Pop This On For Size

Pop-up books have a rich history and contain some very impressive engineering and science…if you don’t believe me check out the Wikipedia article on the pop-up book. 

These books are extremely fun and amusing with the real magic happening when you open the pages, pull the tabs or spin the dials.

Pop-ups are very interactive usually containing some element of surprise which makes me wonder if some of these concepts could be incorporated into a Halloween display or haunt.

Imagine a life-sized door opening up revealing a “pop-up” surprise.

Or a window shutter.

Or a trap door in the floor.

Or the lid on a crate.

Or a portrait hanging on the wall.

The possibilities are seemingly endless.

Following are some photos from a variety of Halloween themed pop-up books most which have been purchased from thrift stores and garage sales.

Note: Our new pal adopted from the Humane Society likes the large pop up dragon from Greg Hildebrandt's Book of Three-Dimensional Dragons. 

Georgie

A collection of black and white illustrations from Robert Bright’s Georgie published in 1944.

Georgie is the story of a friendly little ghost in search of a new home to haunt.

The delightful text is accompanied by playful black and white drawings that inspire readers of all ages.

Meet Mr. Squiggs

Mr. Squiggs was a grumpy, grouchy and nasty old man. Mr. Squiggs didn’t like children, animals or grown-ups. The only thing Mr. Squiggs really liked was Halloween and being left alone.

Sounds like my biography.

Mr. Squiggs is the main character in The Magic Pumpkin, a book by Lucille E. Sette and illustrated by Phyllis L. Tildes published in 1984.

Over the years I have found many Halloween themed children’s books at garage sales, thrift stores and used book sales.

These books offer something wonderful to the adult reader, they are like bite sized pieces of candy offering instant gratification when looking for a Halloween fix. The story is the candy shell and the illustrations are the nougat filling.

The next time you feel the need for an inspirational boost try thumbing through the pages of an old Halloween children’s book because you just might find something that sparks your imagination.

This Is What Halloween Looks Like

When I close my eyes and think of Halloween this is what I see. 


Looking at the illustration I can also smell autumn leaves, smoldering candles and hear wind rustling through barren branches.

The illustration is from a children’s book called The Pumpkin Smasher written and illustrated by Anita Benarde.

Published in 1972 this book is a delightful tale of a small town considering cancelling Halloween due to a mysterious vandal smashing all of the town’s pumpkins.

The book is thirty-two pages of Halloween nostalgia, a rare trip to a much simpler time where anything was possible, especially on Halloween night.

The Pumpkin Smasher is currently out of print, I was fortunate enough to find a copy at a local thrift store for a quarter, not a bad price for a trip back in time.