***FRIDAY NIGHT UPDATE***
Sorry for the delay in posting finalists, everyone! So many great entries – it’s really hard to narrow the field and it’s taking us longer than expected. I will do my best to post them no later than Monday afternoon, sooner if I can. Thank you all so much for your patience, and have a great weekend!
Witch’s wart and wing of bat! It’s time for. . .
The 11th Annual Halloweensie Writing Contest!!!
~ for children’s writers ~
THE CONTEST: write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (children here defined as 12 and under) (title not included in word count) using the words glow-in-the-dark, goosebumps, and goodies.
- Your story can be poetry or prose, scary, funny, sweet, or anything in between, but it will only count for the contest if it includes those 3 words and is 100 words. Get it? Halloweensie – because it’s not very long and it’s for little people 😊
- You can go under the word count but not over!
- Title is not included in the word count.
- Also, being super clear for this year, glow-in-the-dark counts as 1 word (even though it looks like 4 😊)
- You may use the words in any form i.e. glowed-in-the-dark, goosebumpley, goody (“Oh, goody!”, goody-two-shoes etc.), whathaveyou 😊
- You are welcome to enter more than one entry – just remember you’ll be competing against yourself 😊
- No illustration notes please!
And yes, I know 100 words is short, but that’s part of the fun and the challenge! We got just shy of 300 fantastic entries last year, so I know you can do it!
POST: your story in the comment section below between right now this very second and Sunday October 31st at Midnight – the witching hour! Please include your title, word count, and byline with your entry so that if your posting handle is MomNeedsAVacation I’ll still be able to tell who wrote your entry 😊
- For those of you who would also like to post on your blogs, please feel free to do so! You are welcome to include the link to your blog with your entry in the comment section below so that people can come visit your blog, but all entries must be posted in the comment section of This Post between now and Sunday October 31st at Midnight.
- If you have difficulty posting your entry to the comments, which unfortunately sometimes happens, you may email your entry to me and I’ll post it for you! Contact button above or [susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com Please place your entry in the body of the email including your title and byline at the top – NO ATTACHMENTS! They will not be opened.
- I know how hard you all work on your entries, and how anxious you are to get them posted, but please try to be a little patient if your entry doesn’t show up immediately. Many comments have to be manually approved, and it sometimes takes me a little while to post entries that come in by email. I promise I will get to everything as soon as I can. I try never to leave my desk during contests, but sometimes it’s unavoidable 😊
- Side Note: WordPress will not properly format entries written in the shape of a pumpkin (or anything else!) or with fancy or colored fonts or unusual spacing. No matter how great it looks in whatever program you compose it in, be forewarned that when you post it in the comment section it is going to be basic and I am not able to change that for you, I’m afraid.
THE JUDGING: in a grueling marathon over the days following the contest close, my devoted assistants and I will read and re-read and narrow down the entries to a finalist field of about 12 which will be posted here for you to vote on I hope by Friday November 5th (though if the judging takes longer than expected it might be a little later – we will do our best!) The winner will be announced Monday November 8th (good lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise 😊)
Judging criteria will be as follows:
- 1. Kid-appeal! – These stories are intended for a young audience (ages 12 and under), so we’re looking for stories that children will enjoy and relate to.
- 2. Halloweeniness – the rules state a Halloween story, so it must be crystal clear that the story is about Halloween, not just some random spooky night.
- 3. Use of all 3 required words and whether you came it at 100 words or less.
- 4. Quality of story – entries must tell a story, including a main character of some kind and a true story arc even if it’s tiny 😊 Entries must not be merely descriptions or mood pieces.
- 5. Quality of Writing: check your spelling, grammar, punctuation etc. If you’re going to rhyme, give us your best 😊 Use and flow of language, correctness of mechanics, excellence of rhyme and meter if you use it, PROOFREADING!
- 6. Originality and creativity – because that is often what sets one story above another.
- 7. How well you followed the Submission Guidelines – agents and editors expect professionalism. This is a chance to practice making sure you read and follow specified guidelines. If you don’t follow agent and editor submission guidelines, they won’t even read your submission.
THE PRIZES: So amazing! What wonderful, generous people we have in our kidlit community! Just wait til you see what you can win!
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique by Dawn Young, author of THE NIGHT BAAFORE CHRISTMAS (WorthyKids, 2019), COUNTING ELEPHANTS (Running Press Kids, 2020), THE NIGHT BAAFORE EASTER (WorthyKids, 2021), THE NIGHT BAAFORE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL (WorthyKids, 2021), and the brand new ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS (WorthyKids, October 19, 2021)!
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (nonrhyming) by Janie Reinart, author of WHEN WATER MAKES MUD: A STORY OF REFUGEE CHILDREN (Blue Whale Press, 2021)
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (biography) by Lindsey McDivitt, author of NATURE’S FRIEND: THE GWEN FROSTIC STORY (Sleeping Bear Press, 2018), TRUTH AND HONOR: THE PRESIDENT FORD STORY (Sleeping Bear Press, 2020), and A PLAN FOR THE PEOPLE: NELSON MANDELA’S HOPE FOR HIS NATION (Eerdman’s Books For Young Readers, 2021)
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (rhyming or any) or First 10 Pages of a longer MS (winner’s choice) by Kenda Henthorn, author of the forthcoming BAA, BAA TAP SHEEP (Sleeping Bear Press, April 15, 2022)
Kenda works in the aviation industry now so it’s no surprise that her writing inspirations and aspirations are sky-high, too. She resides in Oklahoma and when the winds aren’t sweepin’ down the plains, Kenda enjoys acting, flying, kayaking and riding horses or her motorcycle. (Vroom-vroom!)She has served as a Regional Coordinator for the Oklahoma SCBWI and a Best in Rhyme Award committee member and judge.
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (rhyming or lyrical) by Randi Sonenshine, author of THE NEST THAT WREN BUILT (Candlewick March 2020) and the forthcoming THE LODGE THAT BEAVER BUILT (Candlewick Fall 2022)
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique by Danielle Dufayet, author of YOU ARE YOUR STRONG (Magination Press, March 2019) and FANTASTIC YOU (Magination Press, September 2019)
⭐️ Storyboard Notebook – a great way to draft your picture books! PLUS a deck of What’s The Story Cards to inspire the drafts! PLUS the Making Picture Book Magic Self Study Course to help you craft your draft!
⭐️ Personalized signed copy of ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS by Dawn Young PLUS your choice of one of the writing craft books listed below!
⭐️ Personalized signed copy of BRANCHES OF HOPE: The 9/11 Survivor Tree by Ann Magee PLUS your choice of one of the writing craft books listed below!
⭐️ Personalized signed copy of MIMIC MAKERS: Biomimicry Inventors Inspired by Nature by Kristen Nordstrom PLUS your choice of one of the writing craft books listed below!
⭐️ Personalized signed copy of A PLAN FOR THE PEOPLE: Nelson Mandela’s Hope for His Nation by Lindsey McDivitt PLUS your choice of one of the writing craft books listed below!
⭐️ Personalized signed copy of THE NEST THAT WREN BUILT by Randi Sonenshine PLUS your choice of one of the writing craft books listed below!
⭐️ Personalized signed copy of 13 WAYS TO EAT A FLY by Sue Heavenrich PLUS your choice of one of the writing craft books listed below!
⭐️ Winners of the 6 signed picture books above may also receive their choice of any one of the following writing craft books to go along with their picture book:
Please join me in thanking these very generous authors and other writing professionals for contributing their books and writing expertise as prizes by visiting their websites and blogs, considering their books and services for birthday, holiday or other gift purchases, rating and/or reviewing their books on GoodReads, Amazon, B&N, or anywhere else if you like them, recommending them for school and library visits, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
Happy Writing! Happy Reading! And Happy Halloween!
Now, let the Halloweensie begin!
