Have you ever thought that life is even scarier than Halloween ? Maybe that is why we love the holiday so much ! It is one kind of scary we can control and actually have fun in the process ! We can decorate , dress up , cook , create , celebrate , and imagine for weeks — or for just one night — and when we are done we can pack it up for next year and move on to the next fun fall celebration . If we think back to our days as trick-or-treaters , we can recall the excitement and the scare of Halloween night , often balanced with house-to-house visits , gathering candy to be shared later at a party or with friends . Perhaps you even have a favorite Halloween book or story or maybe you are still searching for one . If you are , this year ’ s bag of Halloween goodies just might have the treat you are looking for !
PICK OF THE LITERATURE — by Dr . Donna Phillips
Haunted Halloween ( Scholastic , New York , 2018 , $ 6.99 ), written by Sue Fliess and illustrated by Jay Fleck , is in contention for a favorite pick . This adorable little counting board book has colorful Halloween illustrations and a simple rhyming text that highlights some of the things we think of at this time of year . Rich vocabulary words like “ gargoyles ” and clever rhymes such as “ Pumpkin-grin , Goosebump-skin ” make this more than just a counting book . The unique shape of the pages adds to the fun of turning them to reveal the
next set of Halloween characters . As we trick-or-treat , the suspense builds until we are at the last house and the spooky door swings open … to reveal a party inside !
Everyone goes to sleep . Even monsters ! But how do monster parents get them to go to bed ? By a bedtime routine , of course ! Good Night Little Monsters ( Cartwheel Books , New York , 2018 , $ 8.99 ), written by Kara LaReau and illustrated by Brian Won , reveals their secrets . It seems that baby Frankenstein has his bolts loosened . Little mummy gets wrapped up tight . Wolfboy gets howled to sleep . This rhyming board book is a wonderful way to settle your little monsters down for a good night ’ s sleep , and it is a great way to make those Halloween monsters a little less scary .
Monsters all seem so scary . That is , until we start wondering what they are really like . The little girl in Does Frankenstein Get Hungry ? ( G . P . Putnam ’ s Sons , New York , 2018 , $ 17.99 ) is having a hard time falling asleep . It seems that she is concerned about monsters . As she lies in bed , she begins to wonder about them . Does Frankenstein get hungry ? Does Dracula floss ? Does the boogeyman have boogers ? Do mummies get their bandages caught in the wheels of their bikes ? Does the Thing under the bed get lonely ? By the time she is done , she is wondering if they might be afraid of her ! Hilarious illustration and clever prose make this book a true Halloween treat . This charming and disarming book will help even the most frightened child look at monsters in a new light .
14 WNY Family October 2018