r Whistle to alert everyone of their victory in the fight against fright, $30.

If you have any ideas or requests for themes for "On the Shelf," post a comment or email gerri.hunt@reedbusiness.com.