Silly Spooks

I've been asking myself the question: What kind of Halloween post should I do?  Traditional holiday, witches, monsters?  I just couldn't decide so here is a list of the silly, spooky books that have been floating around my house this month.  With two young children, silliness and spookiness need to balance out.  They are not quite into the 'fright for fun' part of Halloween.  But they love to say "BOO!"  I hope you are able to still find some of these at your library.

Even Monsters Need Haircuts (Matthew McElligott) - Following in his father's footsteps, a boy wants to be a barber.  And once a month, on the full moon, he is... to a very monstrous clientele!  Parents will enjoy this silly monsters book as much as the kids as they recognize the puns and witticisms scattered throughout the text and illustrations.

In the Haunted House (Author: Eve Bunting; Illustrator: Susan Meddaugh) - Rhyming couplets invite the reader into the spooky house.  Clever feet-only illustrations of the two walking/running through the house create their own story.  There are clues throughout to alert the reader as to the nature of the mysteries in the house, so this one is to be read as much for the illustrations as the text.  A twist ending has the readers (and a revealed character) wanting more!

The Little Old Woman Who Was Not Afraid of Anything (Author: Linda Williams; Illustrator: Megan Lloyd) - This classic read-aloud gets readers involved as they "CLOMP CLOMP" with the shoes, "WIGGLE WIGGLE" with the pants, "SHAKE SHAKE" with the shirt... well, you get the idea.  This haunted being has come to scare the old woman and is dejected when she refuses to be afraid.  But not to worry!  She knows exactly what to do with this spook.

Guess What? (Author: Mem Fox; Illustrator: Vivienne Goodman) – Who is Daisy O’Grady?  Is she just a crazy old lady?  This is another book where the illustrations demand careful examination.  Through a series of yes/no questions, Daisy O'Grady's identity is gradually revealed.  The illustrations are bizarre and may be a bit scary for the youngest set, but there is so much to explore (a bit of “I Spy”) for children thrilled with Halloween and mysteries.  And guess what? There is a surprise ending!

Hampire! (Author: Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen; Illustrator: Howard Fine) -  The rhyming text makes the reader feel as though they are tiptoeing along, trying to stay away from the Hampire!  Duck's need for a midnight snack gets him into trouble when he comes face-to-face with the dreaded swine.  Another silly/scary story...until the final twist!

Room on the Broom (Author: Julia Donaldson; Illustrator: Axel Scheffler) - Don't forget this one from last week's post!