Orange and black are already popping up on store shelves, as are scary stories of monsters, ghouls and … bunnies?
That’s right, one of the cutest Halloween books this year is more hare-y than scary. Boo, Bunny! by Kathryn O. Galbraith and illustrated by Jeff Mack (Harcourt; 36 pages; $16; ages 3-7) follows two scared rabbits – one in bee costume, one in mask and superhero cape – as they trick-or-treat, “paws held tight.” It’s simple and spare as a haiku, but totally engaging, with vibrant art that conveys kiddie fear and friendship.
Another tale of Halloween night is found in Trick or Treat on Monster Street by Danny Schnitzlein and illustrated by Alameda’s Matt Faulkner (Peachtree; 32 pages; $16.95; ages 4-8). This story in verse centers on a boy, the narrator, whose brothers mock him for being a scaredy cat and spook him in the night with monster shadows, then make fun of him on Halloween when he wears a bunny costume instead of something scary. When the siblings get separated, our narrator turns onto Monster Street and ends up losing his fear by becoming friends with the creepy creatures he encounters. “We joked and laughed and sang some songs./ And finally I began to see … /That though we came from different worlds,/Those monster kids were just like me.”
Later, his monster friends settle the score with his brothers by scaring them in the night. It’s a good story with skillful rhymes, exuberant art and lots to look at on every page.
If you’ve got a taste for Halloween poetry, you can get a heaping helping in Frankenstein Takes the Cake by Adam Rex (Harcourt; 40 pages; $16; ages 5-10). This follow-up to “Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich” takes the same approach, featuring funny poems and a lively diversity of illustration styles.
In a mini-graphic novel, the bride of Frankenstein has to deal with her complaining mother as she plans the nuptials. Says Mom, “I’m an open-minded person. I’m not trying to be mean, but I never thought my little girl would marry someone green.”
The book also includes posts from the official blog of the Headless Horseman, intergalactic communications called E.T-Mail,” a Peanuts parody with Charlie Brown as a Dracula Jr., who wants “a big-boy coffin,” and a running gag with Edgar Allen Poe. Rex really outdid himself with this one. It’s a real treat.
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