The 294 entries listed below are linked to where they appear in the comments so you can click on the titles and get right to them! (Assuming WordPress cooperates . . . fingers crossed!) Anyone who feels kind can start at the bottom of the list so those entries get some comments too! 🎃 😊
- Isolated For Halloween – S. J. Little
- A Halloween Time Machine – Sara Kruger
- Weather’s Trick, Witch’s Treat – Abby N. Wooldridge
- Halloween Is LIT! – Anne Lipton
- Kit’s Costume – Kari Ann Gonzalez
- Mean Halloween – Heather Ferranti Kinser
- A Witchy Switch – Katie Schwartz
- The Porchlight – Chris Garcia-Halenar
- Bruce Goose – Jessica Hinrichs
- Undersea Halloween – Vashti Verbowski
- Sweet Swap – Daniella Kaufman-Schloss
- The Halloween Witch – Trista Herring Baughman
- The Lonely Pumpkin Head – Elle Jaufret
- Hallows’ Eve – E. A. Peterson
- Whose Cat Is THAT? – Beth Stillborn
- This Pumpkin’s Not For Picking – Laura Howard
- The Jimjam – Carrie Karnes-Fannin
- Trick Likes Treats, But So Does Swoop – Melissa Valente
- The Haunted House High Up On The Hill – Sue Lancaster
- Tricked The Treats – Katie Fischer
- A Helpful Ghost – Emily Durant
- The Wraith On My Wrist or Ghostie Lost In City Mist – Sally Yorke-Viney
- Three Little Geese Do Halloween – Linda Williams Swanson
- A Glowing Solution – Nicole Loos Miller
- Warning: May Contain Sugar – Amy Leskowski
- How Hannah Saved Halloween – Colleen Murphy
- Double Meaning Halloween Knight – Debbie Meneses
- Untitled – Shariffa
- The Scavenger’s
FeastBall – Sarah Hetu-Radny - ‘Tis The Season, Candy Eaters – Hannah Roy LaGrone
- Greta’s Glow-In-The-Dark Goosebumps – Susan E. Schipper
- Bobbing For Apples – Lyn Jekowsky
- The Perfect Pumpkin – Barbara Kimmel
- No More Sugar! – Sarah K. Rose
- Fairy-Fire – Vanessa Konoval
- Creepy Cook-Off – Sarah Meade
- Macy & Lucy’s Halloween – Sarah Meade
- Ghostly Linens – Stephanie Maksymiw
- Happy HOWL-oween – Lindsey Hobson
- Three Glowing Bats – Sherry Roberts
- Halloween Family Secret – Jennifer Mary Grolemund
- A Sick Day – Jany Campana
- The Pied Pumpkin Of Halloween – Marta Cutler
- Creatures From The Couch – Julie Hansen
- Alligator The Ghost – Marta Cutler
- Goose-Zilla – Linda Staszak
- Welcome To The Skeleton Dance – Sue Heavenrich
- Teal Halloween – Kathleen Lowry
- The Gloves – Stephanie Rondeau
- Ghoulie Rulies – Brenda Whitehead
- Tricky Treaters – P. J. Purtee
- Garth’s Game Changer – Darcee A. Freier
- Nabbed! – Abby Voss
- The Wart-Covered Tree – Danielle Arndt
- The Last Fall Firefly – Meagan T. Gentry
- Who Cares If It’s Cold? – Allison Strick
- Glenda’s Goosebumps – Susan Burd
- The Candy Thief – Meagan T. Gentry
- Halloween Hero – Rose Cappelli
- The Halloween Ball – Marta Cutler
- Scary-Go-Round – Catherine Catcho
- The Scariest Monster – Marty McCormick Bellis
- Fright Night – Marty Findley
- Halloween Eve – Barbara Renner
- Wilbur Werewolf – Deb Buschman
- Teeny Owl’s Spooky Halloween – Janet Parkinson Bryce
- No Room For Monsters – Jill Stuck
- Ghost House – HC Morris
- Boogie Man’s Bright Idea – Jenn Shetsen Wierda
- Swamp Beast Falls For Sweets – Jilanne Hoffman
- Have You Seen My Monster – Alan Elliott
- Halloween Hang-Ups – Russell Wolff
- Mark Lights The Way – Karyn Curtis
- Halloween Pie – Jill Stuck
- The Costume – C. E. King
- I’m Coming To Get You – Pat Holloway
- The Frightmare – Linda Staszak
- Frankie & Gigi: Trick Or Feet – Kira Barrett
- Home For Halloween – Melissa Miles
- Not The Costume I Wanted – Michelle S. Kennedy
- Goosey Glender’s Fall Feast – Bartybear
- Halloween Scavenger Hunt – Denise Seidman
- Stink Fairy’s Hallo-smelly-ween – Stacey Miller
- Hallowmas – Danielle S. Hammelef
- Goosebumps For Mother Goose – Lynne Marie
- How Do You Tickle A Ghost? – Kizzi Hutcheson
- Dragon Magic – Melissa Rotert
- Gretyl Hobbled Into Halloween History – Royal Baysinger
- Shiver And Sugar! – Abby Voss
- Monster Feast – Abby Voss
- Are You Ready To Trick-Or-Treat? – Corine Timmer
- Christmas In October – Vanessa Konoval
- Spooky ABCs – Alan Elliott
- Dragon And Pirate’s Halloween – Alan Elliott
- Tiny’s Halloween Flight – Carolyn C. Snelling
- Rainbow Bridge – Corine Timmer
- Great-Aunt Broomhilda – Josh Cohen
- Cirque Fantome – Kizzi Hutcheson
- A Knock On The Door – Pamela Swanson
- Trick-Or-Treat Nightmare – Cindy Sommer
- Worth The Climb – Armineh Manookian
- Thank You, Trick-Or-Treaters! For Protecting Your Mother – Sharon McCarthy
- Beware, Out There – Julie Lerczak
- The Haunted Bathroom – Jill Lambert
- Plan Bee – Jenny Morales
- “BOO!”K Spooky Halloween – Laura N. Clement
- The Witch’s Mistake – Jennifer Kaap
- Itsy B. Spider – Molly Ippolito
- Too Many Goodies – Rachel Krackeler
- Ghostmetics – Rozana Rajkumari
- Santa’s Halloween – Jen MacGregor
- My Scariest Halloween Night – Les Degnan
- Winnie Trick-Or-Treats – Dorothy Kohrherr
- Camping Surprise – Meredith Flory
- Halloween Hunt – Mary Ann Featherston
- The Glow-In-The-Dark Bowl – Kathy Scott
- The Haunted House – Carmen Castillo Gilbert
- Once Upon A Halloween – Colourbeam
- A Witchy Potion – Susan Summers
- A Giant Surprise – Susan Summers
- Hollow-Eeek! – Karen Keesling
- Once Upon A Halloween – Nadia Ali
- Halloween Battle: (Vampire) Squid vs. (Goblin) Shark – Laura Bower
- Happy, Happy Halloween – Claire Freeland
- Mr. O’Leary’s House – Nina Nolan
- Phantom Festival – Lynn Moore
- The Surprise Halloween Friend – Cindy Greene
- Goosebumps – Amy Flynn
- Ninja Goose And The Halloween Hi-Yah! – Deborah Foster
- Tricky Treat – Patricia Nozell
- A Halloween Snack – Debra Daugherty
- Escaping Planet Taradiddle – Colleen Daugherty
- First Halloween Treat – Natalie Cohn
- My Last Trick-Or-Treat – Reed Hilton-Eddy
- Glowing Ghost – Lauri C. Meyers
- hALLYween SPELL – Paul Roncone
- Halloween Love – Marla Yablon
- Cockroach’s Glowing Problem – Lori Himmel
- Scaredy-Cat Pat And The Haunted House – Sara Dean
- Let The Real Halloween Begin! – Lori Evans
- Ixchel’s Belizean Halloween – Blanca Manzanilla
- Emy Is Always Right – Katharyn R. Benessa
- Tricky Treat – Ann Grilli
- Jack’s Pumpkin Plan – Diana Murrell
- Lights In The Dark – Ivanka Dimitrova
- Fraidy Cat No More – Jennifer Cherry
- Galactic Trick-Or-Treat – Tiffany Hanson
- My Ghost Bubble Friend – Sheila R. Schmotzer
- R-R-R-Rattled – Gennie Gorback
- Glow-In-The-Dark Goodies – Leslie Collins
- Moonlit Love – Liz Kehrli
- Un-Spooky Halloween – Krista Legge
- Stella Shines – Laura Barens
- Tabby The Trouble Maker – Dawn Renee Young
- The Nameless Ghoul – Imelda Taylor
- How The Jack-O-Lantern Found His Real Smile – Sheri Palmer
- Halloween Chase – Connie Newbauer
- Spidey Sparkles – Angelique Lamour
- Never Trick A Witch – Tiffany Hanson
- Halloween Monster – Tiffany Hanson
- The Halloween Sleepover – Kelsey E. Gross
- Goose Bumped – Jen Subra
- The Rock – Trista Herring Baughman
- Halloween Pumpkin – Shariffa
- A Tricky Tattoo – Gregory E. Bray
- Brave, Adalaide – Katie Walsh
- March Of The Skeletons – Jill Richards Proctor
- Little Night Terrors – Obbverse
- The Mansion On Maple – Glenda Roberson
- The Graveyard Picnic – Gabrielle Cardwell
- Halloween Heebie-Jeebies – Karen Pickrell
- A Few Of The Scariest Things: A Parody To The Tune Of My Favorite Things – Ingrid Boydston
- The Witch Of Jekyll Island – Shampa Enayet
- FEELINGUNSEENONHALLOWEEN – Nicola Beach
- Hank’s Halloween Costume? (A Riddle In A Story) – Ken Major
- All Hallow’s Eve – Stacey Miller
- Molly’s Ghost – Hobbo
- The Witch’s House – Emma Wood
- My Word – It’s Halloween! – Jamie Donahoe
- Switched On And Off – Diana Webb
- A Night With Gran – Diana Webb
- Boys Will Be Boys – Matt Snyder
- Flicker Of A Cat’s Tail – Jacqui Boulter
- Pumpkin Train – Kathy Raggio
- The Alien – M. Waknitz
- Jellyfish George’s Halloween – Scott Kinder
- Skeleton’s Halloween – M. Waknitz
- Twyla Z. Witch – Lori Dubbin
- Witch’s Brew – K. Sibilia
- It’s Halloween – Elizabeth Muster
- Capture The Goodies On Halloween – Ames Jegen (age 11)
- (Not) A Very Scary Story – Linda Staszak
- Halloween Helpers – Ellen Seal
- Halloween Warning – Stephanie Henson
- Leaping Lizards! – Sharon Match
- Graveyard Bully – Jean James
- The Greatest Night Of The Year – Krista Harrington
- Halloween Hide And Seek – Melissa Wrex
- Trick Or Treat Night – Emily Keifer
- Oscar’s Irresistible Brew – Lucretia Schafroth
- All Hallow’s Eve At The Roller Rink – Bonnie Kelso
- My Halloween Crew – Alana DeVito
- Post Halloween Goals – Amy Reitz
- The Card Game – Cathy Lee
- Quiet Night – Thelia Hutchinson
- Trick-Or-Treat, Night Animals!: A Halloween Story – Mary Catherine Amadu
- A Halloween Tail – Janice Kay
- An Inch – Susan Leigh Needham
- Underwater Halloween – Judy Sobanski
- The Lonely Scarecrow – Sarah Atherton
- The Little Witch – Deborah Hunt
- Waking The Dead – Nancy Derey Riley
- A Not-So-Sweet Halloween – Erika Romero
- It’s Halloween In Toothytown – Kristen Littlefield
- Until It’s Safe – Brittany Saulnier
- First Halloween – Karen deWilde
- You Are What You Eat – Alexa Tuttle
- Once Upon A Halloween – Carrie O’Leary
- Goodie Ghost’s Halloween Screams – KJ Albright
- A Bunny Can Dream – Becky Walker
- Ogre’s Halloween – Barbara DiMarco
- Monster Lipstick – Kathi Morrison-Taylor
- Ghoulies Grand Soiree – MaryAnn Cortez
- Haunting Gnomes – Lindsay Moretti
- Goosebumped Ghoul And Scattered Skeleton – Sarah Kohls Roberts
- Not This Time – Sandhya Acharya
- How To Sneak A Halloween Treat – Alicia Meyers
- I Wish. . . – Amy Duchene
- Bram’s Hunt – Michaela Almeida
- Terrific Toothpaste! – Heather Gallagher
- The After Party – Samantha Sinclair
- The Final Hour – Ashlee MacCallum
- Halloween Gala – Tonnye Williams Fletcher
- Halloween Bites – Melissa-Jane Nguyen
- Double, Double Toilet Trouble – Stephanie Amargi
- Henley’s Haunted House – Jeannette Suhr
- Disguise Surprise – Nancy Derey Riley
- Enough – David McMullin
- Witches Aren’t Supposed To Be Afraid Of The Dark – Ally Piper
- Frankenpixie – Paul Kurtz
- Scaredy-Monster – Paul Kurtz
- Halloween’s The Worst! – Donna Kurtz
- Bunny’s Bored! – Donna Kurtz
- The Goblin Market – Aly Kenna
- Wilfred The Wizard – Nicola Thackrey
- Halloweenie – Jana Mattern
- The Last House On Halloween – Bru Benson
- Ghostly, Ghastly, Goosebumps – Janet F. Smart
- Astronaut Aidan – Kaye Wright
- The Halloween Dare – Erin Cleary
- Dracula’s First Halloween – Eleanor Cullen
- Pumpkin Dawn – TSW Sharman
- A Southern Halloween – Trista Herring Baughman
- The Candy Monster – Judy Cooper
- The Halloween Potty – Andrew Hacket
- It Absolutely Will Be A Fine Night – Susan Krevat
- Halloween Goodies – Una Belle Townsend
- It’s Dark In Here – Sue Ko
- Eyelashes – Sue Ko
- Fall – Sue Ko
- Too Dark – Rae Harkness
- Boo – Mary Ann Napolitano
- Much Too Goody – Sarah Hawklyn
- Candy Surprise – Julianna Kurtz
- Halloween Surprise – Judy Egan
- Trick-Or-Treat At 20 Below – Matthew Lasley
- Gotcha! – Pat Finnegan
- The House Next Door – Aundra Tomlins
- No Grownups! – Penny McNally
- The Halloween Party – Claire Schlinkert
- Can We Please Skip The Costumes? – JC Kelly
- How Would She Know? – Meredith Adams
- The Day After Halloween – Haven Blough
- Brujita’s Treat – Desi Vee
- Spooky Investigates – Jessica Murray
- The Best Medicine – Becky Falkum
- You Ain’t Nothin’ But A Hot Dog – Joyce Schriebman
- Witches Holiday – Nadia Nakib
- Halloween Hocus Potion – Shelley Kinder
- Goats And Goblins – Briana Joy McCormick
- Next Halloween – JC Kelly
- Pirate’s Halloween – Marjorie David
- Silly Goose – Sarah Marhevsky
- All’s Fair In Spook And Scare – Patricia J. Weaver
- Smartie Treat – Steena Hernandez
- Haunted Hunt – Dea Brayden and Linsday Brayden Ellis
- The Glow-In-The-Dark Goodies – Christopher Singleton, Sr
- Witches Woods – Bevin Rolfs Spencer
- Invite A Witch To Your Halloween Party?! – Holly Vagley
- Pumpkin’s Halloween – Holly Vagley
- Halloween Moon – Martha Holguin
Susanna Leonard Hill 
TRICK-OR-TREAT NIGHTMARE
By Cindy Sommer
98 Words
“Ready, Ben?” Alex adjusted his cape.
