Who's Afraid of the Dark? by Crosby Bonsall

32 p., Harper & Row, 1980.

A little boy tells a friend that his dog, Stella, is afraid of the dark. The boy is clearly empathic about Stella's fears, although he tells her that her fear is "silly" and provides rational explanations for the scary sounds she hears. His friend advises him to teach Stella not to be afraid by hugging her. The boy is finally able to relax when Stella jumps into bed with him. This story offers empathy to children who are afraid of the dark, along with hope that a favorite animal can lessen their fear.

Ages 3-7
Main character's cultural background: European American
Cultural context: multicultural