Wool of bat and toe of snake! It’s time for. . .
The 13th 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 werewolf, superstition, and fright.
- 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.
- You may use the words in any form i.e. werewolves (werecub or werepuppy is acceptable as well should your story feature a young werewolf), frighten/frightening/frightful, superstitious etc, 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!
POST: your story in the comment section of This Post between right now this very second and 11:59PM Eastern Tuesday October 31st (So you have 3 full days to post – Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.)
- 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 of the Official Contest Post so that people can come visit your blog, but all entries must be posted in the comment section of the Official Contest Post between 12:01 AM Eastern Sunday October 29th and Tuesday October 31st at 11:59PM Eastern or they will not be read.
- 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! (Handy Contact button above or [susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com) Please place your entry in the body of the email including your title, byline (that means who the story is by – you! – so for example, By Jane Doe) and word count at the top – NO ATTACHMENTS! and please do not submit any entries before the official opening of the contest at 12:01 AM Eastern Sunday October 29th. They will not be accepted.
- 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 😊
- Every entry will be listed with a link to its comment so that entries are easy to find, but I cannot add links until 50 entries are up or they become incorrect when the comments move on to page 2, just so you’re aware!
THE JUDGING: over the following days, 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 Monday November 6th (though if the judging takes longer than expected it might be a little later – I have school visits that week and a far away book festival over the weekend.) The winners will be announced Thursday or Friday, November 9th or 10th (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!
⭐️ Ask Me Anything Zoom Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Sandra Foreman Sutter, owner and “top gnome” at Gnome Road Publishing, and author of STAN’S FRIGHTFUL HALLOWEEN (Spork, September 2020) and THE REAL FARMER IN THE DELL (Spork, March 2019)!!! Not only will Sandra read and critique your manuscript, you will get to talk to discuss it with her!
⭐️ Rhyme & Meter Self Study Course – Renee LaTulippe Renée M. LaTulippe is the author of The Crab Ballet (Cameron Kids/Abrams, 2022) and Limelight: Theater Poems to Perform (Charlesbridge, 2024) and has poems published in many anthologies including No World Too Big, Night Wishes, School People, National Geographic’s The Poetry of US, One Minute Till Bedtime, Poems Are Teachers, ThankU: Poems of Gratitude, and A World Full of Poems.
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique or Zoom Chat About A Project You’re Working On PLUS a Signed Copy of THE PIE THAT MOLLY GREW from Sue Heavenrich, author of THE PIE THAT MOLLY GREW (Sleeping Bear Press, August 2023), 13 WAYS TO EAT A FLY (Charlesbridge, 2021), DIET FOR A CHANGING CLIMATE (21st Century Books, August, 2018), FUNKY FUNGI (Chicago Review Press, July, 2022), the Super Science Series, and The Human Machine Series.
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (non-rhyming, 700 words or less) PLUS a Query Letter Critique from author Steena Hernandez! Her debut picture book, LUPITA’S BROWN BALLET SLIPPERS, comes out with Beaming Books in Fall 2024. She’s an active member of SCBWI, Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 Picture Book Challenge, and Las Musas. Her poems and stories have appeared in Highlights High Five Magazine, and Little Thoughts Press Magazine. She’s represented by Lynnette Novak from the Seymour Agency. Visit her website at www.steenahernandez.com.
Author Steena Hernandez (photo credit Laura Squire)
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique from Hanh Bui, author of The Yellow Áo Dài (Feiwel & Friends, April 25, 2023) and the forthcoming Ánh’s New Word: A Story About Learning a New Language (Feiwel & Friends, May 14, 2024) PLUS a signed copy of The Yellow Áo Dài!
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (non-rhyming, 750 words or less) from Dara Henry, author of HANUKKAH PAJAMAKKAHS, forthcoming from Sourcebooks, September 2024! Dara is a former teacher and has twice been named Honorable Mention in the Children’s Fiction Category of the 88th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, KIDLIT411, Writing for Children, 12×12, and PB_Soar 24. She is represented by Rena Rossner of The Deborah Harris Agency.
Author Dara Henry
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (Rhyming) PLUS Zoom Chat from developmental editor Lou Piccolo! Lou studied English Literature, creative writing and teaching at university in South Africa. After working as an EFL teacher in France for twenty years, she studied proofreading and editing before becoming a developmental editor of children’s and young adult’s literature for independent authors. She is a graduate of Renee LaTulippe’s Lyrical Language Lab – Punching Up Prose With Poetry course and Making Picture Book Magic, the in-house writer for Editions Entrefilet’s language-learning magazine ‘Go English Kids’ for children of 8-12 in France, and a traditionally published author of MG and YA fiction with Burlington Books.
