Creepy, Crawly Creatures for Halloween!

by Sarah Momo Romero

Although it still feels like summer in L.A., usually fall means crisp, cool weather, longer nights and the festive holiday of tricks and treats. It’s October and one of my favorite times of the year, Halloween, is coming up soon. This month, I wanted to share a few fun books for the occasion, with creepy, crawly creatures and spooky monsters, each with its own unique style of illustration.

An A to Z of Monsters and Magical Beings is one of my favorite books for Halloween. This picture book, written by Aidan Onn and illustrated by Rob Hodgson is like a fun A-Z encyclopedia of monsters, ghosts, ogres, and creepy beasts. The whimsical creatures, full of color and accompanied by short descriptions, aren’t too scary, but a fun way to discover the stories behind each magical being.
The fun textures, expressive patterns and different mystical creature from A-Z create a unique story on every spread, make this a fun book to read over and over again.

---

Monster and Son written by David LaRochelle and illustrated by Joey Chou is a warm and bubbly take on the traditionally creepy monsters. This delightful story, showing different monsters and their sons at play, showcase beasts, sea serpents, yetis and more in soft colors and enjoyable imaginary scenes. Even with signs of destruction throughout the story, this book creates a warmer, less creepy view of monsters and creepy beings.

---

And last, but not least is Ten Little Beasties, by Rebecca Emberley and Ed Emberley. This book cover initially caught my eye with its simple and abstract creatures staring back at me from a bright orange background. The story is a simple one meant for younger children, but an enjoyable one for them to sing, dance and count along with an accompanying song.
The beasties, starting from one and going up to ten, then back down again, dance along the colored background of each page. The simple shapes and spots of color on the beasts as well as the text, draw the eye in and make for a simple, but enjoyable quick read.

---

I hope you will enjoy sharing these picture books with your littles ones, whether you’re looking for a creepy (but not too scary) tale or an entertaining story full of song, these will entertain children and readers alike. What will you be doing this Halloween?
I will be celebrating the release of my debut picture book, Wake Up, Little Bat! At the end of the month with a book party at the Griffith Park Merry-go-round! If you’re in the L.A. area, and would like to join, please email me at sarahmomoromero@gmail.com for details. Special thanks to Bryan Patrick Avery for a feature of my book in last week’s blog post. Happy Halloween everyone!

Sarah Momo Romero is a Japanese Peruvian American artist, a graphic designer by day and children's book author and illustrator by night.  She’s loved drawing and painting since she was a chiquita and now crafts stories of adventure and wondrous creatures. Sarah is an active SCBWI member who draws inspiration from her life in sunny Los Angeles with her husband/creative partner and dog/infamous escape artist, Peanut.  Her debut picture book, "Wake Up, Little Bat!" is out now!

---

​You can find more of Sarah's musings and drawings here:
www.sarahmomoromero.com
​Facebook: Sarah Momo Romero + Instagram: @sarahmomoromero + Twitter: @sarahmomoromero