"Books have to be read (worse luck it takes so long a time). It is the only way of discovering what they contain. A few savage tribes eat them, but reading is the only method of assimilation revealed to the West.
~E. M. Forester
The other day I quoted an old Scottish saying.... From ghoulies and ghosties
And long - legged beasties
And things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord, deliver us!
This adorable little book I am highlighting today is non-scary and just perfect for Pre.S-Grade 2 age group. It touches on those "scary" creatures that surface during the Halloween season but are portrayed in an uber cute and loveable fashion that your little ones will delight in.
Title: Ghost in the House
Author: Ammi-Joan Paquette
Illustrator: Adam Record
"There's a ghost in the house, In the creepy haunted house, On this dark spooky night all alone," This adorable cumulative counting book exposes your child to counting to five and back again. It challenges your little one to guess what spooky creature will be discovered around the next corner. The guessing is made easier by the wonderful visual hints that the illustrator leaves to make that happen.
The book is written in verse and introduces you to a blobby, happy, little blue ghost who goes slip-sliding down the hallway. Suddenly he hears a groan.....he encounters an egg-headed mummy. They both continue on his walk, and low and behold they find an overly large, yellow monster.....on to bump into a skeleton which "makes four in the house,/the creepy haunted house, /In the creepy haunted house,/On this dark, spooky night, cold and bleak.' A witch is then added which the completes the group of five.
The illustrations really drive the story. They are full -spread, digital artwork with loveable little creatures that are set against a splotched background that give you the eery feeling they are housed up in an old, abandoned dwelling.
The last creature they run across is the scariest of all.....a boy!!!! When he is exposed it causes the five
to panic and rush from the house like it was on fire. As they are tearing off into the night the little boy calls out to them, "Good night." The ghost and his friendly motley crew at first are worried who they might meet around the next corner but smile as they encounter another one of their variety.
All-in-all this book is winner. It is non-threatening, humorous and sure to be a hit with your child as you draw them gently, and happily into the season of Halloween.
About the Author
Ammi-Joan Paquette has never met a ghost, mummy, monster, skeleton, or witch — as far as she knows. This book, she says, was inspired by a game she used to play with her sister: "Most of the details have been lost to time, but I still remember the shivery thrill I got when we played it. So, I drew on that same energy to write a spooky picture book, which eventually became A Ghost in the House." In addition to writing, Joan is also a literary agent representing authors of childrens books. She lives outside Boston with her family.
About the illustrator:
About the illustrator:
Adam Record started doodling on a bench in church. He only started to get serious about drawing after someone bought one of his drawings. He gets inspired by old childrens books and vintage posters. This is his first picture book. Adam Record lives in Utah with his wife and two children.
Book Review Rating: 8 (Fantastic!
Read on and read always! Have a super day!
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