So here it is, the book that wins Halloween in our house this year
From the incredibly talented Oliver Jeffers this is …
When each of my children first read this book all I heard was “This book is so clever!” “Oh that’s clever.” “This is such a clever book!”
And they are exactly right. This is such a clever book. Using photographs, pencil sketches, one colourful illustrated character and transparent pages … this mixed media spooky game of hide and seek is visually stunning, and have I mentioned clever?
A young girl lives alone in a house that she believes is haunted, but she has never actually seen a ghost. She has lots of questions as she invites the reader into her home. What do ghosts look like? Are they white with holes for eyes? Do they only come out at night.
As little readers explore the house with the young girl, they can see what she cannot. Each black and white page is followed by a transparent overlay that adds a ghost , or ghosts, to the scene for readers to find. The ghosts all look very friendly, a little mischievous, curious and cheeky.
The playful ghosts communicate with the reader through their positions and expressions. It really is a very clever book. We love the personalities of the ghosts and the things they get up to do make us smile.
The children are keen now to make their own tracing paper ghosts to add to favourite pictures books and family photos. There is a lot of potential in these pages for inspiring children to create their own tracing paper ghosts and to have a lot of fun with them. We love everything about this so much including the gloriously ghostly endpapers.
If you are looking for just one book this Halloween I think this might be the one.
Especially if your little one likes the idea of a (non spooky) ghost chase!
Have you read this spooky season book?
Which book wins Halloween for you this year?