October. The best month for me as I know the best holiday is only a few weeks away. It is, yes, we can all say it (scream it if you must, I do) HALLOWEEN SEASON! And those ghouls and boils out there trick or treating. If you have a child that might be a bit too young for all the hub-and-bub (and too much sweetness), you can give them a treat of a book. And I promise, no tricks!
We have A Not-So-Scary Story by Barney Saltzberg. Two mice (I assumed siblings) are in the dark, the baby has woken up and asked why it was dark. The older mouse (we know this order as one is larger than the other) tells them it is always dark at night. The younger one can’t get back to sleep so they ask for a story and the other obliges. But when the story becomes a bit too scary, a conversation about being scared and how we like and dislike it occurs. The images are colorful, but as with details, things are minimal. It is a cozy story with a few puns and jokes for the adult reader. The best image happens at the end when we get one of the more adult jokes (but still very child friendly).
Saltzberg’s story, like I Got the Spooky Spirit by Connie Schofield-Morrison and illustrated by Frank Morrison has spirit. We follow a young child as they rhythmically get ready for Halloween. It is light, but bouncy and colorful. Overall, a simpler story, but not simplistic. It is fun, and a great way to prepare for the season.Representative as it is an urban setting, we can see how we are all the same when it comes to the Candy Candy Holiday. This is part of the creators of the I Got the Christmas Spirit and I Got the School Spirit, series.
Both titles are currently available, but I read both via online reader copies.
