Are you brave enough to venture into Halloween? Even though it can be a frightening holiday, it can also be great fun. Here is a collection of Halloween books that all ages will surely enjoy. So come on…let's get creaking, I mean reading.

Let's begin with books geared for older kids. Except for the last book, the rest are good for ages nine and up. Nightmare at the Book Fair, by Dan Gutman, takes Trip Dinkleman on an adventure through books. He thinks he hates to read, that is until a stack of books lands on his head and his adventures begin. Some of his encounters include a haunted house, aliens and even talking animals. This book is a great page-turner and read-aloud too!

Golden & Grey: The Nightmares That Ghosts Have, by Louise Arnold, is the fun sequel to “Golden & Grey: An Unremarkable Boy and a Rather Remarkable Ghost”. Thankfully, there is no need to have read the first book to enjoy and understand this second in the series. Tom Golden has his own personal ghost, Grey Arthur, which helps him when needed and is generally a good invisible friend. But Tom's life is about to become very complicated when Grey invites several other ghosts to come and live at Tom's house.

World famous Cornelia Funke has compiled her well-read ghost stories into a series: The Ghosthunters Collection Book 1-4. All four stories deal with young Tom, a ghost named Hugo, and Hetty who is a ghosthunter. Each story consists of some very stubborn ghosts but when victory prevails the reader might just cheer out loud!

Do you ever wonder if giants ever existed? The Secret History of Giants, by Ari Berk, will have you amazed at the feats of this magnificent sundry of overly large beasts before you're even half way through this imaginative and most inventive book. The layout is clever with pull-outs, flip-ups and fold-outs and the stories of the many types of giants will make you a true believer. This is great fun and a great gift idea!

Ghost Files: The Haunting Truth, by the Ghost Society, is an over-large book that has uniquely packaged pages that have many flaps and fold-outs throughout. The last of the fiction books is actually a chapter book that is good for newer readers ages seven to ten.

The Littles and the Great Halloween Scare, by John Peterson, was first written back in 1975 and was based on miniature people. This cute book, with illustrations by Roberta Carter Clark, is one of four based on Tom and Lucy Little.

Now for some spooky picture books - let's begin with Sophie and the Next-Door Monsters by Chris Case. This imaginative story, with very creative pictures, has young Sophie believing her new neighbors are monsters - or are they?

Frankenstein Takes the Cake, by Adam Rex, has to be one of my favorite and most hilarious picture books of the year! The book is filled with innuendoes from yesteryear's old-time Frankenstein and Dracula movies, many of which youngsters will miss, but adults will enjoy. However the amusing stories, rhymes, alliterations and parodies are definitely going to entertain all who open the inside covers!

And while we're talking about rhyming, Jack Prelutsky, Children's Poet Laureate, is one of the best and funniest and kids adore him! Awful Ogre Running Wild has some comical and ingeniously funny illustrations by Paul O. Zelinsky that helps promote the humor in these witty poems. There are poems about ogres exercising, painting and even swimming. This latest book will not disappoint.

Queen of Halloween, by Mary Engelbrett, is a charming book with bright and exuberant pictures that emulate the synergy that makes up this delightful dress-up holiday. This is a fun and easy to read story.

Where's My Mummy? by Carolyn Crimi, and illustrated by John Manders, is a fun shivery story about Little Baby Mummy desiring for one more game of “Hide and Shriek”. The story is full of many fun and creepy sounds making this a delight.

Monsters on Machines, by Deb Lund, and illustrated by Robert Neubecker, is filled with harshly and thickly drawn monster workers as they drudge and dig with delightfully delirious machines. And after they break for a dainty meal of “monsteroni and cheese” these mighty monsters are back at it. Check out the inside covers!

Boo, Bunny!, by Kathryn O. Galbraith, and illustrated by Jeff Mack, takes the premise that two bunnies are better than one. When each meets the other, friendship overtakes shyness and the fear of the night flees. And the last two books are by the same author/illustrator with the most extraordinarily brilliant colors that contrast against black.

The Aliens Are Coming and We're Off to Look for Aliens, by Colin McNaughton, are as fun to peer at the monstrous creatures from another planet as the stories themselves. The first book is even in a circular shape. These will surely grab and keep your attention!

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