I Want to Be in a Scary Story

Underneath the light chills and thrills is an exploration of setting limits and feeling safe, handled with warmth and humor.

Jullien's illustrations are suitably creepy, but because the narrator tells Little Monster in advance what will happen with each turn of the page, they shouldn't be anything readers can't handle, and the jump at the end is a satisfying one. And after the final page, readers may just be asking along with Little Monster, "So, can I be in a story again tomorrow?"

The bold-hued, digitally colored ink illustrations, which are very funny in spite of being scary, work well with the chatty text to create a dynamic that leaves readers and listeners eager to engage with the story.

The interactive nature of the text invites readers to imagine their own versions and how they would respond given the monster’s choices. A fun premise, imaginative book design, and appealing illustrations make this book a terrific choice for spooky-themed storytimes.

This year, the new Halloween picture book you should take home to mummy is “I Want to Be in a Scary Story,” by Sean Taylor... it’s a hoot, and Jean Jullien’s big-brush illustrations are as cute as a basket of werewolf cubs. Long before school forces them to learn a bunch of dead literary terms, you’ll be teaching your little fiends about tone, dramatic irony and narrative structure.