'Tis almost the witching season
So here, for your edification (or not), some reviews of Witchy Halloween picture books. Most of these are not new, by the way:
Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman, illustrated by S.D. Schindler
One of my all-time favorite read-alouds for young pre-readers. This is a cumulative story, in which the Witch goes out to pick her ginormous pumpkin in order to make pumpkin pie. A ghost, a mummy, a vampire and a bat all come along to comment and offer their assistance, with the wording so similar each time (and the illustrations so good at telling the tale) that young kids can "read" along without much problem (or prompting). Can you tell I love this book?
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson, illustrations by Axel Scheffler
A witch and her cat are tooling along on a broom ride when suddenly the wind carries the witch's hat away. "Down!" they go to search for her hat, which comes back to them with a dog, who asks for a ride on the broom. Off go the witch, the cat, and the dog. The wind later swipes two more of the witch's belongings, and the witch acquires a few more passengers, who join together to save the witch later on in the story. Completely delightful, and told in perfect verse. You won't mind reading this one aloud more than once!
Boris and Bella by Carolyn Crimi, illustrated by Gris Grimly
This one is now out in paperback. Even though my kids are "too old" for picture books (although I have a beef with that phrasing, since I don't believe one can ever be too old for picture books), they both picked this up, read it, and laughed when I brought it home two weeks ago. Bella Legossi, the messiest monster, lives next to Boris Kleanitoff, the most particular ghoul you've ever met. Needless to say, they do not get along. (Picture Roseanne Barr's character from Roseanne dealing with Felix Unger, and you get the picture.) But when everyone opts to avoid either of them for Halloween in order to go to another party, Boris and Bella find out that they have more in common than they thought. Witty and sly text marries with Grimly's cleverly ghoulish pictures for Pure Picture Book Joy.
A Very Brave Witch by Alison McGhee, illustrated by Harry Bliss
An exceedingly simple story featuring an actual witch child who overcomes her fear of normal children one Halloween night. Noteable for the excellent illustrations from Harry Bliss (who vaulted into picture book fame by illustrating Doreen Cronin's Diary of a Worm and Diary of a Spider).
Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman, illustrated by S.D. Schindler
One of my all-time favorite read-alouds for young pre-readers. This is a cumulative story, in which the Witch goes out to pick her ginormous pumpkin in order to make pumpkin pie. A ghost, a mummy, a vampire and a bat all come along to comment and offer their assistance, with the wording so similar each time (and the illustrations so good at telling the tale) that young kids can "read" along without much problem (or prompting). Can you tell I love this book?
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson, illustrations by Axel Scheffler
A witch and her cat are tooling along on a broom ride when suddenly the wind carries the witch's hat away. "Down!" they go to search for her hat, which comes back to them with a dog, who asks for a ride on the broom. Off go the witch, the cat, and the dog. The wind later swipes two more of the witch's belongings, and the witch acquires a few more passengers, who join together to save the witch later on in the story. Completely delightful, and told in perfect verse. You won't mind reading this one aloud more than once!
Boris and Bella by Carolyn Crimi, illustrated by Gris Grimly
This one is now out in paperback. Even though my kids are "too old" for picture books (although I have a beef with that phrasing, since I don't believe one can ever be too old for picture books), they both picked this up, read it, and laughed when I brought it home two weeks ago. Bella Legossi, the messiest monster, lives next to Boris Kleanitoff, the most particular ghoul you've ever met. Needless to say, they do not get along. (Picture Roseanne Barr's character from Roseanne dealing with Felix Unger, and you get the picture.) But when everyone opts to avoid either of them for Halloween in order to go to another party, Boris and Bella find out that they have more in common than they thought. Witty and sly text marries with Grimly's cleverly ghoulish pictures for Pure Picture Book Joy.
A Very Brave Witch by Alison McGhee, illustrated by Harry Bliss
An exceedingly simple story featuring an actual witch child who overcomes her fear of normal children one Halloween night. Noteable for the excellent illustrations from Harry Bliss (who vaulted into picture book fame by illustrating Doreen Cronin's Diary of a Worm and Diary of a Spider).