Who will you be today? Halloween also gives us a chance to put on a costume and pretend to be someone (or something!) different. In a way, stories do a similar thing. When we read a tale, we can experience the world through the eyes of someone else. It’s like taking a holiday from being oneself and trying someone else on for size!

So, in honour of Halloween, let’s have a look at the characters that you will become as you read the latest issue of Storytime!

 

Our first tale is appropriately Halloween-themed! ‘Trick or Treat’ is told from the point of view of the Big Bad Wolf – but in this tale, he is the one who is frightened. You’ll experience his terror as he is visited by various menacing creatures in the middle of the night. You might even feel sorry for him! But don’t worry, the tale has a funny (and happy) ending, and Tihomir Celanovic’s colourful illustrations add to the humour.

‘The Furry Phantom’ stars a little girl named Flo. Her family has moved into an old house, but it seems that they are not alone! Join her as she creeps up its creaking staircases and down its dark hallways. Can you guess what she will find? Guilherme Salomon strikes a perfect balance between spooky and cute in his art!

Reading about historical figures allows us to travel to other times and places through the power of imagination! ‘A Mind of Her Own’ will transport you to the cultural hot spot of Vienna in the early twentieth century, as seen through the eyes of a very smart and talented girl named Hedwig. Will she become a movie star or a genius inventor? Or maybe both? Polina Romashevska did lots of research when creating her images for this tale, and her illustrations capture the style of picture books and movie posters from the period, while adding her own special charm. They make the story even better!

Next, how about a trip to India, courtesy of a tale told from the point of view of an emperor’s advisor? ‘A Pot Full of Cleverness’ is a witty tale about how an advisor proves how clever he is by filling a small pot with a BIG watermelon. How did he do it? You’ll have to read the story to find out! The colourful pictures of Abdelrhman Shahin capture the feeling of ancient India wonderfully.

 This month’s fairy tale has a twist on the common formula. The character you’ll be joining in this journey is a girl who goes to rescue her husband-to-be from an underwater enchantress! In ‘The Witch of Lok Island’, she even has to put on a costume made of cabbage leaves… which would certainly make a memorable Halloween costume! The illustrations are by Sabrina Filieri, who brings the French countryside and the witch’s underwater palace to life!

Have you ever wanted to go into space? Hitch a ride into orbit with Zack and Luna as they deal with zero-gravity and mushy prepackaged food in ‘Deep Space Delivery’! Don’t worry, help is on its way courtesy of the Spazio brothers, who create a pizza worthy of an astronaut. Giovani Galvão created the art for the story, bringing a cool cartoonish sensibility and scientific accuracy to the story. We hope you are enjoying the brand-new STEM Time! Are all the fact pages about real-life space food making you hungry?

 Looking at the world through the eyes of an animal is always a fun and thought-provoking experience! The Native American story of ‘The Badger and the Bear’ is about a furry creature whose family is kicked out of its home by a big furry bully. You’ll have no trouble sympathising with the badger, even if you aren’t short, stocky and covered with black-and-white fur! Tiago Ramos renders the characters in a cool and funny style that makes them appealing and relatable.

 

Our last story, ‘The Divine Twins’, gives you the chance to see the world through the eyes of not one, but two Greek gods! Salvo Raniolo provided the art for this story and brings Artemis, goddess of the hunt, and Apollo, the god of the sun. As children, they and their mother were menaced by creatures in the Greek mountains… so they came up with a brilliant weapon with which to defend themselves! Creativity saves the day (that’s our motto here too!)

So, who would you be this Halloween? Are you ready for a spooky story by the fire, toasting marshmallows and welcoming the cosy season of storytelling? We hope it’s all treats, no tricks – and nothing else but the pure joy of reading for fun!