This year make that Halloween treat a book …

Trick or Treat: A Happy Haunter’s Halloween

By Debbie Leppanen
Illustrated by Tad Carpenter
Beach Lane. $16.99 (Ages: 5-8)

Each page of this Halloween treat features a spooky scene and a short poem that describes it. You’ll discover skeletons, broom riding witches, friendly mummies, silly vampires, and monsters of every color from icky green to blustery blue.

As you page through this book you’ll also visit a graveyard (“I’m very scared, and I mean very, in this cold, dark, cemetery.”), attend a Halloween party and go out trick or treating with some friends (“I was followed by something close. Something dark and quite morose.”)

From start to finish this fun collection of illustrations and verse will set the mood to get your little ghosts and goblins ready for trick or treat night.

Happy Halloween, Brobee!

By Maggie Testa
Simon Spotlight. $5.99 (Ages: 3 and up)

The characters of the popular TV show “Yo Gabba Gabba!” are dressing up for Halloween. Muni is going to go as a cowboy, Plex will be a wizard, Foofa will be a fairy princess and Toodee is going to be a witch because she loves to wear hats and laugh really loudly like she is cackling.

Brobee can’t decide what he wants to be until Plex suggests he “do what you love.” Since ships and looking for treasure interest Brobee, he has an easy time deciding to be a pirate.

This board book with photos of the characters dressed in their Halloween costumes will delight any youngster who enjoys the television series. But if the child isn’t familiar with these characters already, I’d pass on this book because without that familiarity this is book is more of a “trick” than a “treat”!

Nighty Night, Little Green Monster

By Ed Emberley
Little Brown. $8.99 (Ages: 3 and up)

As you turn the die-cut pages of this little picture book, you’ll see Little Green Monster’s face gradually appear. But once his face is clearly defined, it will then begin to disappear as the stars come out and bedtime nears.

An unusual picture book, the fun here is turning each page to see the little monster’s bluish-green nose, his squiggly ears, red, smiley mouth, single, curly, purple hair and pumpkin like, green face materialize.

Then, as the stars begin to appear on each page you reverse the process until, on the final page, all you find are stars and the moon.

This bedtime book will not only get your little monster in the mood for sleep, hopefully, but it will most likely also become one of his or her most favorite books. There is a very limited text but the child will probably just enjoy turning the colorful pages to watch the face appear and then disappear.

Click, Clack, Boo! A Tricky Treat

By Doreen Cronin
Illustrated by Betsy Lewin
Atheneum. $16.99 (Ages: 3-7)

No doubt you have already enjoyed some of the other five picture books in this award winning, humorous barnyard series (“Duck for President”, Giggle, Giggle, Quack” , “Thump, Quack, Moo”, etc.), so naturally you’ll want to get a copy of this Halloween treat.

Farmer Brown is not a big fan of Halloween. In fact, he rather dislikes it, so on October 31 he sets a bowl of candy on his front porch, places a “Do Not Disturb” sign on his door and goes to bed.

But out in the barn the animals are preparing for a big party. Then Farmer Brown hears a mysterious sound on his porch. What’s that? He checks his locks and peeks out the window. There’s a dark creature standing out there beneath the trees. Oh no! How scary!

“He hears the crunch, crunch, crunching of leafy footsteps heading toward the house. There is a creak, creak creaking on the old boards of the front porch. Then a tap, tap, tapping on the front door.”

What’s going on here? Good question, but I’m not telling! You’ll have to read this delightful picture book to see what has disturbed Farmer Brown’s sleep.

With lots of fun sound effects which the young readers can supply, the books in this series have already become children’s literature classics. This latest seasonal addition will have your child “quack, quacking” and “tap, tapping” his or her way through the story as you read it aloud.

Crankenstein

By Samantha Berger
Illustrated by Dan Santat
Little Brown. $16.99. (Ages: 3-6)

What happens when an ordinary kid wakes up on the wrong side of the bed and begins the day in a grumpy mood? CRANKENSTEIN! Yup, that’s what you are dealing with as you’ll see when you read this picture book.

As the child a simple question like, “How are you?” or “Who wants pancakes?” and what will he reply? “MEHHRRRR!!” And, unfortunately, the day doesn’t get any better for Crankenstein. He remains cranky at school, after school, all through dinner and when you get to bedtime…well, let’s not even talk about that!

About the only thing that can improve Crankenstein’s lousy disposition is when he encounters… No, I’m not going to tell you. You’ll have to read this story to see what finally puts a smile on Crankenstein’s sour face!

Everyone can have a monstrous day and when that happens no one wants to be around the person. With its big bold illustrations and humorous narrative, this book addresses the problem and shows how sometimes the situation can be reversed.

The Little Leftover Witch

By Florence Laughlin
Simon & Schuster. $15.99 (Ages: 8 -12)

Halloween has ended badly for Felina because her broom breaks and she can’t return to her home high in the sky. Taken in by the Doon family, who are willing to take care of the little witch until she can return to her home, you’d think that she would be grateful.

No so! Felina’s negative attitude makes her far from being a welcome houseguest but the family members keep trying to work with her to improve the difficult situation.

Over the next twelve months, we watch as Felina goes from being a bad little witch to a nice little girl. This short, 74 page story chronicles Felina’s first bath, her initial classroom experience, how she learns to read and how her negative attitude is replaced by a much more positive one.

Not only will young readers will enjoy this story but it also marks a nice transition into chapter books that no longer feature illustrations. This definitely has the feel of a “big kid’s” book!

Haunted Houses Handbook

By Monica Carretero
Cuento de Luz. $15.95 (Ages: 7 and up)

Although this book features plenty of illustrations, it also has a more complex storyline that makes it an excellent read for youngsters who are ready to move into plot driven adventures.

Mrs. Peck is looking for a new house but she doesn’t’ have a lot of money to spend. That’s when she finds the Haunted House Agency that specializes in nice, inexpensive homes that just have one small problem…they happen to be haunted!

Keeping an open mind, Mrs. Peck learns some of the ins and outs of living in a haunted house before her agent shows her Trembly Manor, the Violet Villa, Quivery Castle, and the Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage which is haunted by a former pirate.

One of these domiciles was so utterly charming that Mrs. Peck purchased it, moved in and lived happily ever after.

This clever and unusual tale about haunted houses will not only be a favorite around Halloween but it will probably remain high on your child’s favorite title list for read aloud sessions throughout the year.