Wandering through our local big-box bookstore a few weeks ago, I was amazed at how much the display at Halloween books had grown.  Not books about fall, but books specifically about Halloween!  I remember the moment -- a heavy sigh: why do I have to think about costumes, scariness, and candy?  But time marches on, and the bewitching hour is closing in.

Today I thought I would share some of the seasonal favorites in our house.  This selection includes picture books that combine suspense and interactive reading to delight your young goblins, ghosts, princesses, pirates, and everything in between.

Monster Halloween written and illustrated by Quentin.  With simple presentation (and a soft furry cover), we learn about the things monsters like to do.  Each pair of pages begins with "monster" and adds two additional words, usually verbs, to describe the activity.  This is a seasonal picture/board book.  (ages 2 to 6)

Audience reaction: With few words and detailed illustrations, children can build their own stories.  The furry edge is a nice touch.  It didn't take too many readings before our preschooler was reading this one independently.

A Halloween Story by Alberto Fernandez, illustrated by Pilar de la Fuente (Maroma Books, 2007).  Our young narrator has gone trick-or-treating, and now it's time for bed.  As he lies there, he hears noises.  Is it a mummy?  A ghost?  A vampire?  A scary spider?  Or not.  (ages 3 to 6)

Audience reaction: Our daughter loves this book, particularly the pages in the back where she can give the creatures names and then add her own events to the story.  We were surprised.  We thought this might be a little bit stilted, but it is fun to read...and to listen to our daughter's tales.

The Fairground Ghost (Usborne Young Reader) by Felicity Everett, illustrated by Alex de Wolf (Usborne Publishing, 2002).  Jake was excited to be at the fair.  When his sister and her boyfriend left him, he headed straight to the scariest ride he could find: the ghost train.  Just as the ride was ending, a ghost popped out and made Jake laugh.  When the ghost train owner learned his ghost wasn't scary, he fired him.  Jake felt bad and took the ghost on lots of rides.  With Jake racing from ride to ride, it was the ghost who got scared.  This is a chapter book with pictures to help new readers develop their skills.  (ages 4 to 8)

Audience reaction: This is a cute story, with a nice twist on the lets-get-scared theme.  We planned to read a couple of chapters each night, and without fail, our child wanted to "read more" each evening.  Interestingly, though, the ending didn't stick with her, because she didn't remember it and wanted us to read it again.

Halloween Howls: Holiday Poetry (I Can Read Level 2) by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrated by Stacey Schuett (HarperTrophy, 2005).  From pumpkins to candy corn to trick-or-treating, there is a poem for every aspect of Halloween.  This is a seasonal book for kids who still need help reading.  (ages 5 to 9)

Audience reaction: The poems are cute and fun to read.  The illustrations helped bring them to life for our pre-reader.  Our child asked us to read this book several times for about two weeks.  This is a fun way to introduce kids to poetry.

Halloween Night by Marjorie Dennis Murray, illustrated by Brandon Dorman (HarperCollins, 2008).  In a house filled with ghouls, witches, and monsters, everyone is busy getting ready for the big night.  Yes, there are the trick-or-treaters, but the highlight is the monster ball.  This picture book uses the cadence of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" to tell its ghoulish story.  (ages 4 to 9)

Audience reaction: As knockoffs go, this was a pretty good twist on the "'Twas the night before" theme.  The illustrations are wonderful, with just enough ghoul to be Halloween, but not so scary that they scare the intended audience.  I loved the twist at the end.  We read this every night for two weeks up to Halloween and even a few times after.  It didn't take long for our daughter to catch on the the words and start reading herself.

Tell Me Another Scary Story...But Not Too Scary by Carl Reiner, illustrated by James Bennett (Dove Books, 2009).  One Halloween Eve, a young boy got the scare of his life.  His neighbor, Mr. Neewalloh (Halloween backwards) was making a costume for him.  When the young boy went over to see him, Mr. Neewalloh wasn't there to meet him at the door.  When he went to the basement, he found Mr. Neewalloh on the floor, next to Dracula, and covered in blood.  Or was it ketchup?  This picture book story offers suspense and opportunities for kids to bail from the story.  It comes with a CD.  (ages 5 to 9)

Audience reaction: This was an instant hit.  Our daughter read this in the car right away and listened to the CD renditions multiple times a day for weeks.  All in all, this is a story with just the right amount of suspense and "gore" that kids crave at Halloween.

What makes a good Halloween story for you?  We'd love to hear how you say "boo" in your house!

You can find our complete reviews of these books and Halloween stories for older children on The Reading Tub (http://thereadingtub.com).  Just search "Halloween."