Guess What? by Mem Fox illustrated by Vivienne Goodman

Far away from here lives a crazy lady called Daisy O'Grady. 

Is she tall and thin? 

Guess!

Yes! 

Does she wear a long black dress?

Guess!

Yes!

The illustrations in this picture book are really incredible - weird and quite scary. I would suggest this is a book for readers aged 10+ but I imagine Mem Fox had a younger audience in mind. The design of each page with tiny spotlight illustrations that anticipate the image on the next page give this book a layer of interaction and so I think this book works best when it is read slowly side by side with your young or slightly older reading companion. Then turn to the back to see the list of all the things you might like to spot such as a mandrill, a piranha, a chocolate doughnut, a banana and tawny frogmouth (bird).

Mem Fox said: When you see the astonishing illustrations in this book (I kiss the feet of Vivienne Goodman) you’ll realise why it took almost five years for it to be completed, in spite of the sparseness of my very simple text. There are many hidden bits of hilarious detail that are so clever I asked the Australian publishers, Omnibus, to put a guide to them in the back of the most recent edition (2008).

The pictures are very Australian: the isolated, ramshackle farmhouse amongst brown bushes, the outhouse with graffiti and recognizable product labels such as Vegemite and Defender. ...It is by looking at the illustrations carefully that adults and older children will pick up some of the humour and reality of the book. For instance, a glance at her kitchen shows familiar packets of flour, tomato sauce, baked beans and spices. Reading labels will give a very different view of her cooking! As will a careful inspection of her recipe bookshelf. Aussie Reviews

I do think Halloween is an odd event here in Australia. It is the wrong season and we have no cultural heritage around this event. It is also strange to see how the event seems to grow bigger each year with more and more 'things' available in various stores from pumpkins to costumes, from bags of sweets to decorations. Having said all of that, though, Guess What (1988) would be a perfect book to share in your family tonight. This book is sure to be in many school and public libraries. It was republished in 2008. And this book has been banned in some US States!

It is fairly easy to find picture books about Halloween. This alternate list might interest you. My friend from Kinderbookswitheverything has a Pinterest collection of Halloween chapter books for readers aged 5-8.

I would pair Guess what with Meannie and the Min Min.

Miss Penny Dreadful and the Midnight Kittens by Allison Rushby illustrated by Bronte Rose Marando

The year is 1872 and young Penelope Pickering lives in a boarding school. One day, very unexpectedly, her aunt - Miss Harriet Marchmont arrives.  Aunt Harriet is an author. She is the author of sensational stories printed on cheap paper called 'penny dreadfuls'. And yes they only cost one penny. Each contains only part of a gripping story about things like highwaymen, vampires and werewolves. These publications are extremely popular. Aunt Harriet is a rich woman. 

Aunt Harriet has had news that Penny's parents are missing or perhaps just away and so Aunt Harriet is now Penny's guardian. Aunt Penny dislikes her former boarding school and so she whisks Penny off on an adventure. Along with her publisher Uriel Crowley and Aunt Harriet's pet monkey, Jones, the group set off for Hampshire to visit Mr Toddington's Museum of the Curious and Absurb. Aunt Harriet, as advised by Mr Crowley, has heard there is a mystery there and Aunt Harriet is sure she will uncover delicious plot ideas for her new set of Penny Dreadfuls.

The museum is rumoured to have a display of taxidermy kittens that come to life at midnight. Could this really be true or is it all an elaborate hoax and what of Mr Crowley - there is something stranger, perhaps even sinister about him - Penny needs to uncover the truth.

This book is filled with drama and mystery but sensitive readers who love cats may find some parts a little distressing which is why I am going to say this is a book of readers aged 9+. 

Miss Penny Dreadful and the Midnight Kittens will be published in August, 2022 by Walker Books Australia. Thanks to Beachside Bookshop for my advance copy. Bronte Rose Marando has created a very appealing cover too. 

This book is the first in a planned series and Allison Rushby does provide a hint that more will follow about this early in the first book when Penny reads a letter purportedly sent by her parents which mentions flowers such as Monkshood, Rhododendrons and Oleander. Two of these are poisonous and they don't flower in October and why would her parents be in Switzerland? I will need to continue to series to solve this mystery. 

About Penny Dreadfuls: The term typically referred to a story published in weekly parts of 8 to 16 pages, each costing one penny.  The subject matter was typically sensational, focusing on the exploits of detectives, criminals, or supernatural entities.

You can see some examples here on the British Library web site.  Read about their popularity with children.