Trick or Treat, Alistair Gray by Lindy Ryan
The air is growing crisp, leaves are falling and Halloween is fast approaching. Autumn is the perfect time for readers young and old to cozy up with a delightfully eerie story, and most people associate autumnal reading with heart-pounding thrillers or thick fantasy tomes. But I’d argue that young readers deserve to indulge in a spine-chilling tale, too!
To say that Lindy Ryan’s Trick or Treat Alistair Gray (Black Spot Books) delivers on that front is an understatement. A whimsically spooky story based on an original short of the same name, this picture book perfectly encapsulates the magic of Halloween without being truly frightening. Young readers will be swept away by the magic as they learn what it really means to celebrate All Hallows’ Eve.
A STRANGE ENCOUNTER IN THE AUTUMN NIGHT
Little Alistair Gray is a fan of all things creepy and crawly. He’s beyond excited to participate in his town’s Halloween celebrations and has even fashioned his own mummy costume out of tattered rags. But once he enters the gymnasium, he’s confused — and perhaps a little embarrassed — that many of his peers have gone for more lighthearted costumes. Cowboys, princesses and mermaids surround him, and Alistair sticks out like a sore, mummified thumb.
“Halloween is not silly,” Alistair grumped, feeling quite wary, “It’s a time for the dark. It’s a time to be scary.”
Discouraged, he exits the gym with every intention of abandoning the party and heading home. He’s stopped, however, by a mysterious figure looming above him — a figure with a jack-o’-lantern for a head.
Most children (and adults!) would run in fright, but not Alistair. He is elated to see the spirit of Halloween and asks it why the holiday has abandoned its creepy roots for a cheerier tone. But surprisingly, the spirit of Halloween doesn’t seem to mind this change. It tells Alistair that both the light and the dark are key elements of the celebration, and that there’s no one right way to celebrate All Hallows’ Eve.
Bolstered by the spirits’ words, Alistair decides to head back and party with his peers. “‘Halloween,’ he reflect[s], ‘is a time of joy and of fright. It’s both,’ he decided, ‘because it all honors the night.’”
WHAT IT MEANS TO CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN
Perfect for fans of Over the Garden Wall or The Addams Family, this charming children’s book is the perfect read for kids looking forward to the Halloween season. The book’s rhymes skillfully set the tone for the story, capturing the cool autumn night and the unearthly presence of the spirit that Alistair encounters. Timea Gazdag’s whimsically spooky illustrations work seamlessly with the writing to create an immersive read that will send shivers down your spine.
Both haunting and encouraging, Trick or Treat Alistair Gray teaches readers that Halloween can be celebrated many different ways, each as valid as the last. The most important part is simply enjoying the season with others, rather than judging them for doing things differently. Young readers and parents alike will be inspired to enjoy the season — just be careful to keep an eye out for a jack-o’-lantern grin in the shadows.
About Lindy Ryan:
An award-winning author, editor, professor and short-film director, Lindy Ryan was recently named one of horror’s six most masterful anthology curators, alongside Ellen Datlow and Christopher Golden, for her work in Under Her Skin, a women-in-horror poetry showcase, and Into the Forest: Tales of the Baba Yaga, a forthcoming women-in-horror anthology from Black Spot Books and Blackstone Audio. A 2020 Publishers Weekly Star Watch Honoree and previous board member for the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Lindy is a long-time advocate for women-in-horror and an active member of the HWA and ITW. She is the current chair of the Horror Writers Association’s Women in Horror Month. The author of numerous works of fiction and nonfiction, Lindy’s work has been adapted for film. Her debut horror-thriller novel, Bless Your Heart, is forthcoming from St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books. www.LindyMillerRyan.com