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (non-rhyming) or Dummy Critique from Bonnie Kelso, author/illustrator of NUDI GILL: POISON POWERHOUSE OF THE SEA (Gnome Road, April 4, 2023), illustrator for IN A CAVE (written by Heather Ferranti Kinser, Gnome Road, October 3, 2023), and author-illustrator of a three-book series with GRP starting next spring!
⭐️ Picture Book Manuscript Critique (fiction) from Melissa Stoller, author of SCARLET’S MAGIC PAINTBRUSH (Spork 2018), READY, SET, GORILLA! (Spork 2018), THE ENCHANTED SNOW GLOBE COLLECTION (chapter books) (Spork 2017), SADIE’S SHABAT STORIES (Spork, 2020) and PLANTING FRIENDSHIP: PEACE, SALAAM, SHALOM
⭐️ 30 Minute Ask Me Anything with Rebecca Gardyn Levington, author of BRAINSTORM! (Sleeping Bear Press, 2022), WHATEVER COMES TOMORROW (Barefoot Books, Mar 7, 2023), I WILL ALWAYS BE…(HarperCollins, Spring 2024), and AFIKOMAN, WHERE’D YOU GO? (Penguin/Rocky Pond, Spring 2024)
⭐️ Signed Copy of Roxanne Troup’s beautiful MY GRANDPA, MY TREE, AND ME (Yeehoo Press, April, 2023)
⭐️ Signed Copies of Kizzi Roberts‘s books THE ELVES GO MARCHING and THE EGGS GO ROLLING!
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, recommending their books for school and library purchases, and supporting them in any other way you can dream up! 😊
Now! Get those entries up! Have fun writing something new! Have fun reading the amazing work of your fellow writers! Have fun eating as many miniature chocolate bars as your little heart desires!
Happy Halloweensie!!!
I can’t wait to read your stories!!! 😊
For those of you having trouble commenting, I apologize for the fact that my site is apparently very temperamental! I can suggest the following: if you’re trying to post comments from a phone or tablet, try a computer – sometimes it works better that way. Chrome seems to work better with this site than some of the other browsers, although one dedicated individual, determined to be able to comment, has reported that she finally managed with Microsoft Edge. Thank you for trying – it’s so important for all of you to get to hear from each other!
The 228 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! 🎃 👻
1. The Most Frightening Halloween Of All! – Katie Schwartz
2. Trick Treat Or Treat. Smell My Feet – Sarah Hawklyn
3. Trick Or Treats – Mikki DeFever
4. The Werewolf – Michelle S. Kennedy
5. A Haunted Treasure Hunt – Ashlee MacCallum
6. The Zoo Super-Intendent – Joy Dickinson
7. Knock On Wood – Heather Kinser
8. The Silver Chain – Teresa Traver/Anne Rollins
9. One Last House – Tyler Ham
10. Above And Beyond – Corine Timmer
11. Hairy Wolf – Bridget Magee
12. Red Riding Hood Goes Trick Or Treating – Elizabeth Meyer zu Heringdorf
13. Prank Or Prophecy? – Colleen Murphy
14. The Rule Of Three – Kathleen MacEachern
15. A Special Secret – Kelly Kates
16. Itchy Witch – Deborah Holt Williams
17. The Halloween Pet Parade – Kelly Clasen
18. Just A Superstition – Lyn Kekowsky
19. Werewolf’s Fright – Janel Caverly
20. What Monsters Wear On Halloween – Elissa Theiss Mazzeo
21. Wereboy – Paul Kurtz
22. Where’s Wolf? Werewolf! – Katie Walsh
23. Werewolf Yummies – Paul Kurtz
24. Cuddlesome Cubbies – Donna Kurtz
25. Beware: Were-cub In Disguise – Jodie Houghton
26. Happy Howl-o-ween! – Donna Kurtz
27. Howl-a-ween – Denise Seidman
28. The Frightfully Superstitious Werewolf – Susan Burdorf
29. Who Can Frighten Skeleton? – Jessie Raspbury