Ben grabbed his glow-in-the-dark teeth. “Let’s get goodies before the party.”
They rushed from house-to-house dodging parades of pancakes, zombies, and a creepy cow.
“Love the cow!” The boys laughed.
Clip-clop, clip-clop!
“The cow!’ Alex whispered.
Clip-clop, clip-clop!
“It’s getting closer!” said Ben.
Clip-clop, clip-clop!
Snorting and whinnying clothes with a tail trotted by.
“Ahhhh!” Alex and Ben bolted.
At the Halloween party, the boys described their goosebumply experience.
“A galloping ghost!”
“A snorting spirit!”
“A neighing nightmare!”
“Our horse trashed our clothesline,” said Emma.
Alex and Ben grinned. “We can help.”
LOL That is funny! I enjoyed your story, Cindy.
Love the ending, haha! Nice suspense and fun ending. Good luck!
That’s a funny punchline! 🤣🎃
Hahaha! Emma must have been having a good laugh to learn that her clothesline-trashing horse gave her two friends such a fright. What a clever explanation to solve that mystery.
Worth the Climb
By Armineh Manookian
Word Count: 99
“I’m tired of waiting.” Andy slumped. “They NEVER come.”
Goosebump nudged.
“Your costume!”
Goosebump wiggled.
“This leg goes here.”
Goosebump wriggled.
“Stay.”
Goosebump—ran!
Andy bolted down the hill.
“A puppy!” cried a trick-or-treater.
“Meet Goosebump.”
“He sounds like a goose,” giggled another.
“I want a hug!” said a third.
Goosebump zigzagged between feet.
—DASH!
“FOLLOW HIM!”
Winded, they reached Andy’s house where Goosebump let them pet him.
“Do you have any candy?” asked a trick-or-treater.
“We’ve got the best goodies,” Andy said.
“And the best glow-in-the-dark decorations,” said another. “Happy Halloween!”
Andy smiled. “Happy Halloween!”
I loved that the dog is named Goosebump. That is so cute and I love how the dog nudges Andy on even though he sounds like he may give up a hope on trick-or-treaters visiting his house.
Awww, good old Goosebump!
This is delightful! I love that Goosebump got the trick-or-treaters to make the climb. Nicely done.
How sweet! And unique use of Goosebump, love it, Armineh. 🥰
Very cute. Who wouldn’t want to pet a pup named, Goosebump! Good job!
Nice, Armineh! Love the dog’s name: Goosebump!
Very cute! 🎃
Goosebump – A boy’s best friend! How can you not love this story of a puppy who saves Halloween for his boy:-)
Thank you, Trick-or-Treaters!
For Protecting Your Mother
By Sharon McCarthy
Word Count 99
Thank you trick-or-treaters
for jumping in leaves to get excited for Halloween night.
When you are all done, cover the trees, flower beds, and shrubs.
The armor of leaves will protect plants and animals from harsh winter months.
When you decorate your lawn,
add leaves to beautify it, don’t throw them away!
The moist covering will produce goosebumps of glow-in-the-dark firefly eggs
and other insects to sprout.
When you get goodies next Halloween night, listen for night birds singing:
thanks for the harvest of crawly treats you gave us too.
Mother Earth loves you,
Thanks for loving me too!
Unique and educational! I enjoyed reading this.
Very sweet lesson on protecting next year’s bees, butterflies, and other animals. Nice job blending fiction with facts.
I like that you’ve woven a Halloween story with a lesson on what happens in the insect world during the Halloween season. Very clever.
Your narrator tool me by surprise, well done! 🎃
I loved your language, especially “armor of leaves” and “goosebumps of glow-in-the-dark firefly eggs.:
Thank you everyone for the kind comments! They surely are appreciated.
Beware, Out There
By Julie Lerczak
(100-word count)
When the yellow moon hangs up high,
And crinkly cornhusks litter ground,
Beware! Beware, if you go out there!
You might see witches zoom around!
Do twisty shadows stir your fear?
Do glow-in-the-dark eyes cause you fright?
Beware! Beware, if you go out there!
That’s when bats make nightly flights.
Are the pumpkins wearing evil grins?
Do goosebumps skitter up your spine?
Beware! Beware, if you go out there!
Watch out for werewolves close behind.
If grabbing goodies, door to door,
And zany zombies join your fun,
Beware! Beware, if they find you there!
Now’s the time! Run, run, run!
Fun! This is delightful to read aloud.
Thank you, Sarah!
Very fun! Love the repetition of Beware, Beware. I think kids would love to read this out loud. Nice job!
Thank you Nancy!
Spooky fun! 🎃
Thank you, Ingrid!
You wouldn’t have to tell me to run if zombies joined in on my trick-or-treating! The tension you built with the “Beware! Beware” refrain was very effective.
LOL. Thank you, Patricia!
This is such a cute story!!! Love it!
Thank you, Deborah!
Thank you, Susanna, your assistants, and all generous prize donors, for another inspiring contest. So fun!
The Haunted Bathroom
By Jill Lambert
(100 words)
My crafty sister’s busy.
She decorates all year.
Halloween’s approaching.
My stomach churns with fear.
She’s hanging creepy cobwebs,
glues googly eyes on hoodies.
Jack-o’-lanterns grimace,
overstuffed with goodies.
Finally, she’s finished.
“Now let’s trick or treat!”
Following in costume,
I panic, plant my feet.
“I’m going to the bathroom.”
Oh, no! The light is out!
Turning toward the toilet,
my gasp becomes a shout.
Suspended in the darkness,
an eerie greenish grin.
Glaring eyes unnerve me.
Goosebumps prick my skin.
I lurch into the hallway.
My sister hears me skid.
“Did you like my glow-in-the-dark
creature on the lid?”
Ghoulishly fun to read, Jill! I think I’d be unnerved too if there were glow-in-dark eyes on my toilet! LOL
Thanks so much, Michelle!
A wicked sibling prank and a great, fast-paced entry. Well done! I enjoyed it.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Corine!
Super cute Jill! 100 words exactly, great rhymes, all leading to a cute conclusion! Ha, ha, hope the younger sister overcame her fright and was able to ‘go’ somewhere, sometime during the evening! Good job!
Thank you, Katie! I hope so, too!
Jill I loved your title and couldn’t wait to read what you created. It did not disappoint. Very amusing.
Thanks so much for reading and commenting, Colleen!
Bet she doesn’t need to go anymore! 😀 Such a fun read.
Thank you, Trista!
This was such a great halloween read. I love the ending. I would be spooked to if I saw something glowing on top of the toilet lid.
Thanks so much, Natalie!
This is so much fun! I like your word choices throughout, especially in the next to last stanza.
Thank you for reading and commenting, Sarah. I appreciate it!
💛This cracks me up! Some people go all out on the decorating. Great job as always!💛
Thank you, Dawn!❤️
Jill, so clever and a fun read! 🙂
Thanks so much!
Glow-in-the-dark creature on the lid? It would certainly scare me. Well done, Jill!
Thank you, Eleanor!
Haha, love it Jill! Good luck!
Thanks, Jen, I appreciate it!
Hahaha! Love the ending. I know people who would do probably do this for holidays! Nice job!
Thanks so much for reading and commenting, Nancy!
A true LOL! Very funny and very well written! 🧡🎃🧡🎃🧡
Thank you, Ingrid—I’m glad you liked it!
This is lots of fun Jill! Well done!
Thanks so much, Gabrielle!
Well, I didn’t see that one coming . . . a creature in the bathroom. Very clever ending!
Thank you for reading and commenting, Patricia!
LOL! Loved your hilarious and inventive story of a Halloween prank, Jill. Crafty, indeed.
Thank you, Anne!
Plan Bee
Jenny Morales
Word Count: 100
Everywhere Spider went,
people screeched,
“AHHHHHH!”
“UGHHHHH!” or
“YIIIIIIIIKES!!”
Halloween was Spider’s chance for a change.
“I’ll be a ladybug. Everyone loves ladybugs!”
She found the perfect red leaf,
painted five black spots,
and set out to collect gobs of goodies.
She beamed upon hearing . . .
“OOOOH!”
“AWWW!”
“CUUUUTE!”
But when a breeze carried her costume
toward the glow-in-the-dark moon,
Spider sighed, knowing it was time for Plan Bee.
