Ghosts, goons, and goblins. Halloween is a great excuse for children to celebrate everything that goes, “Boo,” in the night. So why not use this opportunity to encourage children to celebrate the, “Boo,” that can be found in books, particularly those books that are geared toward this festive October day?
Reading any kind of literature to babies and young children is beneficial. However, there are specific books that cater to the youngest population. These books are most durable (to prevent destruction), smaller (easier for tiny hands to grasp and hold) and shorter (in both the number of pages and the number of syllables in the vocabulary that is within the stories.)
Biscuit’s Pet & Play by Alyssa Satin Capucilli ( published in 1997 by HarperCollins Publishers) has a hard cover strong enough to withstand being handled by babies and younger children. Various textured materials within the pages of the story (such as a patch of fur for a cat’s body and patch of satin for a ghost costume) will encourage children to experience the story through their ears, eyes, and hands.
As children become old enough to walk, they will begin to show an interest in the idea of reading books by themselves. They become what is known as, “inventive readers.” They, “read,” by viewing the illustrations of a story and making up pictures to go along with what they see. Children at this stage benefit from books with bright, vivid pictures, and large, simple words that they may recognize.
Snappy Sounds Boo! by Beth Hardwood (published in 2005 by Templar Company plc) exemplifies the various sounds that children might hear around Halloween time. There are pictures that pop out of the pages, as well as spooky Halloween sounds that hum as the pages are turned. The book is educational as well as fun. The story features Halloween themed vocabulary words, which are both spelled out and illustrated on the side of each page. The structure of this book makes it a great tool for parents to encourage reading.
As children move beyond kindergarten, they become interested in the actual story. They enjoy stories that include repetition, allowing young readers to recognize words. Children begin to focus on the plot, rather than the pictures.
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid Of Anything written by Linda Williams (published in 1986 by HarperCollins Publishers) is a great Halloween tale that does just that. This book tells the story of a seemingly fearless lady who is ultimately startled by an unexpected surprise. The large print and phonetic repetition that is found within the vocabulary make it a readable and enjoyable story for beginning readers.
Children in upper elementary grades become quickly bored with books that are repetitious and predictable. They favor more challenging books that contain humorous plots and well-developed characters.
One such book, Boris and Bella, written by Carolyn Crimi, (published in 2004 by Harcourt Inc), tells the story of two funny but ghoulish characters who make the surprising discovery that opposites really do attract.
Looking for a book to please a children’s audience of all ages? J is for Jack-O-Lantern by Denise Brennan-Nelson (published in 2009 by Sleeping Bear Press) is the perfect book, including The beautiful illustrations of Halloween scenes, a rhyming book with an alphabetical song of Halloween themed rhymes, and a reference book with alphabetical explanations of traditions that are associated with Halloween.
These are just a few selections of great Halloween themed stories. Now is the time to visit the nearest bookstore or peruse the shelves of your local public library. You are sure to find a mixture of, “Spooktacular,” stories that cater to a variety of reading levels.
