Share not-too-scary books for Halloween

Few children (or adults) know that the roots of Halloween began more than 2,000 years ago as a Celtic festival of the dead at the onset of winter. The originators of Halloween offered gifts of wine and food to the souls of their ancestors to ease their travels through the spirit world.

The Celts were also concerned about evil spirits that may pass their way. To avert these unwanted spirits from recognizing the living, they wore ghoulish costumes so that the unwanted spirits would mistake them for one of their own and pass them by without causing harm.

Over the centuries, the pagan celebrations were adopted and adapted by the Roman Catholic Church and others as time marched along. The arrival of Halloween in America was all but squashed by the Puritans in the 17th century, but as new immigrants continued to arrive, they brought with them the same roots and adaptations that had continued to survive in their countries of origin. Needless to say, Halloween in America today is very much alive.

Today's reviewed books are great selections for Halloween. Carry on the tradition with children, for reading Halloween stories today isn't much different from the oral stories told around fires more than two millennia ago.

Books to borrow

The following book is available at many public libraries.

• "The Skeleton in the Closet" by Alice Schertle, illustrated by Curtis Jobling, HarperCollins, 32 pages

Read aloud: age 6 and older

Read yourself: age 7 — 8 and older

Late one night, a boy's sleep is interrupted when he hears a loud banging on his front door. He pulls the curtain back on the door to see who is there and is horrified to find a skeleton who says in a deep voice, "Let me in!"

Scrambling back upstairs as fast as he can, the boy races into his bedroom and slams the door. But wait! Somehow the skeleton has gotten inside, and he's on his way upstairs, heading right to the boy's room! What does the skeleton want?

Told in rhyme, this sensational story is everything you don't expect, and that's what makes it so perfect. Causing your heart to race until you find out what the skeleton really wants, this wonderfully funny story will have readers in stitches, demanding that you read this one again and again.

Librarian's choice

Library: Sutter Branch Library, 2147 California St., Sutter

Library Director: Karen Crocker

Choices this week: "Magic Tree House" series by Mary Pope Osborne; "The Unicorn and the Lake" by Marianne Mayer; "Shadow Children" series by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Books to buy

The following books are available at your favorite bookstores.

• "Where's My Mummy?" by Carolyn Crimi, illustrated by John Manders, Candlewick, 2009, 28 pages, $7.99 hardcover

Read aloud: age 4 — 7

Read yourself: age 7 — 8

One dark night, Little Baby Mummy didn't want to go to bed and begged his Mama Mummy for one more game of Hide and Shriek. Before she could respond to his request, Little Baby Mummy ran and hid. Then he waited, but Big Mama Mummy was nowhere to be found.

Little Baby Mummy tromped deeper into the dark woods, looking and listening for his mama. Each time he heard a noise, he thought maybe it was her. Instead, it turned out to be one ghoulish character after another. Little Baby Mummy wasn't scared, though, until he came across a little creature that gave him a big fright!

Just the right amount of suspense combined with giggles makes "Where's My Mummy" just right for Halloween or any time of the year.

• "Haunted Party" written and illustrated by Iza Trapani, Charlesbridge, 2009, 28 pages, $15.95 hardcover

Read aloud: age 3 and older

Read yourself: age 7 — 8

Ghost is having a Halloween party, and his guests are just what you'd expect, from two spooky skeletons that dance up a storm, three gruesome goblins that love eating the mean cuisine, all the way to nine morbid mummies. As the party rocks on, the doorbell rings again, and this time it's 10 cute children who've come to trick or treat.

When the spooky guests see the children, they flee in terror of the very scary-looking kids. The ghost, however, is not scared. As a matter of fact, he has a surprise for the children.

A rollicking, rhyming counting tale with just the right dose of spookiness, "Haunted Party" will appeal to kids in every way.

Kendal A. Rautzhan writes and lectures on children's literature. She can be reached at kendal@sunlink.net.