A HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN: Tuesday, Oct. 27 - Friday, October 30

Yikes! I'm a little behind in my Halloween Countdown (Halloween is a busy time of year for dragons), so today I'm going to list 3 favorite Halloween books.

First: something scary...

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow retold and illustrated by Will Moses; from the original story by Washington Irving

This one's a classic - most people have seen the Walt Disney cartoon, but the book is much scarier! Ichabod Crane, a superstitious schoolmaster, in love with a wealthy farmer's daughter, has a terrifying encounter with a headless horseman. Will Moses' illustrations are gorgeous and set the scene perfectly. Fun Fact: Sleepy Hollow, Illinois was named after the legendary location and many of the street names reflect characters from the tale. In addition, the image of the Headless Horseman can be found on many of the city's landmarks and publications.

Next: something silly....

Mercy Watson: Princess in Disguise by Kate DiCamillo

When the Watsons decide to zip their porcine wonder into a formfitting princess dress for Halloween -- complete with tiara -- they are certain that Mercy will be beautiful beyond compare. Mercy is equally certain she likes the sound of trick-or-TREATING and can picture those piles of buttered toast already. As for the Lincoln Sisters next door, how could they know that their cat would get into the act and lead them all on a Halloween "parade" of hysterical proportions? A tale full of treats, tricky turns, hijinks, and high humor.

Finally: something spooky AND silly...

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams; illustrated by Megan Lloyd

Once upon a time, there was a little old lady who was not afraid of anything! But one autumn night, while walking in the woods, the little old lady heard . . . CLOMP, CLOMP, SHAKE, SHAKE, CLAP, CLAP. And the little old lady who was not afraid of anything had the scare of her life!