If you are new here, or to my reviews, let me tell you: I like Halloween. However, I do not like the spooky or horror or gross, but the fun, candy getting, costume wearing part. I also like reading Halloween books, especially for kids. The novel The Halloween Tree has some great moments for the 10 to adult reader, but there is nothing like a picture book. And recently, I found two picture books (read on line, currently available) that are very different from each other. 
Little Ghost House Hunts by Lucy Branam is an adorable, cozy story about family, (biological and found) homes, and how loud and quiet can be found together. It is a well known theme and with ghost characters and a Halloween overtone, it is a familiar format. But still, it is cute and the ending does give things a little twist to the overall story. I admit, I am really digging the little old lady who shows up near the end. Branam’s presentation is done in cute illustrations that are light and full of life that support the sweet character of Little Ghost. Natalie Hoopes really makes things a smidgen spooky (like a 2 on a scale of 1 to 50, and fifty being the most scary) but mostly lighthearted. Most toddlers will be able to sit and enjoy while their older siblings will appreciate the “busy house” atmosphere of family.
Then there was All Hallows’ Eve by Anthony DeStefano. While I knew that Halloween was based in non secular events, I was not really aware of the Christian, or more specifically Catholic, influences. We are not celebrating Halloween (dressing up and candy getting) in DeStefano’s story, but instead showing how it is an actual Christian holiday. This is formatted as a ghost story, which the author later says is not really a part of the faith, but is used to be a familiar tool of the holiday to be a portal for the story of redemption, responsibility and faith. We follow all Saints Day, Hallows Eve and more. It is not WOW and blew me away, but I really appreciated the different take on things. The illustrations were not my personal favorites as they were a bit too computerized realistic but also an odd abstractness.