30. Untitled – Shariffa Keshavjee
31. Untitled – Shariffa Keshavjee
32. Untitled – Shariffa Keshavjee
33. Halloweensie Surprise – Elizabeth Thoms Charles
34. It’s Halloween – Janet Parkinson Bryce
35. Werewolf Bites! – Claudine Pullen
36. Sweet Superstition – Kristen Littlefield
37. Where Wolves? There Wolves – Marty Findley
38. Petrified – Mary-Catherine Amadu
39. Beware The Moon! – Jen Subra
40. Changes – Kailyn Dickason
41. My Family Secret – Sharon McCarthy
42. Don’t Get Eaten! – Sarah Hetu
43. The Full Moon Club – Patricia Finnegan
44. Halloween Jitters Revenge – Joyce Uglow
45. The Great Halloween Race – Marta Cutler
46. Scaring For Sugar – Sarah Hetu
47. Hush Little Werepup – Stephanie Maksymiw
48. Earth Is Tricky – Glenda Roberson
49. Werewolves Halloween Bash – Yolanda Danyi Szuch
50. A Human Superstition – Tiffany Hanson
51. Fifty-Eight Pieces Of Candy – Jacqueline Lindsey
52. Werewolf And The Frightening Superstition – Angel Gantnier
53. Attack Of The Werekitty – Linda Staszak
54. It Started With A Bite – Katie Lee Reinert
55. The Woefull Werewolf – Linda Staszak
56. Wilfy Werewolf’s Good Manners – Tracy Curran
57. The Halloween Parade – Lindsay Moretti
58. Werepup’s First Howl – Jessica Iwanski
59. How To Catch A Werewolf At Halloween – Susan E. Schipper
60. Half-Moon Halloween – P.J. Purtee
61. Oooo, It’s Halloween! – Paul Brassard
62. Verily Scarily Night – Marta Cutler
63. When Werewolves Take Baths – Jessica Russo
64. Werewolf, Monster and Witch – Maria Pope
65. A Whoosh, and a Swoosh and a Gurgly Goop – Maria Pope
66. A Superstitious Wish – Susannah Lee
67. The Boy Who Cried “Werewolf!” – Nicole Garnett
68. Moon Ballet – Katrenia Kiger
69. Luck Not Needed – Tracy T. Agnelli
70. Believe Or Not – Tracy T. Agnelli
71. Not Taking Any Chances – JIL
72. Witch And Werewolf – Julie Hauswirth
73. A Howling Halloween – Lynn Moore
74. A Creak and A Sneak -Bri Lawyer
75. Bit By A Werewolf – Bri Lawyer
76. Halloween Lookout – Lisa Billa
77. The Leaf Raking Olympics – Lindsay Moretti
78. Fright Night – Susan Eyerman
79. The Halloween Scoop – Jamie Siebrase
80. Luna, the Not So Scary Werewolf – Melissa Miles
81. Halloween At The Disco – Jamie Donahoe
82. What’s More Frightening? – Anne Lipton
83. Was Wilbur A Were-Squirrel? – Deb Buschman
84. McDoodle’s Pup – Yonglee Deborah Kim
85. What To Wearwolf – Jill Lambert
86. Stories Of Monsters – Laura Polasek
87. The Strangest Halloween – Jenn Kim
88. The Origin Of The Werewolf: the Bronze Age Koryos (NF) – Lauren N. Simmons
89. Drew’s Debate – Marty Bellis
90. Bite Fight – Ryann Jones
91. Kitten’s Halloween – Jaclyn Crawford
92. To Eat Or Not To Eat, That Is The Question! – Charlie Griffin
93. Green Does Not Mean Mean – Linda Glazebrook
94. Mom Gave Me A Werewolf! – Sarah J. Williams
95. Halloween Is Here, Ready or Not – Elisa Teichert
96. Halloween Advice – Paul Roncone
97. Spooky Storytime – Sarah Meade
98. Hilly’s Not-So-Superstitious Halloween – Sarah Meade
99. Hair-Raising Halloween – Sheri Bentley
100. Grizelda Pumkinhead’s Smashing Halloween – MaryAnn Cortez
101. Halloween Howl – Russell Wolff
102. Halloween Night – Mia Geiger
103. The Best Halloween Ever – Armineh Manookian
104. Expected Visitors – Jenna Grace
105. Rougarou’s Bugaboo: A Louisiana Cautionary Tale (Almost) – Sally Yorke-Viney
106. It’s Beginning To Look A Little Creepy – Diana Lynn Gibson
107. Why Werewolves Howl – Laura Badami