Against a splintering bench, Spider and Bee displayed their sign:
“Care for a scare? It’s what we do best. Goosebumps guaranteed! Stick tips in the web!
Forever frightening, The Creepy Creatures Club.”
Very cute, love the Creepy Creatures Club, and Plan Bee! Creative and fun to read!
Thanks so much, Katie!
So cute! I love “Plan Bee”.
Thank you, Sarah!
💛Jenny, This is super-cute💛
I appreciate that, Dawn!
Always Bee Prepared with a backup. 😂 –Melisa Wrex @mowrex (Twitter)
Right?! My thoughts exactly!
Plan Bee!!! Such a satisfying ending.
Thank you so much!
Love Plan Bee! Very creative and their sign is so fun. Good luck!
Thank you, Nancy!
Poor creatures, destined to bee creepy! 🎃
Hahaha – So much fun to think of Spider and Bee setting up shop and running a business to scare others – They were literally made for that job:-)
“BOO!”K Spooky Halloween
By Laura N. Clement
(100 words)
Blog: https://clementcreations.blogspot.com/
Boo Waillouder III hated Halloween.
Ghost costumes were unimaginative- glow-in-the-dark paisley, animal prints,
or sheets with holes.
Boo’d never be caught dead in one of those, even for yummy gooey goodies.
He’d rather hide in his favorite book.
“Sorry it’s checked out,” said the Librarian.
Crushed, Boo browsed, anger bubbling until, a surprising discovery!
‘Humans and Other Scary Creatures!’
OOOOO! Thought Boo. Having a most spooktacular,
bubbled-up goosebumps all over scary idea!
He’d just need a few things…
“And 1st prize…,” said the Librarian.
“Howdy,” said Boo.
“…for Most Imaginative Costume…”
“Eeekkk! A… Human!”
“…goes to…”
“Hide!”
“…Boo Waillouder III!”
Fun! I like the pacing and the creative character.
Haha! Love, “Having a most spooktacular, bubbled-up goosebumps all over scary idea! Nice job!
Thank you! Pacing is super hard with 100 words. It’s a fun challenge.
Halloween in a haunted library- spooktakular! 🎃
Hahaha – Boo certainly made the best of a bad situation:-)
THE WITCH’S MISTAKE by Jennifer Kaap (94 words)
OH, GOODY, my first victim! Goosebumps prickle my warty body.
“Trick-or-treat!”
At last I will turn these horrid children into delightfully frightful black cats!!
It was an easy potion: dog tears, firefly butts, swamp mud, and a fingernail of salt. Looks just like king-sized chocolate bars!
Yes, they all come running now. Greedy goblins!
I stifle a cackle and wait…
But instead of feline screeches and yowls, I hear…
“Woah! Check us out! We glow-in-the-dark! Best. Halloween. EVERRRRRR!!!”
OH, BOO! I can’t believe I mixed up the sugar and salt again. Worst. Halloween. Ever.
Ha! Ha! Firefly Butts!
Hehe! Poor witch. I really like, “and a fingernail of salt.” Good imagery.
That ending made me chuckle. Fun story and voice!
LOL! What a fun recipe mix-up! Good job!
Lol! 🤣🎃
I love the voice of this witch, especially when she says, “I will turn these horrid children into delightfully frightful black cats”
ITSY B. SPIDER (99 words)
By: Molly Ippolito
Itsy B. Spider climbed up the water spout. Out came the moon and, soon, Halloween night would be about.
Itsy hated being bitsy…
He wanted to be BIG, BAD, and BONE-CHILLING!
If only I had strong legs like the tarantula,
Or glow-in-the-dark eyes like the huntsman,
Or razor-sharp fangs like the widow.
Maybe then I’d bring about goosebumps.
Suddenly, it began raining and Itsy slid onto the pavement. Two trick-or-treaters approached–bags of goodies in their grasp.
“Look! A cute, little spider!”
“Let me help…so you don’t get squashed!”
Grateful for being bitsy, Itsy climbed the water spout again.
Cute! Love the BIG, BAD and BONE-CHILLING! Nice to write about a spider, I might if I weren’t so scared of them! And nice ending!
Very cute, even if he wants to be big and bad. So glad the kids saved him from being squashed. Good luck!
I enjoyed your story. It’s not so bad to be small after all.
I love how Itsy does a 180 at the end! 🎃
Such a delightful imagery when Itsy was imagining himself as “BIG, BAD, and BONE-CHILLING!”
Too Many Goodies
Rachel Krackeler
100 Words
One hundred witches flew through Halloween night. One had a headache; couldn’t fly right.
“Too many goodies,” her witchy mom said. “No!” said the witchy girl, holding her head.
Along with her headache, her belly felt ick. Her arms had goosebumps. She swayed on her stick.
“Let me help, let me help,” said another little witch. “I’ll light your way with my glow-in-the-dark stick.
“Thank you,” said witchy mom, “but that’s not why she’s swaying. Too many goodies is what I’ve been saying.”
“Wrong!” said witchy girl, swaying on her stick. She popped another goodie, and then…
She got sick!
I loved the rhyming in the story about getting sick when you eat too much candy. It flowed so well and I loved that they were witches.
If only she’d listened to her mom. Cute story. Good luck!
Mom knows best even when she’s a witch! 🎃
I just know that children of a certain age would love that ending!
This one is adorable!!
GHOSTMETICS
By Rozana Rajkumari
96 words
My sister’s so unghoul.
She never shares anything with me.
Gl’oreal sent her Boo-berry lip gloss (that I’ve been dying to try).
But she only shares with her BooTube channel subscribers.
While reviewing the gloss on Halloween, she swipes then—shrieks!
I get goosebumps. Her lips disappear!
The video goes viral and she wails in her crypt.
Mummy says no Howl-oween without her.
So, I brew a cure from grandmummy’s book.
She swipes my goop then—smiles.
Her bootiful lips glow-in-the-dark. Perfect for trick-or-tricking.
Even better, she now shares bags of goodies with me.
My sister’s so ghoul!
Blog – https://www.rozanarajkumari.com/post/halloweensie-2021
💖💖👻👻 So clever!!
Thank you Hannah! 💖
LOVE this! Such a fun voice and excellent word choices throughout.
Yeayy, happy to hear that. Thank you! 💖
Such fun word choices!
Thank you! 💖
Such a unique and clever story, Rozana!!! ❤
Thank you Melissa-Jane, happy you liked it! 💖
So cute and clever. Love Boo-tube, ghoul and unghoul. so fun! Nice job!
I’m glad you liked it! Thank you! 💖
Way to go! Completely novel and so well executed! 🧡🧡🧡🎃
Aww, thank you for your wonderful comment, happy you liked it. 💖
Loved the puns embedded in your story of sibling rivalry – and love
SANTA’S HALLOWEEN
By Jen MacGregor
98 words
https://www.jenmacgregor.ca/halloweensie-2021.html
‘Tis Halloween evening, and up at the pole
ol’ Santa sneaks into his sleigh, with one goal.
“I know it’s not Christmas but I need a snack!
I’ll gather some goodies and—WHOOSH—I’ll be back.”
“Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and—YIKES!
I didn’t expect to see skulls stuck on spikes!”
“Monsterly mayhem and ghouls on the streets?
Galloping goosebumps! Now where are the treats?”
But glow-in-the-dark decorations galore
shock Rudolph so much that he’s shook to his core.
“My poor little reindeer have had such a fright.
We’re outta this town—good riddance, good night!”
I love that you brought Santa to Halloween. Of course the reindeer are frightened. This is so cute and clever.
Thanks so much!
There’s another story posted where a witch is playing Santa…this is the perfect mashup in reverse! Santa of course is all about the snacks–not so much the scare and you conveyed the shock he and his team experienced so well! Marvelous, Jen!
I appreciate it, Jill!
Great story, had me reading to the end wondering what Santa might do hanging out on Halloween. Love when the story is a mash up of 2 different holidays, and yours comes together perfectly well. Good luck!
Thanks for your support, Katie!
Such a clever take on the ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas rhythm! I enjoyed reading your poem from beginning to end!
Thanks Michelle!
“Galloping goosebumps!” That is great!!! 😀
Thank you!
Can’t believe mine was not the only ‘Tis 😂😂 I suppose you are a little closer to the North Pole than me. Merry Halloween! 🎄 👻
Haha, Merry Halloween!
Love the creativity in this entry Jen!
Thank you so much!
Funny! This is delightful and unexpected. I enjoyed it.
Thank you!
Very fun, love it! Love, galloping goosebumps. Good luck!
I appreciate your support!
LOL! Love this!
Thank you so much!
Fantastic! Your mashup is fabulous! 🧡🎃🧡🎄🧡
Thank you!! 🙂
LOL – So funny to think of Santa being shocked and horrified by all of the Halloween ghoulishness – Very clever!
MY SCARIEST HALLOWEEN NIGHT
By Les Degnan
96 words
“Follow the crow through the deep, dark wood,
Past eyes that glow-in-the-dark.”
“Witches cackle their Halloween spell,
Through trees, gnarly and stark.”
“I want to go home! This is creepy.”
“Goosebumps give me a chill.”
“I’d rather be bobbing for apples.”
“Hayrides are my Halloween thrill.”
“Shhhh!” says my brother. “Don’t wake him.”
“The green, ghoulish, wart-covered imp!”
“Who?” I croak, clutching my goodies.
“Who-who!” answers owl. I go limp.
“Look!” shouts my brother. “We made it!”
“To the center with pumpkins alight!”
I circle the edge of the corn maze.
On my scariest Halloween Night!
Woah, sounds like a corn maze I’d like to get lost in, lol! Great descriptions and language, fun to read!
I loved this! Great rhyming and description it flowed so well.
I love the first line! Fun rhyme.
Nice creepy details throughout! I am not a fan of corn mazes (unless they’re the sort made for toddlers and preschoolers), so I relate to your narrator. 🙂
Nicely done. Just the right amount of creepiness. Good luck!
Nice and spooky! Happy about the happy ending!🎃
Those first two stanzas set up the spookiness of this creepy maze so well.
Dorothy Kohrherr Word Count: 99
224 Federal Point Blvd
Lawrenceville, NJ. 08648
609-882-2799
dorothykohrherr@aol.com
Winnie Trick-or-Treats
Dorothy K. Kohrherr
Winnie, the witch, went Halloween trick-or-treating. She wore her glow-in-dark hat
and carried a goodie bag. She hoped the neighbors would fill her bag with eyes of a newt
and frog toes, not candy. Candy was dangerous. Just like water, it had the power to harm
witches.
