Halloween can be a challenging time for young children. Dressing up and collecting candy is a blast, but having to deal with spooky sights and sounds is often more trick than treat.
She’s the kid who’ll open wide to cram four fun-sized chocolate bars in her mouth at one time, but slams her eyes shut when we get anywhere near a Halloween Express store.
The cacophony of cackling witches and wailing zombies, not to mention the bloody limbs, exposed guts and skeletal remains of errant pirates are enough to make any kid cringe.
Author Susan Hood clearly understands the range of emotions youngsters feel as All Hallows’ Eve approaches.
Candy; good.
Scary monsters, haunted houses, yips, yowls, shivers and scowls; not so much.
Hood’s charming Halloween-themed picture book teaches kids just what to do when they encounter deathly groans, rattling bones or any ghostly apparition: Just Say Boo!
The not-so scary story’s title doubles as Hood’s mantra to apprehensive trick-or-treaters:
“If the ghosts in the trees, wibble-wobble your knees, what do you say?
BOO!
If the wind whirls and whines, as it whips through the pines, what do you say?
BOO!
If a smug, ugly bug tries to give Mom a hug, what do you say?
BOO!
If three dinosaurs roar when you open your door, what do you say?
BOO!
Just Say Boo! is a delightful seasonal read that helps convince kids that Halloween is more fun than frightful.
With each turn of the page, Hood, along with ultra-talented artist Jed Henry, cleverly illustrate that things are not always what they seem, including creepy-looking shadows, eerie-sounding footsteps and ghastly-smelling decorations. In addition, Hood has some polite reminders to candy-collecting kids who decide to venture out after dark on Halloween.
Overall, Just Say Boo! provides a valuable life lesson in an easy-to-read format. It also features plenty of rich watercolor illustrations and even more opportunities for kids to interact from cover to cover. Whether you are sharing the book with a class full of preschoolers, a house full of pint-sized Halloween party guests, or in bed with your own costumed character, you’re in for a real treat.
To get your own copy of Just Say Boo! visit HarperCollins’ website or pick up the 32-page thriller at your favorite book store or discount retailer nationwide.
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