108. I’m Not A Superstition – Patti Ranson
109. The Rougarou’s Curse – Trista Herring Baughman
110. Laughing And Giggling On Halloween – Isabel Cruz Rodriguez
111. A Werewolf In School – Susan Lynn-Rivera
112. A Frightful Howl’oween – Lucretia Schafroth
113. Which Wolf? – Melissa Chupp
114. The Haunted House – Shawn Kirby
115. Larkspur Werewolf’s Halloween CompBOOsition – Kandi Zeller
116. Chocolate For Halloween – Marcia Dalphin Williams
117. The Great Halloween Scare – Eleanor Ann Peterson
118. Mr. Skeleton And His Werewolf Bones – Kathleen Jacobs
119. Seven Years Of Bad Howls – Laura Wippell
120. Villa Number Thirteen – Kiran Nair
121. Werewolf VS. Dentist – Abigail Mumford
122. Spell Check – Tara Flake
123. Thirteen Werewolves – Patricia Nozell
124. I’ll Be What?! – Stephanie K. Mena
125. Tick-Tock – Sarah Elynn
126. Werewolf Wants To Share – Lori Bonati
127. Dare To Be Were – Dana Lee Ryals
128. Gordon Goblin’s Halloweensie Stew – Judy Caldwell Hughes
129. Isaac’s Frightful Night – Anna Eklund-Cheong
130. The Coolest Halloween Story Ever! – Carmen Castillo Gilbert, PhD
131. The Backwards Werewolf – Linda Fischetti
132. A Halloween Trick And Treat – Stephanie Flom
133. Rudy, The Werewolf – Lori Himmel
134. The Superstition – Allison Gray
135. Friends With A Werewolf – Lauri C. Meyers
136. Untitled – Martha Holguin
137. A First Halloween – Claudia Sloan
138. A Sight, A Fright, and A Delight – Jean Martin
139. The Hairy Neighbor – Anjali Morard
140. Raven And The Werewolf – Elizabeth Muster
141, Trick IN a Treat – Reed Hilton-Eddy
142. Halloween Spell – Nina Nolan
143. Fright Night Birthright – Helen Addyman
144. Black Cat Saves The Night – Lori Sheroan
145. Rowl The Smiling Werewolf Pup – Tarja Helena Nevala
146. Ivy Hates Halloween – Cindy Sommer
147. Where Wolf? There Wolf! – Bru Benson
148. Trick-or-Treating Time! – Jenna Grace
149. Halloween Howl – Angela Martinelli
150. No Good Tricks Or Treat – Thelia Hutchinson
151. Scared – Sue Ko
152. Fright On Calm – Sue Ko
153. Wee Willie Werewolf – Colleen Fogarty
154. The Who, What and Where Wolf – Julianna Kurtz
155. Flora Won’t Get Scared – Ashley Sierra
156. Dotty Didn’t Listen – Jane Helliwell
157. Heart’s Halloween – Ashley Sierra
158. Proffering The Offering – Ms. Joy
159. Witch Ride – Rhonda T. Spear
160. Haunted Hayride – Rhonda T. Spear
161. Halloween Trick – Mary Beth Rice
162. The Kittens Halloween Party – Dianne Borowski
163. Need A Snack – Yessenia Holm
164. Werewolf Baby – Vashti Verbowski
165. Pockets Out – Lynsey Folkman
166. Halloween Haiku – Corine Timmer
167. Wendy Werewolf’s Biggest Fright! – Amy LaMae Brewer
168. The Ballad Of Wolfgang A. Werewolf – Melissa Miles
169. The Witching Hour – S. J. Barratt
170. Werewolves Of Halloween – Karen LaSalvia
171. Little Dead Riding Hood – Marlee Fuller-Morris
172. Treat Or Be Tricked – Dianna Sussman
173. Werewolf On Halloween – Valerie McPherson
174. The Monster Under The Bed – Diana Sussman
175. Fur Moon – Christina Shawn
176. Right Where They Belong – Mona Pease
177. Unless – Gail Hartman
178. Pink Underwear – Melissa Lasher
179. A Grave Mistake – Keatley Eastman
180. Grounded – Becky Danks
181. The Scariest Thing Of All – Jeanette Fazzari Jones
182. Weirdwolf – Searra Simpson
183. Aunt Howla’s Big Book Of Recipes: Spooky Halloween – Sarah Stauffer
184. Lazy Eddie – Jen Keenan
185. Strange Encounters – Jen Keenan
186. Stingy Jack – Kellie Tune
