HALLOWEEN ROUNDUP 2024

FIVE LITTLE GHOSTS
Written by Lily Murray
Illustrated by Holly Surplice
(Candlewick Press; $16.99, Ages 2-5)

It’s probably hard to find a child who doesn’t adore lift-the-flap books so this new one for fans of spirited Halloween reads fits the bill. Not only is it a rhyming story but it’s also based on the nursery rhyme “Five Little Ducks,” if you thought the structure seemed familiar. Twenty-four sturdy pages feature five little ghostlings floating away to hide under flaps, first in a forest amongst owls, a hedgehog, and a deer. The amount of ghostlings decreases as they next hide in a house, in a playground, and finally in a pumpkin patch. Soon, they have all disappeared. “Sad Mama Ghost was all alone …” Ask kids if they think she’ll find the missing ghosts for more interactive fun and a delightful surprise ending. The art, rendered digitally, has a cheerful watercolor style and complements the catchy sing-songy text.

• Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

BROOMMATES: A Brewing Boundary Battle

THE GHOST WHO WAS AFRAID OF EVERYTHING
Written and illustrated by Nadia Ahmed
(Beaming Books; $18.99, Ages 3-8)
★ Starred Review – BookPage

It’s nice to read a Halloween story where it’s the ghost that’s scared rather than the child. In this sweet, SEL-centered story, Finn is afraid of lots of things. While that includes humans and the loud noises they make, the main thing that frightens poor Finn is flying. Naturally, that makes a huge difference when this year his family hasn’t brought back extra Chocolate Bats, Finn’s favorite Halloween candy.

Now that he’s motivated because of the candy, Finn decides it’s a good idea to try to face his fears. This involves a very orderly process of desensitization. He exposes himself to the things he is fearful of and gradually gains the courage to fly only to be brought back to square one after an encounter with a kite. The second time around though, rather than hide away in the attic and accept defeat, Finn decides to accept the challenge and join his family to trick-or-treat. Children will cheer for Finn when he conquers his fears. I like that this is never conveyed pedantically but rather it feels authentic to the character. Ahmed has taken on a relatable topic for children in a gently empowering tale that blends simple but charming illustrations with engaging prose. This is a welcome debut for Halloween and perfect for kids who might be frightened to go out trick-or-treating like one of my kids was.
• Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

THE LITTLE WITCH WHO LOST HER BROOM!
Written by Elaine Bickell
Illustrated by Raymond McGrath
(Flamingo Books; $18.99, Ages 4-8)

New York Times Bestselling creators of The Little Ghost Who Lost Her Boo! bring you their latest Halloween tale The Little Witch Who Lost Her Broom! The reader is first introduced to the Little Witch and her cat Gloom, whose name coincidentally rhymes with Broom, as the two await the full moon rising so they can ride into the sky on her broom. The artwork grabs your eye with an assortment of autumn colors and an adorable black cat always by Little Witch’s side. But when she goes to the cupboard to retrieve her broom, “there was NOTHING inside.” And that’s when the pair begin searching under the bed, the closets, the attic, and the shed before they run out of time.

Bickell’s use of onomatopoeia and rhyme creates a fun read for both the reader and the child. Little Witch finds a scooter, thinking a scooter is as good as a broom. Push, push, wheeeee! “Oh no! Too small. Only room for me.” She tries out a digger, a plane, and even a train when she looks up in the sky and sees YOU! The story beautifully includes the reader when asked Do YOU know where to look? And the reader responds IT’S RIGHT BEHIND YOU! When the reader scrolls through the pages, they see the broom had been behind the witch all along! I can just hear an entire kindergarten class yelling out the words and laughing, asking the teacher to read the book over and over again.
• Reviewed by Ronda Einbinder

WACKY WITCHES AND THEIR PECULIAR FAMILIARS
Written and illustrated by April Suddendorf
(NorthSouth Books; $19.95, Ages 4-8)

If you don’t know what a familiar is, it’s a witch’s protector, or companion, often a pet that helps them with their magic. I loved the idea of this picture book and enjoyed meeting a bunch of different witches with an assortment of outfits and attitudes. They also happen to be very cool. The same goes for their familiars introduced in bouncy rhyme. The meter is not always perfect and that may be due to the translation. However, the humor and bold, whimsical art more than make up for that. One witch for example has taught her parrot to talk so he can answer the phone when she’s not around. Then there’s the busy witch Agnes who finds raccoons are great to have around to help her clean. My favorite is the witch Sahra who, like me, is a big collector. Who helps her organize her trove of treasures? Why a giraffe, of course!
• Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

Check out recommendations from last year’s roundup here.