Joanne Barkan

Guthrie and Annie, two sight-seeing ghosts on Halloween night, attempt to find some truly spooky sites and experiences in this glow-in-the-dark picture-book. From horror movies at the cinema to a haunted house on the outskirts of town, a bat-infested cave in the nearby woods to a scaly lizard-monster under the bridge, the spectral pair sees quite a lot. But it isn't until they encounter two trick-or-treaters and follow them to a Halloween party, that they find what they are truly show more seeking...

Published in 1992, A Very Scary Ghost Story is one of four Halloween-themed glow-in-the-dark picture-books from author/illustrator team Joanne Barkan and Jody Wheeler—the other titles include A Very Scary Witch Story, A Very Scary Jack-o-Lantern and A Very Scary Haunted House—and pairs an engaging story with fun, colorful artwork. I liked the conceit of two ghosts abroad, looking to be scared themselves, rather than to scare other, while the conclusion of the story, in which human children end up being the scariest thing of all, was amusing. An entertaining little tale for Halloween, one I would recommend to picture-books readers looking for moderately spooky fare. show less

Halloween night had arrived, but Roma the witch found that she had misplaced her hat, and that her stubborn broom, embarrassed to be seen with a witch who was lacking the proper headgear, refused to fly. Determined not to miss out on her favorite holiday, she headed into town for a hat, but had to contend with the less-than-helpful shopkeeper. Would turning him into a purple goblin help or hurt her chances of getting what she wanted...?

One of four titles in the Trick-or-Treat collection of show more miniature picture-books published by Little Simon in 1997, each of which featured a selection of glow-in-the-dark stickers that could be applied to specific spots on the pages within—other titles included Zeena's Cat, The Strangest Halloween and Help! It's Halloween!—The Witch's Hat is a fun little Halloween tale. I'm not sure I would have ever stumbled across it in the normal course of events, as it is long out of print, and not the sort of book one finds in library collections, but my perennial hunt for new or new-to-me witchy picture books (a pet project of mine) brought it to light, and being familiar with author Joanne Barkan through her Very Scary picture books (also from the 1990s), I immediately set out to track it down. The copy I obtained already had the stickers applied, which was fine, as they are meant to fit in with the illustrations, rather than to obscure them.

In any case, leaving that aside, although Barkan's story here wasn't anything groundbreaking, when it comes to witchy Halloween fare, I nevertheless found it entertaining, and think younger children will as well. Hopefully any copy they obtain will also provide usable stickers, so that they can enjoy that interactive aspect of the book as well. show less

When Eliott asks his Grandpa Bud how to carve a scary jack-o-lantern one Halloween season, his grandfather gives him a set of instructions that are full of frightening fun. Following a black cat out of town on a moonlit night, the seeker must confront and follow any number of scary creatures - skeletons, ghosts, bats - to the cabin of the snaggle-toothed witch, in a clearing in the woods. Here the seeker must snatch the large orange pumpkin she is holding, and make it back to town, where it show more can be carved into the desired jack-o-lantern...

Having enjoyed author Joanne Barkan and illustrator Jody Wheeler's A Very Scary Witch Story, I decided to seek out this companion tale, and I am not sorry I did. It's a small paperback picture-book, featuring an engaging Halloween story full of spooky fun, and colorful, expressive illustrations which perfectly capture the chills and thrills of the midnight walk being described by Grandpa Bud. Like its witchy counterpart, it features elements that glow in the dark, if prepared first with a flashlight. Although not spectacular, all in all this was an entertaining little Halloween tale, and is one I would recommend to picture-book readers looking for scary fare. show less

When Wisp's older sisters Howlinda and Moldessa set out for the witches' ball, they tell their eager young sibling that only those brave enough to fly a witch's broomstick are fit to attend. Determined to show them what she's made of, Wisp grabs a rickety old broomstick and, together with her cat Smudge, sets out to follow them. Soon embroiled in all manner of frightening adventures - skimming the Bottomless Lake, crashing through a web in the Spider Forest, hovering above the tombstones in show more the Mummies' Graveyard - she comes very close to giving up, demanding that the broom set her down in a misty meadow. But when a great white hawk threatens Smudge, Wisp discovers her courage, and finds the command she needs to successfully pilot the broom, arriving at the witches' ball in triumph.

One of a number of "very scary" picture-books penned by Joanna Barkan - others include A Very Scary Ghost Story, A Very Scary Haunted House and A Very Scary Jack-O-Lantern - all of which feature glow-in-the-dark illustrations, this miniature picture-book is a witchy treat! The artwork, which has to be activated by exposure to light before it glows in the dark, is quite a bit of fun, while the story itself has some entertaining chills and a satisfactorily happy ending. Recommended to young children who enjoy witchy fare, and are looking for moderately spooky tales for Halloween. show less