187. Untitled – Lyudmila Danova
188. Dachsie And Beagle’s Halloween Plan – Dorothy Kohrherr
189. I’ll Be Brave – Dawn Renee Young
190. The Scariest Halloween Night – Carol Jones
191. A Werewolfington Trick-or-Treat – Jan Schwaid
192. Lucky Penny – Daniella Kaufman
193. Scream Of A Dream – Diana Webb
194. Pup – Judy Valko
195. Reversal? – Marla Yablon
196. Halloween Disguise – Colleen Fogarty
197. Werepuppies’ Delight – Katherine Rea
198. Dulces For Mami Nieves – Chicanana
199. The Moonlit Secret – CE King
200. Halloween Snack – Jessica Phillips
201. An Immigrant Werewolf – Danna Zeiger
202. What Happened To Harry? – Judy Sobanski
203. Sally’s Last Minute Costume – Imelda Taylor
204. Spoofed By Foop! – Robert L. Saminsky
205. My Mom Is A Monster. . . A Real One – Royal Baysinger
206. Mr. Werewolf’s Trick – Marie Tang
207. Stanley, The Fluffy Werewolf – Hannah Roy LaGrone
208. Woody The Good Werewolf – Robin Donovan
209. Bright White Moonlight – Helen Addyman
210. Wendy’s Wise Words – Una Belle Townsend
211. Can Howloweensie Stay Away? – Becky Goodman
212. Werewolf Gets A Halloween Makeover – Annette Bethers
213. Fantasmita – Adriana Gutierrez Loza
214. How To Conjure A Cat – Andi Chitty
215. A Skeleton In Wolf’s Clothing – Amy Martinez
216. Kansas City’s Moonlight Star – Amy Martinez
217. A Little Halloween Magic – Patricia Corcoran
218. Truth Be Told – Diana Lynn Gibson
219. Halloween Dinner For Werewolf – Nedra Chandler
220. Wolfgang – Nancy Riley
221. What To Wear – Breanna Henry
222. Howl Knows What The Moon Reveals – Jennifer Schmitz
223. A Halloween Full Moon – Anne Weaver
224. Dear Halloween – Lori Dubbin
225. Ghost Bells – Jennifer Taylor
226. It’s Halloween Night! – Susan R. Waide
227. My Older Brother – Lucia Flevares
228. Black Cat Camp – Amy Duchene
Susanna Leonard Hill 
This nurse got a kick out of this.
IVY HATES HALLOWEEN
By Cindy Sommer
95 Words
Ivy hates Halloween,
the whole spooky season.
If you want to know why
she’ll tell you the reason.
“Superstitions are scary
with werewolves and spiders.
Pumpkin is icky
and so are hot ciders.
And after collecting treats
down dark frightening streets,
it isn’t really fair
Mom and Dad snatch my treats.”
“No trick-or-treating?”
they ask, looking glum.
“We were hoping for
candy corn, chocolate, and gum.”
Perhaps this day is
different for everyone.
Why should she ruin
their Halloween fun?
Jack-O-Lanterns aglow,
trick-or-treating complete,
Ivy remembers to share
and hands Mom and Dad a treat.
Very cute! 🎃
Thank you!
Awww, how sweet!
Thank you!
So funny Cindy! Love it!
Thank you, Susannah! I appreciate it!
Such a true little story full of fun.
Thank you very much!
What a great kid . . . sharing her treats.
Thanks for reading my story!
Your story (and particularly your opening) has great Grinchy-feel to it.
“Ivy hates Halloween,
the whole spooky season.
If you want to know why
she’ll tell you the reason.”
Thank you! That’s what I was going for. Of course, I couldn’t tell the whole Grinch story in 100 words, but I was hoping to show a feel for it. The longer version obviously goes into more actions like the Grinch. Thanks so much for reading my story!
WHERE WOLF? THERE WOLF!
By Bru Benson (96 words)
A superstition,
Black cat at night,
A full moon,
Or the number 13
Gave us a fright,
On All Hallows Eve.
One stood out,
Among the rest,
Werewolf.
“Beware,” said my family,
“It’s your fifth birthday.
