There's a Monster Under My Bed Quiz

Answer: Relatives

Sendak used memories of the aunts and uncles who used to visit his family when he was a child as the basis for the caricatures that were used for the 'wild things', which are clearly humanoid in their monstrosity. The story of Max, whose monstrous misbehavior gets him sent to his room, where he imagines himself in a world where there are no rules to keep him from doing as he pleases, but then decides to go home to be with his family, has been popular with children since its release in 1963, despite initial criticism from adults who felt it was inappropriately supportive of misbehavior.

It is now seen as one of the classic illustrated children's books, and valuable for the way it deals with the issue of handling potentially destructive emotions such as anger within a family context.

Answer: It cleans up messes

The monster (which resembles a large purple cockroach crossed with a traditional dragon) comes into a boy's bedroom and cleans it up during the night, so it can find a place to sleep. The story is great to read aloud, because it is full of onomatopoeic words, and S. D. Schindler's illustrations add to the fun.

Answer: Two big yellow eyes

Eyes, nose, mouth and ears are followed by scraggly purple hair and a big scary green face. But then we read, "You don't scare me, so go away", and as the rest of the pages are turned, the features disappear one by one - hair, ears, nose, face, mouth, teeth, eyes - and the monster is gone, with the admonishment not to come back (until I say so).

Answer: If You're a Monster and You Know It

'If You're Happy and You Know It' is an action song, in which children participate by performing a list of actions. In this book, the monsters demonstrate their monstrosity by snorting and growling, smacking their claws, stomping their paws, twitching their tails, wiggling their warts, and roaring out loud. Most young children are happy to show that they are monsters by joining in the fun.

Answer: Broccoli

As we are repeatedly told, "Fum, foe, fie, fee, monsters don't eat broccoli!" They also avoid artichokes and lima beans. They prefer rocket ships, wheels, or maple trees (which, in the illustration, look suspiciously like carrot sticks, sliced tomatoes and broccoli to the discerning reader).

Answer: Turns on the light and makes a scary face

As well as being a book about facing up to monsters, this is a counting book, as there is one more of each type of monster that enters, starting with one glog, and including trogs, greedy glox, oggs, and the more generic fiendlets, beasties and glitches. The room gets awfully crowded before Molly's patience wears thin. She turns on the light and makes a scary face, sending the monsters into retreat, except for the glog, who cuddles up next to her in bed.

Teddy Slater has written over 100 children's books, including 'Llamas in Pajamas' and 'The Wrong-Way Rabbit', titles that have a personal resonance for some here at FunTrivia.

Answer: Goodnight Goon

We see a young werewolf settling down in his bed, and then get a list of the spooky items in his tomb, starting with a gravestone, a black lagoon, and a picture of Martians taking over the moon. As he starts to say goodnight to each item, the goon seen outside the window on the front cover illustration climbs in and starts disrupting the peace and quiet. Finally, the young werewolf sends the goon under the bed to sleep, and the book closes with the message, "Goodnight monsters everywhere."

Answer: Fox

Louis is surprised, but not scared, to find the monster squashed into the inadequate space under his new bed, and they become friends. Next day in the park, Louis and the monster make many more friends, and they return home to find that his parents have made a nice large bed for the monster in Louis's room - no need to be the monster under the bed any more!

Answer: He is drawn by Lucy

Lucy isn't ready for bed, so she starts to draw. She and the monster she creates engage in various imagined activities, until she is tired and ready to sleep. The monster, however, isn't ready yet. Lucy deals with all the monster's delaying tactics - hungry, thirsty, needs to go to the bathroom, a list familiar to most parents - with creative drawing, before finally experiencing success after reading him a bedtime story. Now they can both get some sleep.

Answer: Grover

The front cover of this Little Golden Book says that it stars 'lovable furry old Grover', who is shown on the cover saying "Hello, everybodeee!" to welcome the readers. He starts by commenting on how boring the title page is, but then realizes what it said, and starts to panic, because he is scared of monsters.

Despite his efforts to keep the reader from turning the pages, we finally reach the end, where Grover discovers, "Well, look at that! This is the end of the book, and the only one here is . . . ME! I, lovable, furry old Grover, am the Monster at the end of this book. And you were so scared! I told you and told you there was nothing to be afraid of." On the final page, he is shown covering his head, and thinking, "Oh, I am so ashamed . . . ." I had to cap this one at five reads a day - my daughter loved it so much as a two-year-old that she memorized it, and read along with me, before collapsing in laughter at the end.