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Five Faves: Not Too Scary Picture Books for Halloween

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Some kids love being spooked. They think it's funny when things jump out at them from around the corner and they think the idea of monsters is neat. When I was a child I absolutely hated being scared. The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland made me cry. So, I would have loved the books on this list. On theme for the holiday, but not too spooky!

By Ashley Belote
New York: Random House, 2023. Picture Book.

Wilma is so excited to get her very first cat. She's been looking forward to this day forever, but when she arrives at the pet store, they are all out of cats. Instead, Wilma takes home a wombat friend. She's hoping that if she puts ears on him and teaches him how to be a good cat, no one will notice the difference. It's just too bad that Wombat can't perch on a cauldron and hates riding on brooms. Eventually, Wombat runs away which helps Wilma understand that sometimes the things that make us different are also the things that make us special.

Bruce and the Legend of Soggy Hollow
By Ryan T. Higgins
Los Angeles: Disney-Hyperion, 2023. Picture Book.

Bruce hates holidays. He doesn't like Christmas, Easter, or Thanksgiving, but he REALLY hates Halloween. His friends have a great idea to get him excited for Halloween this year, though. They're going to stage a play about the Legend of Soggy Hollow, with Bruce as the lead. Unlike the original story, in this adaptation there is a Horseless Horseman who has been searching for years for his valiant steed. Although The Legend of Sleepy Hollow can be frightening for kids, this lighthearted version will give your kids the giggles.

The Scariest Kitten in the World
Written by Kate Messner
Illustrated by MacKenzie Haley
New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 2023. Picture Book.

This book is terrifying. As can be evidenced by the adorable....erm, I mean SUPER SCARY, kitten on the cover. As you enter the haunted house, you are pre-warned to be ready to "behold the terror". In addition to the adorable kitten you see on the cover, you will also meet puppies, chicks and a goat all attempting to be scary. Even when they don their spooky costumes to become the "ghost of a bloodthirsty duckling" and a "spooky baby goat", they still aren't particularly scary. Your kids will laugh out loud at this tale of a cat who just wants to be spooky.

Gustavo the Shy Ghost
By Flavia Z. Drago
Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2020. Picture Book.

Gustavo is really good at doing some of the things that ghosts usually do, like moving through walls and glowing in the dark. But Gustavo has a really hard time making friends. He wants to invite his peers to hear him play the violin for the Day of the Dead, but he doesn't know if he's brave enough to talk to them. Eventually he gets up the courage to invite his friends and, though they arrive late, they all attend his performance in the graveyard. This book is a great segue into social anxiety for kids as well as an easy introduction to The Day of the Dead. Kids who love Gustavo can also find books about a vampire named Vlad and a witch named Leila that take place in the same world.

The Wheels on the Bus at Halloween
By Sarah Kieley
New York: Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2021. Picture Book.

If your kids want a cute, fun story that they will recognize and will feel familiar, this book is a great choice. In this story, the words to the song The Wheels on the Bus have been replaced to create a holiday version that talks about bats, pumpkins, candy, and witches. Your kids will love singing along so much you may need to have multiple re-readings.








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