A Very Brave Witch---and More Great Halloween Stories for Kids Scholastic Storybook Treasures

Product Description One Halloween, a little witch decides to see what humans are really like. Plus seven more slightly scary stories: By the Light of the Halloween Moon; A Dark, Dark tale; Georgie; The Witch in the Cherry Tree; The Three-legged Cat; The Three Robbers, and Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain. A VERY BRAVE WITCH (Written by Alison McGhee, illustrated by Harry Bliss, narrated by Elle Fanning) One Halloween, a little witch decides to see what humans are really like. BY THE LIGHT OF THE HALLOWEEN MOON (Written by Caroline Stutson, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes, narrated by Sherry Stringfield) A brave girl would rather play a trick than be gobbled up as a treat. A DARK, DARK TALE (Written and illustrated by Ruth Brown) Take a spooky journey up dark stairs and through hidden passages. Being scared has never been so much fun! GEORGIE (Written and illustrated by Robert Bright, narrated by David DeVries) A friendly ghost looks for a new house to haunt when he feels unwanted by the Whittaker family. 4 BONUS STORIES! THE WITCH IN THE CHERRY TREE (Written by Margaret Mahy, illustrated by Jenny Williams) David and his mother must find a way to protect their freshly baked cakes from the tricky witch in the cherry tree. THE THREE-LEGGED CAT (Written by Margaret Mahy, illustrated by Jonathan Allen) Tom, the pegged-legged cat is mistaken for a hat in this hilarious tale of mistaken identity. THE THREE ROBBERS (Written and illustrated by Tomi Ungerer) A little orphan girl sets three robbers straight, turning their gold to good. LITTLE TIM AND THE BRAVE SEA CAPTAIN (Written and illustrated by Edward Ardizzone) Little Tim finally has the chance to become a sailor and experience life on the high seas. Amazon.com Halloween can be a dark and spooky time of year, but nowhere is it written that witches and ghosts have to be scary. "A Very Brave Witch" twists the common perception of witches to reveal that most witches are actually afraid of people, thanks to humans' lack of green coloring, fear of flying, failure to cackle, and other perceived oddities. The brave little witch in this story is fascinated with humans and, after doing some research, decides to get a close-up look at some human children on Halloween night. What she discovers is a young human who's just as brave as she is. "A Dark, Dark Tale" follows a black cat through a dark moor and a spooky old house to find a surprise lurking in a dark corner, and "By the Light of the Halloween Moon" is a cumulative-structure poem, reminiscent of the song "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly," in which a tapping toe sets off a chain reaction that involves a witch, a bat, a ghoul, and several others. "Georgie" is the story of a cute little ghost who feels unappreciated by his human family and runs away only to realize that he and the family really need one another. "The Witch in the Cherry Tree" depicts an intelligent young boy who uses his wits to outsmart a witch and protect his freshly baked cakes, and "The Three Legged Cat" is a humorous tale about a peg-legged cat whose yearning for travel and adventure gets satisfied as a result of a case of mistaken identity. In "The Three Robbers," a young orphan girl turns a band of robbers' misdeeds into something good, and in "Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain," a young boy stows away on a steamer and journeys out to sea. These eight captivating stories feature original illustrations that are either animated or filmed with simple camera pans, skillful narration, optional onscreen read-along words, and fun music. What a perfect way to celebrate the witching season without fears or tears. (Ages 3 to 7) --Tami Horiuchi Q&A with Alison McGhee, Author of A Very Brave WitchWho are you inspired by in the world of children's literature? This is a tough question, because I'm inspired by so many authors both past and present. Someof my favorites include Ezra Jack Keats, Maurice Sendak, the Hobans, Laura Ingalls Wilder, M.T. Ander