Spooky Sights by Isabel Kuri, Nicorene Stassen (Illustrator)
Halloween is many children’s favorite holiday, and who can blame them? From dressing up as their favorite cartoon character to receiving a pillowcase-full of candy, there’s a lot to enjoy! But for some children, Halloween can be a far scarier time. It’s a celebration of all things creepy, crawly and ready to jump out of the shadows — and for young kids, the weeks leading up to October 31st may be a daunting time.
Luckily, author Isabel Kuri and illustrator Nicorene Stassen are here to help. They’ve created the charming children’s book Spooky Sights (Calelei Productions) to ease kids’ Halloween fears and assure them that what may at first appear frightening can soon turn fun! Come meet these strange creatures of the night and see what they get up to during the witching hour.
AN UNEXPECTED HALLOWEEN PARTY
“Anything can happen on a Halloween night,” the young narrator of Spooky Sights tells us. And she isn’t kidding — as she steps into her home on Halloween night, she sees that she’s received some surprise guests. But instead of regular trick-or-treaters, her house is full of vampires, werewolves, witches and ghosts!
Terrified, the narrator sprints upstairs to her room and slams the door shut. But eventually, curiosity gets the better of her and she tip-toes back downstairs. There, she discovers the supernatural visitors gathered around the dining room table, having a surprisingly normal shindig! Invited in by one of the guests, she joins the party and ends up having a ball. By facing her fears, this brave narrator is able to push through her anxiety and ends up having an unforgettably magical night.
A LESSON THAT APPLIES YEAR-ROUND
Through Kuri’s evocative writing and Stassen’s whimsical illustrations, readers are swept into a fantastical world of ghouls and gremlins. The main character’s emotions are clearly visible in every illustration, helping young readers empathize with her. But even with her evident fear, she also gathers the courage to face the monsters downstairs — showing us that what first appears terrifying is rarely as scary as we make it out to be.
And of course, childhood fears aren’t limited to Halloween. While Spooky Sights focuses on the more supernatural, the book’s lesson can easily be applied year-round. Whether your little one is feeling skittish about the monster under the bed or apprehensive about the start of school, the message remains the same — our fear can be conquered and does not have to hold us back from having fun.
Whether your child is especially nervous about the spooky season or if they just need some gentle encouragement, Kuri and Stassen have your back. The perfect bedtime story for Halloween-time, Spooky Sights will leave kids feeling brave enough to take on any fearsome challenge in their path.
Spooky Sights is available for purchase on Barnes & Noble and the Calelei Productions website.
About Isabel Kuri:
Hi, my name is Isabel. I love to write. Writing is my favorite window into possibility. I write what I see from my window into the world.
What do you see from yours?
About Nicorene Stassen:
Hi my name is Nicorene. Magic and fiction fascinate me. I enjoy bringing these stories to life, adding little specks of magic to our world one brushstroke at a time.
What would you like to add?
