Here are some perfect picture and fiction books that will surely help put you in the mood for this fun holiday!
Mouse and Mole: A Perfect Halloween, by Wong Herbert Yee, is a new story for ages six to eight to add to the Mouse and Mole series. This early reader has all of the elements to keep new readers engaged: an interesting story line with four chapters dealing with this holiday, wonderfully colorful pictures that move the story along, and effective language with lots of fun onomatopoeias throughout.
Half-Minute Horrors, edited by Susan Rich, is a compilation of quick stories from celebrated kids’ authors that will surprise and possibly scare ages nine through teens. Some tales are only a few sentences while more are about a page and a half long.
The Thirteen Ghosts, (Creepella Von Cacklefur series #1) by Geronimo Stilton, will pull in readers ages six to nine with a mystery that involves Booey the Poltergeist, Grandma Crypt and Chompers the meat-eating plant. Creepella is hunting for thirteen ghosts, and readers will smile and enjoy all of her predicaments. Number 2 in this new series has just been published — Meet Me in Horrorwood.
Scary Science: 24 Creepy Experiments, by Shar Levine and Leslie Johnstone, with hilarious illustrations by Ashley Spires, is packed with fun and enlivening experiments that will teach your young scientist, ages nine through teens, the foundations of basic science. Some experiments include making rubber bones, bouncing eyes, a goblin lamp and spooky writing. Facts about the basis of the experiments are found throughout, as well as easy step-by-step instructions. But beware: You might turn your youngster into a mad scientist.
A Zombie’s Guide to the Human Body: Tasty Tidbits from Head to Toe, by Paul Beck, is filled with all kinds of information about our human body and how it works. The format is extremely kid-friendly with the zombie theme and pictures, and the layout will entice kids, ages eight through adult, to want to pick this book up and completely read it from cover to cover!
Some Things are Scary, by Florence Parry Heide, and illustrated by renowned Jules Feiffer, is an updated picture book good for ages four to ten. The book was first published back in 1969, but Feiffer has made this a gem. What scares kids the most is the theme of the book and includes some humorous fears such as “Being with your mother when she can’t remember where she parked the car.” And some scary moments like “being on a swing when someone is pushing you too high.”
Pumpkin Trouble, by Jan Thomas, is a hilarious picture book that begs to be read aloud. Duck decides to cut out a jack-o-lantern with his pumpkin but falls inside and can’t get out. With the jack-o-lantern on his head, he wanders over to his friends, mouse and pig, who immediately get scared thinking it’s a pumpkin monster. The story gets funnier on every page, making this book, for ages four to eight, a great read-aloud.
The Haunted Hamburger and Other Ghostly Stories, by David LaRochelle, and painted by Paul Meisel, is actually a very clever and funny picture book that all ages will enjoy. A ghostly father tells his two ghostly children three bedtime stories to help them go to sleep. Although the stories scare his children, they are just plain funny to human ears! The book title is one of the stories and scares Cousin Nell beyond words but will have youngsters laughing out loud.
For the last two books, how about some laugh out loud books of jokes. Halloween Howlers: Frightfully Funny Knock-Knock Jokes, by Michale Teitelbaum, and illustrated by Jannie Ho, features lift-the-flaps giving punny and funny answers that kids of all ages will love to tell or guess. “Knock, knock! Who’s there? Witch! Witch who? Witch costume should I wear this Halloween?”
Sidesplitters: Boo!, by the Kingfisher editors, is packed with jokes with a Halloween theme. Some include: “Why did the vampires cancel their baseball game? They couldn’t find their bats.” “What does a skeleton order in a restaurant? Spareribs.” And “What does a ghost get when he falls and scrapes his knee? A boo-boo”. These are just a few of these fun jokes. Try them at your next Halloween party.
