Ghouls and goblins, monsters and witches — Halloween is filled with magical creatures of all shapes, sizes, and evil intentions! This got us thinking about some of our favorite books that include strange and unique beasts. These “not-so-spooky” creatures and books do wonderfully at helping us tap into the zany spirit of Halloween!
Monster’s New Undies (Ages 3-5) by Samantha Berger with illustrations by Tad Carpenter
With neon green fur, two spiky horns, and razor-sharp bottom teeth, you might assume that Monster from the picture book Monster’s New Undies would be terrifying. But this book takes an unexpected (and adorable!) turn, when we learn that Monster isn’t scary. In fact, he’s the one who is scared…of shopping for undies! When Monster’s undies fall apart, his mommy takes him shopping, but finding the perfect pair of undies is not going to be easy. With hilarious rhymes from the celebrated author of Crankenstein, Samantha Berger, and bright and innovative illustrations from Tad Carpenter, this bouncy tale of self-reliance is full of warmth and humor.
The Bad Guys: Attack of the Zittens (Ages 7-10) by Aaron Blabey
Zombies can be very scary, but zombie kittens are more frighteningly cute than terrifying! In the fourth book in The Bad Guys chapter book series,Attack of the Zittens, an unlikely band of heroes find themselves in the middle of a zombie kitten apocalypse! Can The Bad Guys save the world from evil Dr. Marmalade's meowing monsters?!? They'll need help from foxy Agent Fox, a swampy secret zombie antidote, and the feistiest, toothiest, hungriest granny around. Get ready to watch the fur fly!
The Upside Down Magic series
(Ages 8-12) by Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle, and Emily Jenkins
As Halloween and fantasy lovers will know, it's never easy when your magic goes wonky. For Nory, this means that instead of being able to turn into a dragon or a kitten, she turns into both of them at the same time -- a dritten! The Upside Down Magic chapter book series follows Nory, Elliott, Andres, and Bax, who are just four of the students in Dunwiddle Magic School's Upside-Down Magic class. In their classroom, lessons are unconventional, students are unpredictable, and magic has a tendency to turn wonky at the worst possible moments. Because it's always amazing, the trouble a little wonky magic can cause . . .
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Ages 8 and up) by Newt Scamander and J.K. Rowling
Who can talk about fantastic creatures without mentioning Newt Scamander and his beloved beasts? Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Newt Scamander's classic compendium of magical creatures, has delighted generations of wizarding readers. Now, in the updated edition with a foreword by Newt himself and the unveiling of six beasts little known outside the American wizarding community, Muggles too have the chance to discover where the Thunderbird lives, what the Puffskein eats, and why shiny objects should always be kept away from the Niffler.