Being a kid, Winnie ate the collected candy. Immediately, she was covered with
goosebumps and YIKES! turned into a “normal” girl. She knew she had to break the candy’s
spell. So, Winnie wiggled her nose, chanted wackadoodle, wackadoodle, and waved her magic
wand, to once again, become the neighborhood’s favorite little witch.
It’s hard work to remain the neighborhood’s favorite little witch. I’m glad Winnie succeeded.
Love, “wackadoodle, wackadoodle.” Glad Winnie was able to change herself back from “normal.” Good luck!
My favorite spell…”wackadoodle”! Funny! 🎃
I hope Winnie learned her lesson about eating candy – Such a cute story:-)
I love the wackadoodle chant! This has a lot of kid appeal. 😀 Great job.
Camping Surprise
By: Meredith Flory (Twitter: @meredithflory)
Word Count: 100
October camping promised spooky frights and cozy nights.
Annie and Leah listened to fireside ghost stories with goosebumps.
“It was you!” Leah’s Dad shouted, causing silly shrieks.
Everyone finished their toasted goodies and yawned as the embers died.
“No sleeping yet,” said Annie’s big sister, “the show hasn’t started.”
“The show?” Annie asked.
“Lay down and let your eyes adjust, you’ll see.”
The girls settled in as the purple sky filled with glow-in-the-dark points: the haze of the Milky Way, shining planets, A SHOOTING STAR!
“Leah, did you make a wish?”
“I already got it Annie.”
They had goosebumps again.
Nice camping memories!
You evoked that camping feeling perfectly! 🎃
Telling ghost stories around the campfire and spotting shooting stars – Your words created such vivid images:-)
“The girls settled in as the purple sky filled with glow-in-the-dark points: the haze of the Milky Way, shining planets, A SHOOTING STAR!” Beautiful imagery!
Halloween Hunt
By Mary Ann Featherston
95 words
“Purr! Purr! Purr!” said Maxine, excited for the Halloween party.
Goosebumps popped out along her black, tail.
She put a snazzy, red cowgirl hat on her head.
She tied a red bandana around her neck.
Where were her cowgirl boots?
Maxine couldn’t be a cowgirl without boots!
Her glow-in-the-dark eyes scanned the closet.
She rummaged through the toy box.
Maxine peeped under the bed.
No boots!
Where did she last wear them?
She creeped to her desk and looked beneath.
Her boots! Goody!
Maxine slipped them on her paws and scampered off to the party.
A kitty cowgirl, wow! Fun story!
Thank you Nancy.
I can imagine many little girls would love a story about a kitty cowgirl! 🎃
Thank you! I appreciate your comment.
Piece-by-piece I saw this black cat transforming into a cowgirl – Your words really supported that imagery.
Thank you so much!
ENTRY POSTED FOR KATHY SCOTT
The Glow-in-the-Dark Bowl
The glow-in-the-dark bowl sat on the counter.
Hungry, on Halloween night, Kitty stalked to the kitchen.
He stretched up to reach the goodies, but no luck.
He hopped on a chair and walked across the stove.
The pots clanged frightening him with goosebumps.
His yellow fur stood straight up.
Slipping, Kitty knocked the glow-in-the-dark bowl to the floor.
The goodies scattered.
The kitchen door opened.
“Eek!” said the girl. “Bad Kitty!”
The girl picked up Kitty and went to bed.
In the morning the glow-in-the-dark bowl sat on the counter.
Ooh, creepy! Love the twist at the end. Nice job!
Fun ending! 🎃
I can just picture that yellow kitty stalking and stretching and hopping around – Loved that creepy ending!
ENTRY POSTED FOR CARMEN
Carmen Castillo Gilbert, PhD
cacegi@comcast.net
THE HAUNTED HOUSE
(word count: 96)
Trick-or-treating is tonight,
Follow me, I have a light.
Goodies, ghouls, and so much more.
Come on, friends, let’s go explore.
All together in the house.
Walk this way. Oh, no! A mouse!
Goosebumps up and down our spines.
Please, please, please just stay in line.
Duck down quick, a witch’s broom,
Up ahead, it’s doom and gloom.
Scary ghosts glow-in-the dark!
Will they touch us? Leave a mark?
Grab some candy from our hosts.
It’s the best from coast to coast.
Out the door, our tour is done.
Now it’s time to run, run, run!
This is a fun poem, Carmen!
Cute poem-story, Carmen!
I can see kids acting this out as they pretend to go through a haunted house on Halloween! Well done, Carmen!
Very cute! Great rhyme. Sounds like my friend’s haunted house. Good luck!
Lilting and fun to read out loud! 🎃
Love this idea of a guided tour through a haunted house:-)
I love your poem!!
Once Upon a Halloween
100 words (exactly!!)
A Devilish tale of a princess warewolf and her delicious prince.
A prince riding past an abandoned cabin in the Forrest, peered through the window.
In the moonlight, he made out the shadowy figure of a maiden chained to the floor.
Grabbing an axe he broke in and searched hopelessly for the key. The maiden tried to make him leave.
As the moonlight illuminated the floor, he grabbed the key and rushed to unlock her.
As he did so, goosebumps grew down his neck. Glow-in-the-dark eyes glared and two white fangs, glistened in the light.
Goody said the wolf licking his lips…
Unfortunately, this fairytale did not have a happy ending.
Yikes! Scary!
Oh no! A Halloween tragedy! 🎃
It was a happy ending from the wolf’s perspective…
A Witchy Potion
By: Susan Summers
WC: 95
Great green gobs of granulated gerbil toes,
goodies ground with chocolate goo,
and a pile of monkey poo.
Stir and swirl –
into a glowing witchy brew,
just for Halloween.
Last year’s potion wasn’t gloppy, didn’t stick.
Needed lots more oomph and ick –
so that kids would leave right quick!
This one here –
has the stuff to do the trick.
Bring on Halloween!
Add some goosebumps from a little scaredy-cat,
with a toasted toady tail,
scoop a bunch into the pail.
Grab my broom –
up into the air, I sail.
Happy Halloween!
You took me right back to my camp song days! What a fun and gruesome Halloween take on it, Susan! Well done and hilarious!
You had me hooked with the first line! So much fun to read!!!
So descriptive, I can almost smell it! And it doesn’t smell very good, ha, ha – perfect for a ‘witchy potion’! Great job!
I think Witch got the potion just right this year!
Eww what a creepy brew! Good luck!
Love the ingredients!
I sang the whole thing! Very fun! 🎃
What a concoction! One of my favorite ingredients was the “Great green gobs of granulated gerbil toes.”
A Giant Surprise
By: Susan Summers
WC: 99
“You stole my goodies!” Glen grimaced. “I want my candy back!”
He jammed a gob of gum into his mouth.
Slurps and pops grew as he chewed.
The giant sniffed, “Gooseberry gum!”
Glen grabbed the gum and threw it, “ha, right up his nose!”
He raced for his candy.
“I’ve done it!”
Glen was gleeful, running away with his goodies, until — the giant sneezed.
Goosebumps rose on his skin, “oh no…”
Gallons of snot rained down.
“It glows-in-the-dark! ” Glen gasped.
“What an awesome Halloween surprise!”
Glen laughed, “you can keep the candy – I don’t want to eat it now!”
This story is action-packed and such a creative take on the prompt. Awesome!
This one made me laugh at the end! I bet the giant won’t try that again! LOL
Glen vs the Giant! Both got what they wanted in the end, I love a happy-ending Halloween story! Love your last line, wrapped things up perfectly. Great job!
Great job – love the play on words in the title. Good luck Susan!
Hahaha! I wouldn’t want to eat it either. Very fun and just a tad gross. I like it!
That was fun, I never knew what to expect next! 🎃
Kids will just love the awesome ickiness of what happens when the giant sneezes:-)
Hollow- Eeek!
By Karen Keesling
WC: 97
Down a deep dark street, decorations and 1 pumpkin despair as … THEY come!
5 Terrified tarantulas tremble to their toes.
5 Courageous kids creep, clearing out cobwebs.
4 Whimpering witches cackle in fear.
4 Crafty costumes curse cauldrons with no goodies.
3 Startled skeletons grow ghastly goosebumps on their bones.
3 Twisted toilet paper rolls turn skeletons into mummies.
2 Glow-in-the-dark ghosts silently scream.
2 Flickering flashlights frighten phantoms to flee.
1 Petrified pumpkin pouts.
What’s that? Oh no…
Eeeek!!!
It watches in horror as:
1 Cheery child carves into 1 petrified pumpkin.
Its insides turn to mush.
This is delightful, Karen! Love the counting element and the back-and-forth with the scary creatures and creative kids.
Very clever. Lots of fun images for Halloween. Nice job!
Going back and forth, a fun idea! 🎃
Your words made it so easy to picture the kids out doing these Halloween tricks. I especially liked the “Twisted toilet paper rolls turn skeletons into mummies” . . . and, of course, the petrifying ending:-)
Once Upon a Halloween
By Nadia Ali
WC94
Once upon a Halloween,
Hansel and Gretel did trick and treat.
Searching for beloved candy,
until they heard a familiar voice.
The cackle of the Witch from the Gingerbread House.
Gretel got goosebumps and dropped all her goodies,
which alerted the Witch,
“Oh, it’s you my pretty,”
Hansel clicked full glare on his glow-in-the-dark costume.
And though the Witch shielded her eyes, the neon light proved too much.
And down, down into a shimmering puddle she melted on the street.
Splish, splash, splosh.
Children gathered and cheered, “do it again!”
Once upon a Halloween.
Ooooh, a creepy ending for Witch! I like the title very much as well as the fun Halloween details.
Oh my, splashing in the melted witch. Creepy!
I loved the melting witch and especially the final line. 🎃
What a clever story of how Hansel and Gretel got their revenge
Halloween Battle: (Vampire) Squid vs. (Goblin) Shark
By Laura Bower
99 words
The vampire squid vs. the great goblin shark –
a Halloween battle deep down in the dark.
The first round is goodies. Squid hands out his fudge.
“It’s sea-salted goodness,” but YOU be the judge.
The shark shares his taffy (the salt water kind).
A sea creature hit! Squid is falling behind.
Up next? Decorations. Shark scares with winged bats.
But Squid causes goosebumps with ghoulish black cats.
It’s time for Round Three. The shark’s dog costume barks.
But Squid’s scary skeleton glows-in-the-dark.
The Halloween champion? It’s a close call.
They both win first place at the Sea-a-ween ball.
So creative and fun! I could see this a picture book with fun facts about each creature in the end matter.
Thank you so much! It was fun researching the vampire squid and goblin shark!
This is so creative and delightful! I love the Halloween competition and the unusual main characters.
