Celebrate Halloween with Pumpkins, Costumes and Candy

Visiting pumpkin patches, carving jack-o'-lanterns, and telling scary stories. Dressing up in masks and costiumes, going to parties, and trick-or-treating for candy. These are just some of the traditions that make Halloween one of the most anticipated holidays of the year for many children - and for lots of grown-ups, too!

Explore this fun holiday, which began as a festival in ancient Ireland and Britain and is now celebrated in a number of countries around the world. Readers will learn why ghosts and skeletons and other creepy creatures are associated with Halloween, and also about the origins of such Halloween customs as wearing masks and trick-or-treating. And they will enjoy seing how people living in various countries celebrate Halloween. Boo!

The response to Celebrate Halloween has been fantastic! Some reviews:

"While Halloween is a favorite holiday for many children, it can also bring fear and confusion. This warm, informational book, perfect for sharing aloud or enjoying individually, will clear up the mystery and calm any fears. Children will recognize familiar customs, such as carving pumpkins, dressing up, and hanging decorations, explained in simple, yet satisfying, text. The holiday is made accessible and inviting through the use of inclusive phrases such as, 'We knock on doors. We say, 'Trick or treat!'...Back matter includes activity ideas, recommendations for further reading, and information on The Day of the Dead. A wonderful introduction to contemporary customs. - Amanda Moss, Maywood Elementary School, Monona, WI, School Library Journal

"The real scoop on Halloween is offered in Celebrate Halloween, by Deborah Heiligman (National Geographic Society, 32 pages, $15.95), part of the publisher's Holidays Around the World series. In exquisite colored photos and a short text, peppered with appealing facts, the background of and current trends on all things Halloween will enlighten readers 6-12. From the religion of the ancient Celts to celebrations in nursing homes today, this spectacular volume covers pumpkins, parades, parties, costumes, and treats. The sharp photos of children and adults from around the world exemplify the fun and frolic of this favorite holiday. A recipe for spooky graveyard cake, safety tips, book and Web site suggestions round out this gem, the best nonfiction book on Halloween in ages. - Deborah Abbott, Chicago Sun Times

Young readers can learn the history of Halloween as they see how kids around the world enjoy the holiday in Celebrate Halloween (National Geographic, $15.95). Part of National Geographic's critically acclaimed "Holidays Around the World" series, this book by Deborah Heiligman takes readers from the roots of Halloween in Celtic traditions to the current craze for pumpkins, costumes and candy. Heiligman concludes by offering a recipe for a "graveyard" cake, directions for a Halloween game and a page listing books and Web sites for further reading. (Ages 5-10) - Scripps Howard News Service

Buy this book from your local independent bookstore at IndieBound.com.