Halloween Books To Scare You

 With Halloween fast approaching, many boys and girls will soon be selecting costumes, painting faces, and toting uniquely-decorated bags all in the name of Candy! To help them prepare for the upcoming festivities, here are a few Halloween recommendations sure to be filled with numerous tricks n’ treats.

“Mouse’s First Halloween” by Lauren Thompson is about a curious, young mouse who goes out “[o]ne spooky night when the moon [is] bright” and encounters seven unfamiliar objects. At first, our furry friend perceives his findings to be scary. However, on further inspection, Mouse realizes that they are not. The only frightening thing about the items is his initial thoughts.

For example, when Mouse notices flickering in the distance, he assumes the worst when in reality, it is merely a friendly jack o’ lantern eager to greet him. Children, like Mouse, often have these same feelings regarding things that are different and unfamiliar. But after being shown that there is nothing to be afraid of, these fears subside. Thompson’s story does a great job reiterating this fact, enabling children to enjoy the up coming holiday fun.
“The Halloween Cat” by Christine Ricci features everybody’s favorite little Latina, Dora the Explorer. In this whimsical tale, Dora is on a mission to help the Good Witch’s kitten find his way home. To do this, Dora must venture to the Haunted House, trek through the Spooky Forest, and make her way to the Candy Castle, home of the Good Witch.

Midway through her adventure, Dora encounters the Swiper, who tries to prevent her from entering the Spooky Forest by stealing the Orange Key. With help from the reader saying, “Swiper, no swiping,” he is foiled in his efforts and Dora finds the path that leads to her destination. Just when she is about to make her way to the gate of the Good Witch’s home, Dora runs into a large moat filled with alligators disguised as trick or treating cowboys, pirates, and princesses. But, with assistance from the Good Witch, Dora flies safely to the Candy Castle and joins the rest of the party goers already enjoying the celebration!

“The Halloween Cat” is perfect for children who are just learning to read because the sentences in the story consist of both small descriptive pictures and words. Parents can read the words. While children identify the pictures, thus making reading time a shared experience.
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Though the chaos of Halloween is creeping closer, take some time and check out the great spooky holiday books the Columbus Public Library has to offer. You and your children are sure to find a few literary treats sprinkled about. The only trick is that the check out dates of these books is only one week, instead of three. If you have any questions regarding “Mouse’s First Halloween” by Lauren Thompson or “The Halloween Cat” by Christine Ricci or would like other holiday suggestions, feel free to contact me at 564-7116 ext. 4. And please remember to make this Halloween a fun and safe holiday for all.