Thank you so much Sarah!
So cute! I love this entry! But I am partial to sea stories. 🙂 Good luck, Laura!
Thank you so much Bonnie! Can’t wait to read Nudi Gill 🙂
Awww, thanks, Laura! 🙂
This is so much fun! Love the sea twist!
Thanks so much Marta!
Sea-a-ween — so clever! Kids will love the under-the-sea and competition themes. Fun to read!
Thank you! I appreciate it!
very fun. Love the rhyme . Love the competition until the very end. Nice job!
Thank you Nancy!
Very picturesque and full of fun! 🎃
Thanks Ingrid!!
You created such light-hearted, playful tone in spite of the intensity of the face-off between squid and shark – What a fun story
Thank you Patricia!
This one might just be my favorite! Great Job!
Aww, thank you Deborah! Appreciate it!
Happy, Happy Halloween
by Claire Freeland
WC 100
Spooky ghosts and scary witches,
Frankenstein with icky stitches.
I get scared and shrink with fright
At the Jack-o-lantern’s light.
Spooky, spooky Halloween
Creepy spiders and weird black bats,
Haunted houses, screechy cats.
Goosebumps rise from head to toe.
Do you mind if I don’t go?
Creepy, creepy Halloween
Itchy costumes and eerie faces,
Glow-in-the-dark, freaky places.
It seems that I just wasn’t meant
For this trick or treat event.
Scary, scary Halloween
Crackling fires and cozy dens,
Yummy goodies with my friends.
Silly games and fun-filled play.
That’s how I like this holiday.
Happy, happy Halloween
I love the rhyme! Very Halloweensie.
Sweet! I feel the same way about liking the cozy parts of Halloween.
Very clever, I can see this as a picture book! Nice job!
You and me both! 😂 Love it! 🧡🎃🧡!
As a kindergarten teacher, I knew many a child who much preferred the cuddly, cozy side of Halloween. I loved how the first three spooky, creepy, scary verses of your poem set the stage for the comforts of that warm and fuzzy ending.
So cute Claire! Love it!
ENTRY POSTED FOR NINA
MR. O’LEARY’S HOUSE (97 words)
by Nina Nolan
Mr. O’Leary’s house is always creepy. But on Halloween, it’s downright scary.
Mangled monsters on the steps. Glow-in-the-dark skeletons at the door. Haunted music spilling onto the street. Dying to be heard.
I tell myself he’s just an old guy having fun. What can go wrong?
But when Mr. O’Leary drops my favorite candy in my goody bag…
his hand passes right through mine.
I get goosebumps.
All over.
Then I think, if the only thing ghosts do is give us our favorite candy…
then they aren’t actually scary.
And somehow, the rest of it isn’t either.
Oooh, this one ended unexpectedly, and I like it. Creepy and fun.
Creepy, but not too creepy. I like it! Nice job!
Mr. O’Leary reminds me of the threatening neighbor in “Home Alone,” who turns out to be a nice guy in the end. I loved the ending of your story as this young treat-or-treater developed a philosophy and an outllook that could apply to a lot of things in life.
Ooh! You got me! Now I feel bad for poor misunderstood Mr. O’Leary! 🎃
ENTRY POSTED FOR LYNN
Phantom Festival
Lynn Moore
WC 100
It was a dark and stormy Halloween as geese dressed up for the Phantom Festival.
Jack-o-lanterns glowed-in-the-dark lighting the passageway through Spooky Hollow Swamp.
Everyone feared the haunted swamp.
Except Gary Gander. “Honk-a-honk!” He laughed at ghostly tales.
The wind whistled a ghoulish oooooooo! The Jack-o-lanterns fizzled and sputtered out.
An eerie darkness descended.
“We’ll miss the festival goodies!” cried the geese.
“Goose to the rescue!” Gary splashed beak-first into the swamp.
Gary Gander the goose bumps his head on a boulder.
“Nooooooooo…”
As Gary Gander fades, Jack-o-lanterns flickered on again.
His ghost winks ironically, “I didn’t see that coming.”
“I didn’t see that coming,” best line. He tried to be brave. Very cute.
Another tragic ending, very Halloweeny! 🎃
Oh, Gary – Diving head first into things gets a lot of us into trouble! I liked that Gary could laugh and wink at his tragic demise.
Such a tragic ending – but I love it!
The Surprise Halloween Friend
By Cindy Greene
Word Count: 98
It was Halloween night, Chase was crossing the park,
In the trees he saw something that glowed-in-the-dark.
Chase was quaking, with goosebumps; he grabbed a big stick,
When a ghost yelled, “Don’t hit me – this isn’t a trick!
I am not a piñata – no goodies inside,
But I’ve got a good heart, so don’t run and don’t hide.
I am lonely and wonder, Could you be my friend?
I know that’s direct – hope that didn’t offend.”
Of course Chase said “YES!” as the ghost was so sweet.
And together they went for their first “trick or treat.”
Aw! Sweet as candy!
Aw, very cute! I’m glad he befriended the ghost! Nice job.
This is wonderful! Poor lonely ghost just wanted a friend! 🧡🎃🧡
Such a nice friend story. Even though the ghost didn’t mean it as a joke, I did have to smile a bit when he said, “I am not a piñata.”
Awww!
Goosebumps
By Amy Flynn
WC = 100
The note read:
When smiles glow-in-the-darkest of nights
Swing by my house for the scariest fright.
Sure, I thought, it IS Halloween.
I trick-or-treated until my goodie bag dragged, stopping when the jack-o-lantern smirks shined.
I walked the winding driveway,
climbed the rickety steps,
and Bang, BANGED the knocker.
The door CREEEEKKED open revealing a beast of a man.
“SCARIEST FRIGHT?” he boomed.
I nodded, trembling.
Reaching behind the door he pulled out . . .
A goose.
A goose?
He thump, thumped its body against me.
“I gave you goosebumps, ha ha ha.”
The note was right. Lame jokes are truly frightful.
LOL! So true! This is a lot of fun, Amy.
Love this word play Amy- so creative. Well done!
Very cute. Love the last line. Good luck!
Boo! 😂🎃! That was a wonderfully bad joke!
All that spooky scariness ends in a corny joke – what a great twist:-)
Haha!! Such a dad joke! Love it!
Amy, Oh my lame jokes are so frightful makes me think of dad jokes. Love your imagery!
Ninja Goose and the Halloween Hi-Yah! by Deborah Foster
95 words
Ninja Goose was having a ball at Fairy Tale Acres’ Halloween Bash.
After the pumpkin carving contest, playing corn hole, and finding the Hobgoblin in the haystack, her bag overflowed with goodies.
Only the Haunted Corn Maze remained.
“Are you chicken?” a pointy-eared sheep asked.
“Never,” replied Ninja Goose.
Left.
Left.
Right.
Dead End – turn around.
But then, through the stalks, came a pair of red glow-in-the-dark eyes.
Ninja Goose shivered with goosey goosebumps.
“Wh-Wh-Who’s there?”
“Give me your candy!”
“Sheep? Is that you?”
“GRRRR.”
” HONK! HI-YAH!”
“Owwwwwww!”
“No one steals goodies from Ninja Goose!”
_________________________________
If you have time to check out the story on my blog you can find it here: https://deborahfosterbooks.com/2021/10/29/time-for-a-spooky-season-story/
I had a newfound friend create a cute illustration to go with the story – Thank you Anna!
So cute! Love the premise of a Ninja Goose. Hi-Yah!
Haha! Love it! Good luck!
Never tangle with a goose, on Halloween or any other night. Fun story! 🎃
Hahaha – I loved the last line:-)
I love the HONK; Hi-yah! I’ll have to try that sometime. What a fun story. I love it.
Very cute! Who doesn’t love a ninja goose with goosey goosebumps?!
TRICKY TREAT
(100 words)
by Patricia Nozell
Candy Floss. Taffy. Jaw Breakers. Halloween goodies galore!
Goosebumps erupted like molars as Terry Tooth Fairy pictured heaps of teeth tucked under pillows. “NOOOO!!!”
Terry’s Thanksgiving CANCELLED!
Unless…
She hired help! But…
Sugar Plum Fairy – rehearsing.
Elves – testing toys.
Delivery services – booked for Cyber Monday.
She could…
Divert sweet Halloween treats. But…
What if, like gummy worms, some slip-slid through piled-up ports?
Perhaps a virus-caused cancellation. Unless…
The Result? Mere mask mandates.
“Doomed,” Terry fumed.
Until…
Glow-in-the-dark toothbrushes on dental-floss garlands lured Trick-or-Treaters. Terry tossed bubblegum-flavored toothpaste towards costumed marauders, as visions of drumsticks danced through her head.
“Tricky treat!”
Blog post: https://patricianozell.com/2021/10/29/tricky-treat/
Very clever! I like how you combined two holidays and love Terry’s smart thinking to save her Thanksgiving!
Halloween must be every tooth fairy’s nightmare. Very clever story. Nice job!
That’s a fun point of view! 🎃
You so seamlessly wove contemporary features, such as “Delivery services – booked for Cyber Monday” and “Perhaps a virus-caused cancellation” into your story. I smiled even more as I came across those little verbal treats:-)
So glad that Terry found a way to enjoy Halloween and save the teeth!
This is hilarious, Patricia! Love it! Good luck!
Thanks Jilanne!
A HALLOWEEN SNACK
by Debra Daugherty
100 Words
Lacie squirmed to fit into her skeletal glow-in-the-dark costume. She turned off her bedroom lights and stared at her reflection in the mirror.
“I’m so scary, I gave myself goosebumps. I’m sure to bag lots of goodies when I go trick-or-treating.”
At the window she heard a knock. When she spied a neon green creature peeking in, she fainted.
“I didn’t mean to scare her,” the alien told his mother.
“It’s okay, son. We couldn’t eat that human anyway. She’s nothing but bones.”
“Look! A witch and a dinosaur are headed this way! Let’s snack on them!”
CRUNCH! MUNCH! BURP!
This is great!
Thank you!
Cute! I love the alien appearance!
Love this its very funny!
Thanks, Natalie.
LOL! Her costume saved her and she didn’t even know it. Brilliant! –Melisa Wrex @mowrex (Twitter)
Thank you.
“She’s nothing but bones.” That made me laugh.
I’m so glad you liked it.
Oh no! Aliens on Halloween. Very fun. Good job!
Thank you.
Nice twist! 🎃
Lucky for Lacie that aliens don’t like to eat bones. I had to smile when Lacie said, ” ‘I’m so scary, I gave myself goosebumps.’ ” It’s so cute when kids admire themselves in their costumes.
Haha! So funny!
