My earliest memory of going trick-or-treating on Halloween didn't end well. I was about 3 or 4 years old and this was probably my first time going trick-or-treating. According to my Mom, we stayed within our neighborhood and only went to peoples' homes that we knew. Everything was going well, until the last house...a friend of my Mom's. By the time we arrived at her home, I was pro...I knew what to do..and what to say. My parents stayed behind at the curb as I walked up to the front door with my cousins. The door swung opened and out popped the biggest scariest witch I've ever seen! Smoke poured out of her house, and her large black cauldron bubbled with an unknown green substance. I screamed bloody murder and ran back down to where my parents were standing with my Aunts and Uncles. After running back to my parents screaming...my memories of what happened next are a little fuzzy, but apparently my mom's friend (who was dressed up as the a witch) felt horrible and gave us all extra candies. I'm sure my parents appreciated the extra candies after I went to bed.
Anyways..
This week at the library we have gathered four of our favorite not-so-scary Halloween books.
1. The Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone is a childhood favorite of mine! I remember my Mom reading this book night after night before and after Halloween. In the story, the lovable, furry old Grover insists that there is a monster at the end of the book and warns readers not to turn the page. Of course at the end of the book it's only Grover himself and not a monster. My kiddos love hearing this book real aloud. It is a fun not-so-scary book that can be read all year long.
2. How Big Could Your Pumpkin Grow? by Wendell Minor encourages young readers to dream BIG! Going to the pumpkin patch is tones of fun! But what if your pumpkin was big enough to be carved into a boat? Or grow up to be a President? This beautiful picture book shows giant pumpkins as national monuments, or competing in contests. My kiddos' favorite part was in the back where it shows picture and real life facts about each of the locations illustrated for the book. Ex: in Vermont people actually carve out real pumpkins into boats and sale them down rivers.
3. The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams was a fun and random find for us. The story is about a little old lady who while walking the forest comes across a spooky set of clothing. In the end she turns that fear around and uses it to her advantage!
4. Big Pumpkin by Eric Silverman is a story about teamwork and sharing. Once there was a witch who planted a pumpkin seed. Now it is Halloween night and the pumpkin is ready to be picked. However, the pumpkin is too heavy for her to pick all by herself. The typical cast of Halloween characters (mummy, vampire and ghost) all come and help. However, it isn't until the all work together that the pumpkin finally pops off the vine. To thank her helpers, the witch bakes a delicious pumpkin pie. Yum!
