Ever since Ichabod Crane was chased by the Headless Horseman, the real and imagined threats that lurk in the darkest shadows have been celebrated in urban legends, novels and picture books.
Bone Dog by Eric Rohmann. Roaring Book, 2011
Gus loves his dog, Ella, but she is getting old and she warns him that she will
not be around much longer. Before she dies she promises Gus that she
will always be with him. Gus is sad and missing his dog as Halloween
arrives but he puts on his skeleton costume and goes out trick or treating anyway. On his way home through a graveyard (of course!) he is surrounded by threatening
skeletons. Just as they are about to attack, Ella appears as a bone
dog to save him. The skeletons are unimpressed until Gus and Ella begin
to howl into the night, calling real live dogs to their aid. The final
pages confirm and assure the young reader that love never dies and Gus will never be alone.
Rohamann's visual storytelling is cinematic here. He opens and closes the story, viewing Gus and Ella together before an iconic full moon that frames the two friends. The reader (and Ella?) watch from above as Gus sits alone, rakes leaves alone and heads out for trick-or-treating, alone. Once Ella, the bone dog, returns to the scene, the view returns to ground level. The skeletons are at once comic and scary. Rohmann pans their frenzied retreat across a two page spread as they flee from ... turn the page ... the pack of real dogs in pursuit. The next page turn will be a laugh-out-loud read aloud moment. This is a beautiful story told with humor, sweetness and delicious creepy moments. I predict this book will not linger for long on the library's return book cart. I cannot WAIT to share it with children.
On a Windy Night
by Nancy Raines Day; illustrated by George Bates. Abrams, 2010
Outstanding read aloud story about a scary walk home on Halloween night. A young boy's imagination turns shadows, sounds and dark shapes into terrifying threats until the moon light reveals what they really are. This is a perfect Halloween story that acknowledges the thrilling spookiness of the night but reassures too. Nancy Raines Day heightens the boy's imagination with a classic chant of "Cracklety-clack, bones in a sack. They could be yours--if you look back." The words grow in size, across the pages, as the boy's fear grows. Bates's pen and ink drawings depict the eerie clouds, the threatening tree branches and menacing cornstalks that become skeletons and jack-o-lanterns chasing the child on his way. The pen and ink work gives a splendid childlike Edward Gorey-ness to the pictures.
Dark Night
by Dorothee de Monfreid. Random House, 2009
As Felix
walks through the dark woods, the scary growl from a wolf sends him into
hiding. Another loud growl from a tiger scares away the wolf who is
then frightened away by a crocodile. Along with n unlikely small friend
and a clever idea Felix turns the tables on the beasts with a bigger
"badder" creature of his own invention. Sometimes the first step in
overcoming fear is to find a friend and just walk tall.
was awarded the 2012 
honor of Hanukkah, tonight we read Eric Kimmel's marvelous 
by Susan Taylor Brown; illustrated by Jeni Reeves, 2011. (review copy)
Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris. Delacorte, 2011 (review copy provided by publisher)
as a graphic novel, 
The graphic novel rounds out the original storyline adding more insight into Kieren who is one of the story's most interesting characters. Ming Doyle's black and white artwork employs close-ups and emotion filled facial expressions that reminded me of the old True Romance comics only with weremonsters.
,) Penny (
,) and now Turtle are girls I love spending time with. 