Escaping Planet Taradiddle
By: Colleen Dougherty 100 words
“Psst! Human!”
“Cool costume! Love the neon green unitard. The texture up your arms looks like goosebumps!”
“That’s my skin!”
“Your skin? Who are you?”
“I am Goody from Planet Taradiddle. I have to hide! People from my planet are looking for me. We work day and night on my planet! I won’t go back!”
“Come trick-or-treating with me. You’ll blend right in.”
“Trick-or-treating?”
“Every Halloween we wear costumes, knock on doors, and get candy! It’s a blast!”
“Really? I love your planet!”
“Umm…we better tie my jacket around your waist.”
“Okay, but why?”
“Your butt glows-in-the-dark.”
“Yours doesn’t?”
Love the ending its very funny!
Thank you!
haha – love the surprise “ending!”
Haha! Thanks!
This is so much fun Colleen- I’d like to see what his glowing butt looks like! Maybe he could help Rudolph light up Santa’s sleigh!
Haha! Great idea! Thanks, Liz:) Always appreciate you!
Haha! Love the last line. Nice job.
Thanks, Nancy!
Oh yes, kids would love that “end”. 🎃
HaHa! Thank you!
Such great dialogue:-) One of my favorite sections was, “ ‘Cool costume! Love the neon green unitard. The texture up your arms looks like goosebumps!” “That’s my skin!’ ”
Thanks, Patricia! I appreciate your kind words:)
Haha! Love the twist at the end!
Thank you!
First Halloween Treat
by Natalie Cohn
word count: 99
Curious, Ester, the alley cat, prowls the streets on his first Halloween.
He didn’t know what to expect.
At every corner haunting creatures stir, causing goosebumps to prickle up Ester’s skin.
Watch out!
A glow-in-the-dark skeleton, a ghost, and a mummy loom.
He springs in the air dodging buckets full of goodies.
Ester wonders what’s so special about Halloween?
Then he sees two beady eyes and sniffs the air.
With a pounce and a slurp, he enjoys his Halloween snack.
Later, Ester curls up to sleep.
Dreaming of what other meaty treats he could find next Halloween.
Love the visuals. We both wrote about a Halloween snack. Great minds think alike.
Thank you!
I feel a little sorry for the mouse that was Ester’s snack! Nice job setting the mood.
First Halloween would be confusing. Ester had a happy ending…not so much his snack! 🎃
Your word choices made it so easy to create a mental image of Ester prowling and pouncing on a spooky Halloween night.
My Last Trick-or-Treat
by: Reed Hilton-Eddy, 100 words
It was the biggest house, once showy now spooky and scary with oodles of stairs that led to
darkness; but this was my last Halloween.
Leaves crunched and the wind cried.
Alone except for goodies bumping in my bag.
Ahead, a glow-in-the-dark hand on a curtain at the window. A ghost? A ghoul? Goosebumps form.
Shadows surround me.
At the top a door – large and looming.
Knock, Knock.
CRRREEEEEEK.
A hand materializes from the darkness behind the door.
PLUNK.
I look in my bag.
I am filled with horror.
Looking back at me, one small box of … RAISINS!
Blog post: https://reedandnicolebooks.ca/news/
Great idea!
Haha! At least you know it was raisins. Better than oatmeal-raisin cookies where the raisins are masquerading as chocolate chips! LOL! Nice job!
Oh! The horror! 🤣🎃
Hahaha – I didn’t see those horrifying raisins coming!
Glowing Ghost (99 words)
By Lauri C. Meyers
Jayden grabbed his ghostly sheet
And texted:
Time to trick-or-treat!
Friends said:
Let’s wait…
Meet at eight!
His GOOSEBUMPS pricked. It’s dark that late.
An idea struck, bring glowsticks to share!
He wrapped the bracelets everywhere.
He stepped outside; still too dim.
A bright solution came to him.
Headlamp on, ten flashlights to haul,
Blinking lights, and a disco ball!
“But my friends might know I’m full of fright…
Wait! This costume hides my lights!”
“GOODIE time!” he called. “Let’s go!”
“You GLOW-IN-THE-DARK!”
Oh no. They know.
“I forgot my light.”
“Me too.”
“Me three.”
“Don’t be scared…You’ve got me!”
This is so cute. Really captures the feeling for kids who are old enough to go trick-or-treating without parents but find it a bit too spooky and having the light-up costume is a great idea.
I really like your story. It reminds me when I was a kid and we wait until its dark outside to trick or treat but it made it spookier. Now because of the time change has changed i’ s light outside until 7:00 so most trick-or-treaters are done trick-or-treating except those older kids. It had great flow!
Very cute. I can see this as a holiday picture book. Good job!
You and I thought along the same track! I like where your story ended! 🎃
Hahaha – Jayden to the rescue. How great that his fears transformed into something positive.
Very Cute!
I can just picture this glow-in-the-dark ghostie and friends. Great solution to keep away those scary shadows! Good luck!
hALLYween SPELL
by Paul Roncone
100 words
The witch’s house.
Noah can tell.
Ignoring his goosebumps, he rings the bell.
Trick-or-treaters?
She opens the door,
But goodies aren’t what he’s looking for.
“I need your help.”
Come in. Come in.
“I need a spell―change me within.”
I know something just for you.
Her cauldron fills with boiling brew.
Red candy apples,
Orange pumpkin grime
Yellow dried corn,
Green swampy slime
Blue ogre goo,
Purple unicorn hair . . .
KERPOOF!
Rainbows erupt everywhere!
Noah glows-in-the-dark.
The witch explains:
Spells can’t help.
Use your heart and brains.
Monsters are mean;
trolls are untrue.
Love whom you love
and always be you!
Welp, my formatting went right out the window. Haha. Hope you enjoyed anyway. 🙂
Love the message of your story! And great visuals (rainbow explosion!)
LOVE IT, Paul! Great message and love all the spell ingredients, particularly purple unicorn hair.
Blog comments are not exactly format-friendly, are they?? No matter the form–we get the message, and it’s lovely. –Melisa Wrex @mowrex (Twitter)
Sweet message. Love the ending. Nice job!
The recipe is lots of fun! 🎃
Yep, “monsters are mean; trolls are untrue.” Sounds like haters gonna hate, so keep on shaking, Noah, and keep that lovely ending message in your head, “Love whom you love
and always be you!”
Love it!!! This should be a picture book!
Halloween Love
by Marla Yablon
83 words
Pumpkins on porches and bags full of goodies
Sweaters and jackets and skeleton hoodies
Glow-in-the-dark eyes and hair that is green
These are the reasons I love Halloween.
Goosebumps from horror movies that are so scary
Black cats and spiders with legs that are hairy
Screams out of darkness from creatures unseen
These are the reasons I love Halloween.
When the leaves fall
When the frost bites
Bees stay in the hive.
Halloween whispers the
End of warm nights,
And that’s when I feel alive!
So clever, the Halloween version of My Favorite Things!
My son and I just sang this five times in a row- he loved it! Great job with the rhymes and love the spin on My Favorite things!
Excellent!
I sang this one, for sure! Great stuff! –Melisa Wrex @mowrex (Twitter)
Love it! Great job with My Favorite Things. Good luck!
I’m singing!
We parodied the exact same song lol! Well done! 🎃🧡
Sounds like a new Halloween classic to me – I enjoyed reading/singing your poem:-)
COCKROACH’S GLOWING PROBLEM https://lorihimmel.com/blog/
COCKROACH’S GLOWING PROBLEM
By Lori Himmel
100 words
Cockroach bumped his glow-in-the dark carapace on a log.
OOCH! OUCH!
SHAKE!
WRIGGLE!
FLICK!
“No light! Can’t mimic Click Beetle! I’ll be eaten for sure. And on Halloween!”
“Bioluminescence burn out?” asked Firefly.
“No glow? Not safe!” said Railroad Worm, emitting colorful lights.
“Copycat,” grumbled Click Beetle.
Cockroach skittered to the entomologist.
“Golly, goosebumps! Bad case indeed.”
“OH, dread! Will I ever light up the night again, Doc? What’s the cure?”
“Take two bacteria-filled gummies to restore your glow.”
“Goodie gumdrops!”
Then,
FLICK!
Cockroach glowed as yellow as the full moon.
“Finally safe from predators! Let’s trick-or-treat, Click Beetle!”
“Copycat.”
COCKROACH’S GLOWING PROBLEM
By Lori Himmel
100 words
Cockroach bumped his glow-in-the dark carapace on a log.
OOCH! OUCH!
SHAKE!
WRIGGLE!
FLICK!
“No light! Can’t mimic Click Beetle! I’ll be eaten for sure. And on Halloween!”
“Bioluminescence burnout?” asked Firefly.
“No glow? Not safe!” said Railroad Worm, emitting colorful lights.
“Copycat,” grumbled Click Beetle.
Cockroach skittered to the entomologist.
“Golly, goosebumps! Bad case indeed.”
“OH, dread! Will I ever light up the night again, Doc? What’s the cure?”
“Take two bacteria-filled gummies to restore your glow.”
“Goodie gumdrops!”
Then,
FLICK!
Cockroach glowed as yellow as the full moon.
“Finally safe from predators! Let’s trick-or-treat, Click Beetle!”
“Copycat.”
Best line, “Goodie gumdrops!” Love how you worked in the bug biology. Good job!
Thank you, Nancy! This is such a fun contest!
Lots of clever layers to this one, great job! 🎃
Loved it when “cockroach skittered to the entomologist” and all of the other buggy biology treats you sprinkled throughout your story:-)
Scaredy-Cat-Pat and the Haunted House
By Sara Dean
(100 words)
Lights glowed-in-the-dark. A werewolf howled. Patty, or “Scaredy-Cat-Pat” as the other kids called her, got goosebumps and turned around to leave. Two boys were behind her, pushing toward the door of the haunted house. They pushed Patty with them, right inside!
She froze. Then she heard something. A girl was crying! “Are you okay?” Patty asked.
“I’m scared,” the girl said.
Patty took a deep breath. “Let’s do this together,” she said, and led the way, getting scared only twice, to the goodies waiting at the exit.
“You’re so brave!” the girl said.
Patty smiled. No more “Scaredy-Cat-Pat” for her!
I’m glad Patty found her courage and helped out along the way. Nice story!
Hi Sara! I read your cute story and decided to write to you on Facebook, but I don’t see you there anymore. I hope all is well! Unless I have the wrong Sara Dean. In that case, ignore my ramblings! 🙂 🙂 🙂
I can’t blame them Haunted houses are only fun if you are doing the haunting!🎃
Hard things always seem easier when you have somebody struggling right along with you. Glad these two girls found support in each other . . . and I love the story title:-)
Let the Real Halloween Begin!
by Lori Evans
(word count 100)
I sag into my old porch swing,
the end of a long trick-or-treat.
