If you’re looking for a book to share with a youngster this Halloween, you can’t go wrong with either of these selections from Candlewick Press! They’re both fun, just a little bit spooky, and never scary.
Ghost in the House by Ammi-Joan Paquette features all sorts of spooky creatures including a ghost, a skeleton and a witch and teaches little ones some counting. It starts when a ghost discovers a mummy in the house. The two of them go on together and encounter a monster in the house. It goes on that way until five creatures come upon a boy in the house. Seeing the boy scares them and they all run away!
Adam Record‘s illustrations are perfect for this book – the creatures are cute and friendly looking rather than scary. There’s not too much on each page and there are plenty of bright colors. I thought this book was great fun – it’s sure to please the little ones in your life!
Vampire Baby by Kelly Bennett is a wonderful book for any big brother or sister. When baby sister Tootie gets a few teeth she tests them out on everything – the furniture, her brother’s toys, and, worst of all, her brother. Between that and the fact that she’s awake in the middle of the night, her big brother becomes convinced she’s a vampire. He decides to get rid of her and puts a sign that says, “Wanted good home for Vampire Baby” in her stroller with her. When he encounters a family dressed as vampires, he figures he’s found the perfect home for Tootie until she bites the little boy of the family and he calls her a “Bad, Bad Baby!” Big brother comes to her rescue and says,
Tootie may be a vampire baby. But she’s my vampire baby.”
I liked that this book acknowledges that having a baby sibling isn’t always fun but, in the end, you love them no matter what. Paul Meisel‘s illustrations are adorable and enhance the text. This book would be a big hit with any child with a younger sibling.
For more children’s books reviews, go to Booking Mama’s feature, Kid Konnection. If you’d like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children’s books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, leave a comment as well as a link on her site.
Review copy provided by Candlewick Press. I am an Indiebound Affiliate.