5 Books To Help Kids Overcome Nightmares

Why is everyone searching for Kate Middleton?

In the wee hours of the morning, while the sun still slept, I crawled out of bed, got ready, and drove to my best friend’s place to witness the grandest spectacle of the decade: the wedding of the British Commonwealth’s Prince William and his bride, Kate Middleton. In those early hours, before heading to work, we celebrated with high tea, complete with little cakes, sandwiches, and macarons, while we watched the fairytale wedding of the world’s most glamorous royal couple.

The years have shown Kate to be a dutiful noble. Always attired in the perfect ensemble, saying the right things, breaking into an appropriate—if slightly distant—smile. She’s secured the legacy of the Crown with her three children (Louis is my favorite). By all accounts, she’s done what the Crown has needed from her: currying the favor of the masses for the royal family and demonstrating her willingness to be groomed into a future queen.

I’ve enjoyed following the young royals through their various escapades over the years. The Netflix series, The Crown, was a favorite for a while. I would be lying if I said that I’m not fascinated by the monarchy and its machinations. And while I’m not unique in following their intrigues, the fervor over her “disappearance” has caught me entirely by surprise.

There have always been people who jump on the bandwagon of the latest drama vortex, eager for a little voyeuristic pleasure. But what about this couple, and this princess, has us all frothing at the mouths? People I know who don’t give a damn about the monarchy suddenly have opinions. What changed?

My theory is that it’s a frenzied moment of welcome distraction. With two wars, a looming election, and all the other political and current events happening in the backdrop, our lives are fraught with tension and anxiety. Then you have an institution like the monarchy which, despite its longstanding expertise and understanding of how public relations and news cycles work, has so clumsily (mis)handled Kate’s brief retreat from the public eye. A bungling of this magnitude certainly lends itself to the question: “What are they hiding about Kate?” And, let’s not forget, the '90s are back, and the many hours spent playing Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego? has prepared Millenials for this very moment. Pokémon Go but with real, royal people!

And underpinning this uproar over Kate is the perpetual question that keeps us so enraptured by the royals: Are they living a fairytale or a nightmare?

Why do you think so many people are invested in finding Kate Middleton?

1. Dream Animals: A Bedtime Journey

Written and Illustrated by Emily Winfield Martin

Recommended Ages: 1-3 years old

From the author/illustrator of The Wonderful Things You Will Be, this beautiful book is no less charming. Crossing over into the dream world riding an animal guide, kids enter a world that has no limitations. Any creature can be turned real, every adventure possible. From swooping higher and higher to befriend the moon and stars or submerging deep into the depths of the ocean, crossing the chasm into dreamland is the beginning of an epic journey. The delicate, gentle illustrations seem as fragile as a dream itself but are sights to behold. If you’ve read any of Martin’s other works, you’ll immediately recognize her signature, charming style of artwork that takes on an even more hypnotizing quality.

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2. Where The Wild Things Are

Written and Illustrated by Maurice Sendak

Recommended Ages: 1-5 years old

It feels like cheating to include this book but not including it also feels like cheating! How can we talk about monsters and dreams and not talk about Maurice Sendak’s Where The Wild Things Are? For many of us, this iconic book was a hallmark of our childhoods (it certainly was for me!). In a story anyone can relate to, Max is wreaking havoc and his mother, fed up with his antics, banishes him to his room without supper. And, although it’s never stated, I’ve always believed Max drifted off to sleep and sailed into dreamland. When he comes across the Wild Things (truly frightening creatures), instead of being cowed by them, he stares them dead in the eye and they submit to the one, true Wild Thing and naming him king. But then, after a very good rumpus, Max catches a delicious smell and abdicates his throne. He returns to his room where he sees a hot plate of dinner waiting for him. I don’t know what I love about the story more—that I would abdicate for food or that Max, bold as brass, tames the Wild Things. This story always beckons to the child in us; the uncanny need to resist and defy and the breeziness with which we regain equilibrium. I could go on and on but I don’t think I need to convince you of why this book is one of the GOAT.

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3. The Night Lion

Written and Illustrated by Sanne Dufft

Recommended Ages: 3-5 years old

The nighttime lends itself to all sorts of mischief and kids are innately aware of that. There’s always something lurking around a shadowy corner and things that seem perfectly innocuous during the day take on a wicked bent by night. Morgan, a brave little knight with his possessions—a hat and sword—dreams his way into a dark wood. There he chances upon a robber keen to steal away Morgan’s hat and sword. Morgan startles awake and is terrified. With the help of a stuffed lion who becomes life-size and real in his dreams, Morgan becomes invincible and scares away the lion. Originally published in German, the story is simple but it’s the beautiful pencil and watercolor artwork that bring it to life. The dark atmospheric wood truly does feel frightening but the massive lion, lit up by a full, harvest moon, would make anyone feel invincible.

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4. Nocturne Dream Recipes

Written and Illustrated by Isol

Recommended Ages: 4-8 years old

Sometimes, you need to excite your sense of wonder before going to sleep. If you have kids dreading sleeping for fear of what awaits them, they’ll especially delight in this book. Essential a book of dream prompts, they’re a fun, interactive way to get kids excited about bedtime. All of the dream recipes are nice (except for the last one which is a recipe for disaster if kids are having nightmares) and I can imagine it will lead to interesting conversations the next morning when you ask them about their dreams. The pencil artwork is cleverly sparse giving just enough structure for kids to weave their colorful dreams around and faint glow-in-the-dark art to capture the whimsical, diaphanous nature of dreaming.

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5. Moonpowder

Written and Illustrated by John Rocco

Recommended Ages: 6-9 years old

Eli Treebuckle (what a delicious name), a young boy whose father is off fighting in WWII, has the same recurring nightmare, night after night. A wunderkind mechanic, there’s nothing Eli’s met that he hasn’t been able to fix. One night, determined to avoid sleeping altogether, Mr. Moon calls out to him. Mr. Moon tells Eli how the Moonpowder factory is broken and without Eli’s help, all the kids in the world will only have nightmares (Moonpowder is essential for sweet dreams). Thus begins the adventure of a dreamtime as Eli follows Mr. Moon into the sky to the Moonpowder factory. This book subtly addresses a key part of the nightmare puzzle: They may be occurring because of some underlying stress or anxiety and addressing that may be the ultimate “fix” for that nightmare. Rocco’s illustrations are magnificent—a dash of 1940s charm with a huge dollop of golden, richly-hued steampunk that beckons you straight into fantasyland.

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Tips & Tricks To Quell Nightmare Fears

These are tips I’ve either heard or read on navigating our kids’ nightmares. I’d be curious to hear how you’ve handled these situations in your family!

• When your child wakes up from a nightmare, let them know their body sent them that dream to wake them up so they can go to the bathroom. Once they’ve used the toilet, they won’t have the same dream.

• Try some meditation and relaxation techniques at bedtime to help soothe away the day’s stresses.

• If a dream isn’t going the way it should encourage kids to make the dream silly to negate the scary factor. For example, if your kid sees a menacing spider, they can shout at it (maybe try “Riddikulus!”) and reimagine it doing something funny, like wearing roller skates. (Comment if you get this reference!)

Let’s Talk…

• What was your craziest nightmare? (I’ll share mine in the Comments section too.)

• How do you handle your kids’ nightmares?

• What are your thoughts on Kate Middleton’s “disappearance”? Why do we care so much?

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