Our family Halloween Favourite reads
Happy Halloween, All Hallows Eve,
Samhain, Martinmas, and if you’re a witch then Happy New Year!
So with
pumpkins carved and at the door, it’s time to celebrate Halloween, and so with
that in mind I thought I share some of my families favourite Halloween
reads. The books were chosen by my small
people and the words are all their own too…
Small Person Number One, Age eight.
‘Bedtime
Monsters’ by Emma Harris and Paul Cherrill.
This is Halloweeny
because it’s all about monsters, little scary ones that like hiding in a
particular place. The reason they’re hiding in that particular place is their
mum is trying to find them to put them to bed.
Winnie Witch books by Valerine Thomas and Korky Paul
The Winnie
books are good for Halloween because there are witches and they do silly magic
tricks, well not magic TRICKS – BUT ACTUAL MAGIC!
Small Person Number Two, Age Six.
Meg and Mog Books by Helen Nicoll and Jan Pieñkowski
Because they are FUNNY!
My Choices…
This is so
difficult because there are soooo many great Halloween reads but my two favourite
are…
‘The
Graveyard Book’ By Neil Gaiman
I only
discovered this book this year and, well, was absolutely blown away. The first
line is one of the best openings ever… and had me hooked…
‘The knife had done almost everything it was brought to that
house to do, both the blade and the handle were wet.’
Then the wielder
of the knife goes to finish the job, but his final target the baby has gone,
climbed out of his cot, down the stairs, out the open door and into the grave
yard. The baby is found by the residents of the graveyard – the dead, who raise
him giving him the freedom of their home. The story follows the baby, called
‘Nobody’, as he grows and as he interacts with the graveyard residents and has adventures.
The story is
as beautiful as it is macabre, with real emotion and brilliantly crafted
writing. But for me it’s the fabric of the story which gives it it’s strength.
Its originality, woven together with legends and mythology create a rich
narrative. I can’t tell you how excited I was when Nobody’s tutor, ‘Miss
Lupescu,’ turned out to be a ‘Hell
Hound’ – (well I actually shouted YES very loud in a hospital waiting room
*cringe*)
The last
thing I’ll say is the character Silas, Nobody’s guardian, is fabulous – not
once in the whole book does it actually say what Silias is, but let’s see what
you think. Silias unlike the other graveyard residents is not dead –although
he’s not alive either – has the ability to leave the graveyard as he pleases.
Silias is pale, imposing; he eats only one thing (which is unspecified). He
also moves like…
‘…a familiar shadow
swirled beneath the street lamps. Bod hesitated, as a flutter of night-black
velvet resolved itself into a man-shape.’
Anyway this
is a fabulous read any time of year, but especially at Halloween.
My other
choice is ‘Chibi Vampir’e by Yuna Kagesaki.
These are
fabulously illustrated Manga graphic novels, about Karin, a vampire with a
difference. Unlike the rest of her family, Karin does not like the dark, she
loves garlic, and she doesn't drink blood, instead once a month she has an abundance
of blood and has to bite people and give them her excess.
The books
are YA Gothic Contemporary Comedy’s, and are fun quick reads, and well worth
checking out.
And finally
a firm family favourite published this year, nominated by my husband; 'The Totally Terrifying Three’ by Hiawyn Oram and David Melling. It’s
a colourful tale that’s Halloweeny not matter how hard they try, The Terrifying Three will not scare your small people!
Happy reading on Halloween!
