Years ago, it seemed that Halloween was mostly a holiday for
children, one that you outgrew in the teen years. Nowadays, it’s more of an all ages holiday,
but I still have fond memories of favorite picture books for the season.
For older listeners, I love Tony Johnston’s The Vanishing
Pumpkin. A little old man and a
little old woman discover their prize pumpkin, intended for pie, has
disappeared so off they go to track it down.
Vibrant illustrations by Tomie de Paola make for a fun and exciting
search to a satisfying conclusion.
Shorter but just as satisfying is the somewhat spooky The
Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams with
illustrations by Megan Lloyd. A little
old lady is walking home at night when strange sounds start following her. This is a great book for audience
participation as listeners can help make the sounds.
For very young listeners, A Halloween Mask for Monster by
Virginia Mueller is one of my absolute favorite books. Little Monster is not sure what he wants to
be for Halloween. He tries on various
masks—a dog, a cat, etc.—but deems them all “too scary.” Finally, he finds just the right one. With illustrations by Lynn Munsinger, this
book is no trick but a real treat. It’s
also very reassuring for young trick-or-treaters who have their own doubts
about dressing up and don’t want to be “too scary.”
Finally, a book I have given to most small children I know, Spooky
Pookie is a board book written and illustrated by the one and only Sandra
Boynton. Pookie is a little pig-child
who is trying to figure out what to be for Halloween. Boynton’s art is a delight for all ages, and her
style is instantly recognizable. Also "Spooky Pookie" is just fun to say.
-Jeanne
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