The springs speak: skreak, squeak.
Mists cling.
Little ghouls giggle and homeward sneak.
What is that thing?
A ghostly outline glows in the dark,
flitting about, furtive, hiding,
past the neighbors’, through my gate, sliding.
Eyes empty, stark.
A wail ascends, groaning, subsiding.
Gaze resting long upon its mark.
I grimly grip my goodie bowl, goosebumps rising on my skin.
“A-a-all I’ve got left is gummi bugs.”
The figure shrugs
and reaches in.
With ghastly hand it grabs a bag,
Then glides off with a gleeful grin.
————————-
If you’d like to check out my story on Medium with art by my daughter:
https://lori-c-evans.medium.com/let-the-real-halloween-begin-228054e8cfff
Love your word choices and your daughter’s artwork is beautiful!
Thank you so much!
I love that your story creeps me out and makes me laugh all at the same time! And your daughter’s artwork is adorable ❤
Thanks a bunch!
Just the right amount of spookiness! Great lyrical quality. Very nice!
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it!
Real Halloween, real spooky! 🎃
Lots of creepy tension in this, especially with that ghostly outline hiding and sliding, and wailing and moaning.
I love your lyrical language (“Mists cling” is my fave) and how the tension rises (like the mist!).
Ixchel’s Belizean Halloween
Word count: 100
By Blanca Manzanilla
“Glow-in-the-dark skeletons and chocolate goodies I wish,” says Ixchel as she rereads an old copy of Goosebumps.
For Ixchel, Halloween is different. Pa and his friends dress up using banana leaves and animal face masks.
There is no electricity, but they carry music and dance at every house in her village.
In return, they get all kinds of local food and dessert treats.
Ixchel always guesses who her Pa is, after all, she’s the one who taught him how to dance.
At midnight, it’s time for the TATA DUENDE folklore – a short old man with backward feet and no thumbs.
Wow, I love the peek into a different culture and holiday. Thanks so much for sharing with us!
Very intriguing! Love learning about different cultures. 🎃
What a nice window into the Halloween of Ixchel in Belize – I enjoyed reading and learning.
EMY IS ALWAYS RIGHT — Katharyn R. Benessa
(100 words)
“Daddy, Why are you putting tape on my costume? I don’t like it.”
“You can’t really see the tape, Emy, but at night it glows in the dark to keep you safe.”
“Glows? Like a ghost? Now I’m a glow-in-the-dark ghostly mermaid?…hmmm…I like it! I’m ready for goodie-ness.”
“Not goodie-ness, Emy. You’re confusing goodness with goodies.”
“No, I’m not. I’m ready, for goodie-ness sake.”
“Okay! Get your jacket so you don’t get cold.”
“So I don’t get ghostbumps, right, Daddy?”
“Goosebumps, Emy.”
“No, Daddy, it’s Halloween. They’re ghostbumps.”
“I can’t argue with you, Emy.”
“Because I’m always right.”
This is really cute! I can see this disagreement in my mind and of course Emy is always right. I can relate to this because I’ve had several disagreements with my kids but in the end I just let it go because of course they know best.
haha- very relatable! Ghostbumps is so cute!
So cute! you’ve captured the little girl spirit perfectly. Nice job and good luck!
This could be an actual conversation with a youngster! 🤣🎃
Awww, what an endearing dialogue between a father and his daughter, AND I loved that clever twist you created changing goosebumps to Halloween ghostbumps:-)
I love Emy’s relationship with her father, her voice, and it’s all done with dialogue. Nice job!
ENTRY POSTED FOR ANN
TRICKY TREAT
by Ann Grilli
Word count: 99
Annie.wonderband@gmail.com
Emma the lightning bug flew to the park.
She sat all alone and glowed in the dark.
Her wings became frosty and brittle and weak.
Where were her friends? A tear hit her cheek.
A spider beside her asked for a light.
“It’s dark and it’s cold on this Halloween night.
Might I invite you to come home with me?
I have yummy goodies. I’ll make you hot tea.”
Emma got goosebumps. The offer seemed sweet.
But spiders are tricky. I might be the treat!
“Thank you, but no. I must move along.
I realized just now I got the date wrong.”
haha! So cute! Never trust a spider. LOL
Very cute and one smart lightning bug! Glad Emma didn’t become the spider’s treat. Good luck!
Very nicely done! Great build up! 🎃🧡
Hahaha – So smart of Emma to see through the smooth moves of this sweet-talking spider
So so cute!!
Comment on TRICKY TREAT by Ann Grilli
I love lightning bugs! Brings back many great childhood memories.
Yikes spiders… those creepy crawly things. Well done Ann. You are a master rhymer.
Susan R. Waide
Jack’s Pumpkin Plan
By Diana Murrell
Word Count: 100
Jack planned to carve a gruesome pumpkin: wide smile, guts spilling through its teeth.
“Tomorrow,” mom said, leaving the pumpkin on the porch.
Jack worried. Critters skittered through the darkness looking for goodies. Squirrels love pumpkins! So, Jack built a glow-in-the-dark fortress. He watched until his mom insisted he go to bed.
“It’ll be fine,” she said.
It wasn’t. In the morning Jack found his pumpkin; its round head smashed, pumpkin brains dripping down the steps.
“Oh no!”
Then, Jack felt goosebumps rising.
“Can we leave it, mom? Please?”
Trick-or-treaters collecting goodies, spied the pumpkin carnage.
“Gruesome!”
“Perfect!” Jack smiled.
Fun story. Love, “pumpkin carnage.” I’m glad Jack got his gruesome pumpkin with a little help from forest friends!
Oh good! So happy it worked out in the end. 🎃
I loved the twist you created in the end that turned Jack’s lemon into lemonade.
Lights in the Dark
By Ivanka Dimitrova
Word count: 100
URL: https://www.ivankadimitrova.com/halloweensie-2021
The horses were restless on Halloween night.
Glow-in-the-dark lights were blocking my sight.
Something was moving and made my dog bark.
What were those blinking two lights in the dark?
When mom called for dinner, I wanted to eat
But turning my back now was no easy feat.
No goodies could tempt me to sit down and dine
With goosebumpies crawling all over my spine.
I followed the lights to an old cardboard box…
What’s this I found?!
A cute baby fox!
That was just silly but gave me a fright.
A fox, in a box, on a Halloween night.
Haha! Love the ending. Very clever. Nice rhyme too. Good luck!
Thanks, Nancy!
Awww! I wasn’t expecting a Fox!
I hope it was a delightful surprise, Deborah! Thanks for commenting 🙂
What a special treat to find on Halloween night, AND I loved the internal rhyme in that final line of the poem
Thank you so much Patricia! I hope it made you smile 🙂
Sweet answer to a spooky set up! 🎃
Fraidy Cat No More
By Jennifer Cherry
Word Count: 100
A massive spider is sitting next to the house. Goosebumps crawl up my arms.
“The best goodies are inside,” I whisper, forcing myself up the sidewalk and towards the door.
I climb rickety steps. Glow-in-the-dark snakes stare down at me from overhead. I hear my brothers laughing behind me, mocking me.
I ring the doorbell. Spooky music plays. The door creaks open.
Suddenly a mummy jumps out from behind the bushes.
“AHHHH!” my brothers scream and run.
Then the mummy winks a blue eye at me and hands me a full-size candy bar.
“Who’s the fraidy cat now?” I yell.
Hahaha! Love it! Great suspense and pacing. Nice job.
I loved how the tension grew and grew and grew over the course of your story – What a relief to have that mummy wink its blue eye;-)
Yay for full size candy bars! 🎃
Galactic Trick-or-Treat
By Tiffany Hanson
99 words
A flash in the sky interrupted my quest for goodies on Halloween. Goosebumps crept up my arms. Was it a ghost? A goblin?
I decided to walk around back to investigate, grateful that I had on a mask to hide my face.
I gaped. A glow-in-the-dark flying saucer was in my backyard!
The door hissed and sprang open. I froze. Then three green aliens with large eyes emerged. They had sacks in their hands. Were they going to kidnap me and take me to space?
“Trick-or-treat!” the aliens said, holding out bags for candy. I smiled. Best. Halloween. Ever.
Very clever. Aliens love treats to! Nicely done. Good luck!
Hahaha – Loved the fact that those aliens were simply invading as trick-or-treaters and not on Earth to cause trouble.
Great. Ending! 🎃
MY GHOST BUBBLE FRIEND
by Sheila R. Schmotzer
70 words
I love bubbles,
So shiny and round.
They glow-in-the-dark and don’t make a sound.
PUFF.
Look at this big bubble.
Oh, goody. He wants to be friends.
We play chase. He always wins.
Down he drifts… a clear little clump.
PLOP.
He tickles my nose. I get a goosebump.
Yes, he’s the bubble that I love most.
POP.
POOF.
Where has he gone?
My best friend bubble is now a ghost.
This is so cute, Sheila! I love PLOP, POP, and POOF, and that last line.
Great use of onomatopoeia words. I love bubbles, too.
Cute story. Nice use of onomatopoeia!
What an original idea to think of a popped bubble bubble as a ghost!
Aw, a bubble ghost! very creative.
I don’t know whether to be a happy about the bubble friend or sad that he’s gone!
R-R-R-Rattled
By Gennie Gorback
98 Words
“Remember the plan, Zuzu?” Fara’s skin goosebumped with excitement.
“Umm…?”
“We ring the doorbell, but instead of trick-or-treaters expecting goodies, Dad’ll be startled by this creepy pretend rat! Then we’ll say, ‘Tricked you!’”
The rat’s glow-in-the-dark eyes followed Zuzu’s every move.
“It looks r-r-r-real. Why’s it in a cage?”
“So it looks more ferocious! Come on!”
The rat gnashed its razor-blade teeth.
Zuzu was having second thoughts.
“Ready?”
DIIIIING-DONG!
The rat snarled.
Dad opened the door and gasped.
Fara fell down laughing.
Suddenly, the cage door flew open and the rat zoomed toward their father.
“Tricked yo- Dad?”
Creepy! Love the names and snappy pacing, Gennie. That ending is scary!
Aieee! So creepy!
Oh no! Fara and Zuzu, what have you done?! Love this story, Gennie!
Yikes! Scary. I like it! Good luck!
So good, Gennie! Loved it!
This story r-r-r-really r-r-r-rattled my cage, especially its cr-r-r-reepy ending.
Ooohhhhh Nooooo! Truly spooky!