Happy Halloween from all of us at Peachtree! We have quite the treat for you: 12 scary-good reads guaranteed to give you goosebumps well before October 31st. So put on your scariest costume to ward off any unwanted monsters, and count down to Halloween with this ghoulishly-good list of spooky reads.
One Fox
A Counting Book Thriller
by Kate Read
One hungry fox with two sly eyes is on the prowl…three plump hens had better watch out! Rich and colorful illustrations plunge the reader into a dramatic and exciting story set in a moonlit farmyard. With something different to count on each page, learning to count from one to ten has never been so thrilling!
This surprisingly simple counting book with a gripping tale, great for early education and spooky read-alouds, has a hugely satisfying ending that’s sure to delight generations during Halloween storytimes.
Hansel & Gretel
by Bethan Woollvin
Willow never used to worry about messy breadcrumb trails. Or entire portions of her gingerbread house being devoured. Or anyone fiddling with her spells and magic books and causing a ruckus. But Hansel and Gretel are two very naughty and very rude children, and they are trying Willow’s patience.
This subversive and deliciously wicked retelling of “Hansel & Gretel” from Bethan Woollvin, as well as her other fractured fairy tales Little Red and Rapunzel, are perfect for Halloween storytimes (and for costume inspiration)!
Old Tom, Man of Mystery
by Leigh Hobbs
Overworked, Angela decides that it’s time for her mangy cat Old Tom to help out a bit around the house. But Old Tom has other ideas. So while Angela is busy dusting and scrubbing, Old Tom gets busy too…changing into the Man of Mystery! Angela bakes some cakes and notices fur on her freshly scrubbed floor. Later she finds crumbs on the carpet that has just been swept. And when Angela is awakened by strange footsteps, she decides it is time to investigate. Soon she is off on her own adventure, shadowing the Man of Mystery!
This humorous story with an air of mystery is a great read for the whole family and perfect for Halloween.
Trick or Treat on Monster Street
Written by Danny Schnitzlein
Illustrated by Matt Faulkner
A boy’s dread of things that go bump in the night fills his head with monstrous thoughts. So when he is separated from his older brothers on Halloween night and finds himself alone on Monster Street, he fears the worst! Lightning flashes. Bats flap overhead. Doors squeak open. Hairy arms and tentacles drop spiders into his sack. The boy is relieved when he finally meets up with another trick-or-treater. That is, until his new friend removes his mask…
Children will love the surprising twists and turns in this ghoulishly entertaining story, especially how the young hero conquers his fears…with a little help from his new fiendish friends.
The Monster Who Ate My Peas
Written by Danny Schnitzlein
Illustrated by Matt Faulkner
What do you dread eating the most? For the young boy in this story, it’s peas. He thinks he’s discovered a way to avoid eating his peas—he makes a bargain with a fiendishly funny monster. First the deal is simple: the monster will eat the boy’s peas in exchange for his soccer ball. But with each new encounter, the monster’s demands escalate. Eventually, our hero faces a daunting decision—can he conquer his loathing for peas or will he lose his most prized possession?
Readers who enjoy monster stories (and maybe don’t enjoy certain foods) will find the imaginatively disgusting monster in this humorous rhyming tale delightful.
The Monster Who Did My Math
Written by Danny Schnitzlein
Illustrated by Bill Mayer
A math-phobic boy faces another dreaded evening of multiplication when a monster suddenly appears in his room and offers him a deal he cannot refuse. After a quick signature on a contract, the boy’s problems are solved, and his homework is ready to turn in the next day. At first, everything adds up perfectly. But when the boy’s math knowledge is tested at school, his troubles begin to multiply. What did the fine print on that contract read?
Author Danny Schnitzlein brings another monster to life in this hilarious cautionary tale about taking responsibility.
13 Monsters Who Should Be Avoided
Written by Kevin Shortsleeve
Illustrated by Michael Austin
Come along with Professor LeGrand as he warns readers about the outrageous habits and appalling behavior of thirteen mischievous monsters whom the creature teacher hopes the readers never have to meet. There’s the Scarce Sissyfoos, Mess Monsters, and the Hedge-Standing Snit, just to name a few! This laugh-out-loud picture book includes entertaining rhymes, creative monster names, and amusing and colorful illustrations that can get any reader in the mood for trick-or-treating.
At dusk on the holiday known as Day of the Dead, a Mexican family has set out fiesta offerings in the graveyard in hopes that departed loved ones may return to visit. Graveyard skeletons shake, rattle, and roll in this spirited Day of the Dead celebration. Author-illustrator Richard Keep’s rollicking rhyme―sprinkled with Spanish words―captures the bone-rattling sounds and fun of the evening. An illustrated afterword gives information about the customs associated with el Día de los Muertos, a Mexican celebration of honoring relatives who have passed on.
Claude in the Spotlight
by Alex T. Smith
Claude and Sir Bobblysock join a dance troupe and head to the theater to perform their act. But being backstage gives them the heebie-jeebies! It’s so dark and spooky…could the legend of the theater ghost be true? This quirky book from the delightful Claude series is great for readers looking for a hilarious thrill with a hint of mystery—and maybe even a ghost!
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Squeaking Skull
Written by Bill Harley
Illustrated by Adam Gustavson
Charlie and Tommy have big plans for Halloween. They’re going to trick-or-treat and sleep over at Alex’s house. But when Charlie finds out that the entertainment at the party will be the “Scariest Horror Movies Ever,” he is struck by panic. Charlie loves candy, he loves sleepovers with his friends, but he absolutely hates horror movies. Can Charlie face his fear of horror movies and enjoy Halloween?
The Candy Mafia
Written by Lavie Tidhar
Illustrated by Daniel Duncan
When notorious candy gangster Eddie de Menthe asks for her help to find a missing teddy bear, Nelle Faulkner is on the case. But as soon as the teddy turns up, Eddie himself goes missing! As a seemingly innocent investigation unravels into something more sinister, Nelle and her friends quickly find themselves swept up in a shady underworld of sweets smugglers, back alley deals, and storefront firebombs. If Nelle has any hope of tracking down her missing client, first she’ll have to unmask the true faces behind the smuggling ring. Can Nelle and her friends find a way to take the cake? Or will they come to a sticky end…?
Giving Up the Ghost
by Sheri Sinykin
Davia is afraid of many things, and everything about her elderly great-aunt Mari and her spooky-looking plantation home terrifies her. And when she encounters Emilie, the tortured ghost of a well-to-do adolescent girl from the nineteenth century, she is even more frightened. Davia gradually begins to learn from Aunt Mari secrets about Emilie and about her own family’s past—stories of premature endings and regrets. As Aunt Mari’s health deteriorates, she and Davia become closer. Together, they hope to release Emilie’s spirit from the mansion and the world of the living.
Part psychological realism, part supernatural thriller, this YA novel about living in the present and conquering fear is a great page-turning read for those interested in ghost stories.