Halloween just happens to fall at one of the darkest times of year when it is also beginning to get cold and thoughts turn to warm crackling fires as well as fun and games around them, so what better way to entertain yourself this Halloween than with a selection of great books which can be read in the warm and in the light (if you so desire)!

To begin with we must cater for the youngest children who will be going to bed the soonest and will need a story to send them off happy into dreamland. The best book for this, in my opinion at least, is Mouldy Monsters (Campbell Books, 9780230753954) by AnnaLaura Cantone. This book takes the fear out of monsters, after all some of them are afraid too, and shows that most of them are also very silly! In addition to a funny story there are touch-and-feel elements on every spread - I love the ‘Mello Jello’s’ with their pink tutus and the ’Fuzzy McWuzzies’ with their blue fur, though by far the most popular with children is the green bogies from the ‘Booger Beloogas’!

Then comes the wonderful Debi Gliori who has provided us with just the title for sharing with toddlers. The Scariest Thing of All (Bloomsbury, 9780747599692) from its cover of purple hues and red spiky writing, with the exception of the cute bunny, one gets a sense of mystery before opening up to a bright and colourful meadow of long grass … Lots of larger than life scary things BIG spiders among them, are counterbalanced by a vibrancy and cute factor that is very reassuring. This book is the perfect read for little ones afraid of the dark and just a little scared this Halloween.

If you are story telling to a party of little ones then Elizabeth Baguley and Marion Lindsay’s Ready Steady Ghost (Oxford University Press, 9780192792648) is a good choice with its rhythmical text, swirly ghosts floating across blue pages and a very funny story about a ghost who isn’t actually much good at haunting!

Next come the younger readers who will adore the latest Horrid Henry and not only for its 3D moulded cover allowing curious fingers to prod the torch in awe! If you can believe it Horrid Henry has reached the grand old age of 20, he has a film, a TV series and now a very special book too. Horrid Henry and the Zombie Vampire by Francesca Simon (Orion Children’s Books, 9781842551356) finds Henry up to his usual tricks, scaring everyone, including himself, with some monstrously funny results. Read this one if you dare, for Halloween!

More advanced and older readers will love the second Bansi O’Hara title. Bansi O’Hara and the Edges of Halloween by author and Armadillo reviewer John Dougherty, (Random House, 9780440867920) may have been published back in April but is the perfect read this Halloween for its fast paced and frightening adventure story. Bansi is longing for a quiet life but life has other ideas and this adventure finds Bansi back in Faerie to rescue her mum from the Dead Cruach whilst trying to cope with Granny and Nora Mullarkey. One wonders which will be more difficult! A great adventure with lots of humour, the perfect cheering read for this Halloween.

So get your teeth stuck in to one of these great stories rather then a toffee apple this Halloween and you are guaranteed to have a great time!

Spooky Books for Halloween

It is Halloween and all things spooky will be happening, children will be trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins and having great parties. To help with the entertainment adults could read their young children Liz Martinez and Mark Beech’s story of The Everyday Witch published by Bloomsbury.

With Mark Beech’s illustration in the style of Quentin Blake adding colour and atmosphere to this story of a little boy who strongly suspects that his mother is a witch and accompanying the humorous rhyming text of Liz Martinez there is plenty to enjoy listening to and detail galore to pore over.

When Jimmy peeps though his curtains one night and sees his mother flying on a broomstick with the pet cat Tiddles he is determined to prove that she does not lead a life of potion brewing and spell casting! When he thinks that he has finally proved himself right he finds stripy stockings on the washing line – help!

If further entertainment in the form of story telling is required Winnie the Witch finds herself in possession of an Amazing Pumpkin. Children will delight in the story of Winnie and Wilbur enjoying their vegetables, particularly pumpkin – they may even learn to like them too! The fun comes when Winnie, laden with her greens, finds it difficult to get home from the market so decides it is time to grow some instead! All does not quite go according to plan and Winnie’s magical spells once again create a riot of colour and fun. With captivating and detailed illustration as well as hilarious text Winnie’s Amazing Pumpkin, published by oxford University Press, should keep its young audience entertained for hours and may even provide some inspiration to budding gardeners.

Another picture book, this time with magic flaps to lift comes from the talented Nick Sharratt. What’s in the Witches Kitchen? Encourages children to actively engage with the story and make it their own as they decide whether the witch is storing ‘tasty cheese or bats with fleas’ in her fridge. Will it be ‘pooh lizards fart or yum cherry tart’ in the oven and so the horrible by hilarious rhymes continue. With one on every double page spread and a simple repetitive story this book will delight the little ones, have them reciting some truly awful ideas, searching the kitchen for all things horrible and generally having a great time!

Finally to entertain toddlers during the day –shouldn’t they be in bed by the time of the party? – there is Scary Doodles written by Smriti Prasadam-Halls and illustrated by Anja Boretzki – before the children get their hands on it! This is a wonderful take on the traditional colouring book. A spiral bound hardback this invited children to accessorize the many illustrations and add their own splash of colour as well as their own goulish creations! Add spiders to webs, draw creatures in a cave and decide what the witch has in her cauldron. Not for the faint-hearted and perhaps best to play with during daylight hours this is a wonderful celebration of ghouls, ghosts and witches. Just grab a pencil and let your imagination run wild!