Ghost in the House, by Ammi-Joan Paquette and Adam Record (ages 2 - 6)

Young children love celebrating Halloween, but often they don't want scary books. Ghost in the House is a fun new picture book that fits this bill perfectly, providing some rhyming fun along the way.

Ghost in the House
by Ammi-Joan Paquette
illustrated by Adam Record
Candlewick, 2013
Google Books preview
available at
your local library
Amazon
ages 2 - 6

A friendly little ghost starts exploring his house. At first he thinks he's all alone. But then... one by one, he discovers five new friends. Paquette's cumulative rhyming story is a joy to read aloud. Here's the beginning:

"There's a ghost in the house,
In the creepy, haunted house,
On this dark, spooky night, all alone.

And he goes slip-slide,
With a swoop and a glide,
Until suddenly he hears ...

A groan!"

Hidden on the right side, you can notice fingers holding the door as the mummy starts to open it. Paquette builds the story using the same pattern. I love the rhythm and rhyme. This type of cumulative story works really well with preschoolers and kindergarteners, inviting them to read it over and over again as they absorb the language and pattern.

Adam Record's friendly creatures are a big draw for young children as well. They love the digital cartoon style that emphasizes the humor in the story, while keeping just the right amount of creepiness. The twist at the end had my group of kindergartners laughing in delight.

I enjoyed reading this interview with Ammi-Joan Paquette at Elizabeth Dulemba's blog, talking about her inspiration and the path to publication for this sweet story.

Do you have any favorite Halloween books for young children? Others I love include Lisa Brown's Vampire Boy's Good Night and If You're a Monster and You Know It, by Ed Emberley and Rebecca Emberley.

The review copy was kindly sent by the publishers, Candlewick Press. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books (at no cost to you!). Thank you for your support.

©2013 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books