Ghost in the House by Ammi-Joan Paquette, illustrations by Adam Record (Somerville, Mass.) $18
A small and not-very-brave ghost wanders through a creepy haunted house collecting a variety of not-very-scary companions who are all horrified when the light goes on to reveal, gasp. .. a little pajama-clad boy. Far from being afraid, the child casually watches the creatures tear off in fright and calls "Goodnight!" to their retreating backs from his open window.
The little ghost is adorable, the monster is large and fluffy and the mummy and skeleton are portrayed as cute cartoon-y characters. No worries about scaring timid readers and the little boy appears to be as in charge as Max in Where the Wild Things Are.
The characters in this picture book march (or float) through a series of beautifully muted background colours as they progress through the house. The final page is striking as we see the creatures as black silhouettes racing off into the night. Perfect for the child who wants to be scared but not too much!
I Am a Witch's Cat by Harriet Muncaster (New York, HarperCollins) $19.99
A sprightly little girl dressed in a black cat costume skips, dances and prowls through the pages of this Halloween picture book. She explains how she knows for sure that her mother is a witch even though the reader sees the image of an attractive and quite ordinary parent. The child is proud of her witch mom and the two are very close - the opening illustration of the two of them cosily snuggled together reading a book makes that abundantly clear.
In the following pages the child points out her mom's lotions and makeup that are clearly dangerous potions. And when the two go shopping for groceries and buy pickles and onions they are obviously purchasing eyeballs and green fingers! Magical herbs rather than vegetables grow in the garden and the vacuum cleaner wand is a high-tech broomstick.
This is an utterly charming take on Halloween and the artwork is fabulous. The jacket information explains that the artist created three-dimensional pictures out of paper and other materials which were then photographed.
The Itsy-Bitsy Pumpkin by Sonali Fry, illustrations by Sanja Rescek (New York, Little Simon) $6.99
Very young children will enjoy this board book and relate to the familiar tune of "Itsy Bitsy Spider."
Cosy pastel pictures of smiling pumpkins, a little witch with blonde pigtails and a smiling kitty make this a jolly romp for toddlers.
You should prepare to sing the text over and over and over . . .
Fran Ashdown was the children's librarian at the Capilano Branch of the North Vancouver District Public Library. She is co-ordinating her Halloween costume with her granddaughter. For more info check your local libraries.
