This week's edition of "Bennett's Favorite Books of the Week!" is all about Halloween.
Although we've had a number of spooky children's books on the shelf for several weeks now, the week of Halloween is when they hit their peak. Whether it's a favorite from previous years or a new one from the library, my five year old is quick to pick out a book about trick-or-treating, pumpkins or silly costumes in the days leading up to Halloween. It's one of her favorite holidays and nothing gets her more amped up for Halloween night than some of her favorite books.
My youngest hasn't quite hit the point where Halloween means much, however, that has not stopped her from latching onto a few books with the seasonal theme. As a one-year-old, she is pretty new to the world of books, therefore we tend to read the same ones on repeat for several weeks. Right now, there are probably eight to ten in regular rotation, several of which are board books about Halloween. It's definitely fun to include her in the Halloween fun this year (even though I fully expect to still be reading some of these books to her well into November...).
For everyone that enjoys Halloween as much as my family, we hope you check out some of our favorite Halloween books for kids!
Me and My Dragon Scared of Halloween
Author: David Biedrzycki
Normally around Halloween, I find that we read a lot of the same favorites each year. But this year, we stumbled across Me and My Dragon Scared of Halloween at our local library, and really enjoyed it.
The story is about a little boy and his pet dragon, both of whom love all of the same things...except for Halloween. For Dragon, Halloween is a time to run and hide from all of the scary werewolves and goblins.
The book's comedic side comes out as we see the little boy try to help Dragon find the perfect Halloween costume to get over his fear. There are toilet paper mummy costumes, flaming tutu's, and even Elvis makes an appearance. The over-the-top illustrations of Dragon trying on different costumes had my daughter laughing out loud. At the end of the story, we see Dragon find the perfect Halloween costume which changes his tune on this scary holiday.
Me and My Dragon Scared for Halloween doesn't necessarily carry a larger message or theme, but its a fun, lighthearted read that will certainly make preschool and elementary age children smile.
Ready, Steady, Ghost!
Author: Elizabeth Baguley
Elizabeth Baguley's Ready, Steady, Ghost! is a Halloween book we found last year and it's made its return to our story rotation again.
The book is about a little ghost named Gilbert who wants to haunt like the bigger ghosts, but there are so many scary things in the forest. But after navigating past snakes, wolves and dragons, Gilbert sees his courage rewarded by finding the perfect, tiny castle to haunt.
Ready, Steady, Ghost! has been a fun addition to our Halloween book collection because it combines a likable character with a positive message. Marion Lindsey's use of bright colors over a dark backdrop really help the illustrations stand out as well.
We recommend this imaginative Halloween story for children 3 to 5 years of age.
The Hallo-Wiener
Author: Dav Pilkey
Another favorite over the last few years for Halloween has been Dav Pilkey's The Hallo-Wiener.
This picture book has really fun illustrations, a lovable title character and the right mix of comedy with a positive message. Because of those things, we were quick to include The Hallo-Wiener in our favorite Halloween books for kids list.
Oscar is teased by all of the other dogs because of his unusual shape and size. It certainly doesn't help that Oscar has to wear this silly hot dog costume for Halloween either! But after all the other dogs are frightened by the scary monster near the graveyard, it's Oscar who comes to the rescue and saves the day.
I can easily see this book staying in our Halloween rotation for many more years to come. If you have a preschool or elementary age child, it's certainly a book we recommend picking up.
Biscuit Visits the Pumpkin Patch
Author: Alyssa Satin Capucilli
For our one-year old, there's no such thing as reading a book too many times in a row. As such, there may not be a book we've read more often over the last few weeks than Biscuit Visits the Pumpkin Patch. No matter where this one sits within the stack of books in her room, she'll find it quickly every time.
In this Halloween-themed edition of the popular series, we see Biscuit picking out pumpkins to carve, paint and turn into pumpkin pie. While Biscuit enjoys his day at the pumpkin patch, he finds a few friends as well!
Biscuit Visits the Pumpkin Patch is perfect for infants and toddlers. It's a really short story and comes in a board book format, which is great for little hands. My daughter's favorite part of the book is mimicking the "woof! woof!" sound effects from each of the dogs which adds some extra enjoyment for my wife and I when we read this one to her.
If you're a fan of the Biscuit series or just want a simple book for a children 2 and under, we recommend giving this one a look.
Llama Llama Trick or Treat
Author: Anna Dewdney
If you are a parent or teacher, there's a good chance you already own one of Anna Dewdney's Llama Llama books. In our house, we have quite a few titles within the popular book series, including the Halloween book for infants, Llama Llama Trick or Treat.
This seasonal edition comes in a board book format and is presented in a short, rhyming layout. Readers will see little Llama trying on different Halloween costumes as he prepares for some trick-or-treating fun. The cute story and bright illustrations are great for keeping the youngest audiences entertained.
My one-year-old really enjoys this book. Even with her very short attention span, she is always willing to sit through this one from end-to-end. It's been such an attention grabber for her that we regularly use it during car trips to keep her occupied (instead of voicing her displeasure about being stuck in a car seat).
For fans of Anna Dewdney and other Llama Llama books, this one is a worthwhile addition to your collection.