Friendly Shadow Monster Coloring Book

Coloring page story

Beginning: It was a twilight picnic, Leo’s favorite. The sun was setting, painting the sky in orange and purple. The fireflies were just starting to blink. Blink... blink... Leo loved watching them. He snuggled close to Mama Stego as she hummed a soft tune.

Middle: As the shadows grew longer, a huge, strange shape appeared on the rock face behind them. It had a giant, snapping mouth and wiggly, spiky arms! Leo gasped and hid behind his mother’s leg. "A monster!" he peeped. Trixie stood in front of him, trying to look brave. "I'll protect you, Leo!" she declared, puffing out her chest. Papa Rex squinted at the shadow. "Hmm," he rumbled. "That is a funny-looking monster." The shadow wiggled and jiggled, and Leo shivered with fright.

Ending: Papa Rex stood up and did a silly dance, waving his little arms. The shadow monster on the wall did the exact same silly dance! Leo peeked out. Then, Mama Stego flapped her tail plates, and the shadow monster grew spiky plates, too. Leo started to giggle. The monster wasn't a monster at all—it was just their own shadows! He bravely stepped into the firefly light and waved his long neck. On the wall, his shadow waved back. He spent the rest of the picnic making the friendliest shadow monster the world had ever seen.

Coloring page Age Appropriateness

The illustration focuses on the positive resolution, not the scary part, which is perfect for this age group. The concept of a shadow is shown simply and playfully. The large, distinct shapes of Leo, the rock wall, and his shadow outline are ideal for preschoolers to practice staying within the lines.

Coloring Page Coloring Instructions

It's not a scary monster, it's just Leo's shadow! You can make Leo any color you want. What color is a brave and happy dinosaur? You can leave his shadow black, or you could color it a fun, magical color like dark purple or blue! And don't forget to make the little fireflies glow with a bright yellow or orange.

Coloring Page Printing Tips

For best results, print this page on medium-weight cardstock to prevent markers from bleeding through. Standard letter-sized paper works well for crayons. Set your printer to a high-quality 'black and white' or 'grayscale' setting to get the crispest lines.

Recommended Tools

A black crayon or marker would be perfect for filling in the big shadow. Then, use bright, contrasting colors for Leo to make him stand out! Gel pens could be fun for the fireflies if an adult is helping. Have fun with the light and shadows!