They, you can now see.”
I went to find them.
“Where wolf?”
I called.
Under the bed?
NO.
In the cellar?
NO.
The dog house?
Definitely not.
“Where wolf?”
There wolf. I saw something
moving, a shadow
inside my bedroom.
With the lamp on
The shadow disappeared.
My hairy face
shown in the mirror
There wolf!
just like my family.
Bru, the title is great as well as the ending! 🎃
Thank you
Haha – love the ending!
Thank you
Love this! Great play with words.
Thank you
Great reveal: With the lamp on
The shadow disappeared
Thank you
“Beware,” said my family,
“It’s your fifth birthday.
They, you can now see.” …. Such spooky creepy lines that set the perfect tone for your story
Thank you.
Trick-or-Treating Time!
By Jenna Grace
Word Count: 85
Harper waited by the door, feeling a unique combination of anxiety and excitement; Halloween was finally here! Down came dad and away they went. Door to door, they visited neighbors and strangers, knocking and ringing bells. “Trick or treat!” echoed through the air. They passed by ghosts and goblins, princesses and puppies, werewolves and witches. Creepy! Cute! Scary! Tasty! Frightening! FUN! Bucket full and heavy, they returned home from a perfect night of sweet superstition. Long after the face paint was gone, the magic remained.
Awww, lovely – making memories with Dad.
Thank you!
I especially liked this section: Creepy! Cute! Scary! Tasty! Frightening! FUN!
Thank you!
“Long after the face paint was gone, the magic remained.” … Such a true statement when you think of all the great parent-child memories that can be created during Halloween’s spent together.
Thank you
This brings back memories! Very sweet, your sentiment comes through!
Thank you!
Love the “Home Alone” reference. Yikes! Then someone (thing) comes knocking. 🙂
Halloween Howl
By Angela Martinelli
(100 words)
Willie werepup woke on Halloween worried.
“A werepup must howl to trick-or-treat with the big wolves,” her parents ruled.
She still couldn’t howl.
Could she sneak out? She tried to…
Trick: a fork could frighten her superstitious parents with silver. They sniffed the stainless steel.
She tried to…
Treat: a funny bone would keep them busy. They wolfed it down.
Nothing worked.
The night smelled sweet with kids and candy.
“Woof. Whine. How can I wait?”
She asked Harry werepup to play tug-of-war. Waiting felt better together. They watched their first full moon rise.
The full moon!
“Wahoo! Ahoo! AHHRROOOO!”
Adorable!
You could turn this into a picture book!
Nice alliteration in the opening line.
Hahaha: They wolfed it down.
Willie’s trick (with the silver, but stainless steel fork) and her treat (a funny bone that got wolfed down) were just perfect for a werewolf story:-)
NO GOOD TRICKS OR TREAT
By Thelia Hutchinson
WC 100
Werewolves come and werewolves go,
Tapping at my old front door.
Trick or treat, don’t smell their feet,
But give them something good to eat.
Some are big, some are small.
I wish they would not come at all.
They cause a fright and always fight.
On, this superstitious night!
I have a plan, so do not fear.
I’m planning a big feast.
I set a trap, to catch some wolves.
I’m so in for a treat.
But oh, my dear
I have been tricked,
They set a trap for me,
Oh, I wish I never cared for,
Stupid Halloween!
“Don’t smell their feet” – haha!
So cute Thelia!
Thanks, Maria.
Oh, no! It’s hard to trick a werewolf.
Such a surprise when the one setting the trap gets tricked herself
Scared
By Sue Ko
100 words
At recess: “BOO!”
I whirl around, and there’s a werewolf with eyes blinking through holes.
The guys laugh.
But I can’t.
My heart races.
My muscles melt.
I drop and rock.
In class: a scary story.
It’s about a man who’s two people, one loving and one frightening.
I know a man like that.
Sometimes he laughs.
Sometimes he destroys.
I try to be good.
I try to disappear.
Superstitions.
You can’t know which dad will appear.
I wish I could like today.
I wish I could have fun being scared.
But Halloween isn’t fun
when every day is Halloween.
The emotions always get me, Sue! Brava!
Aw, thanks, Armineh. Big compliment coming from you!
That’s very kind! 🙂
Oh! I wasn’t expecting that. A real tug on the heartstrings 😦
Love that emoji – very expressive LOL. Thank you, Helen.
Very well done if you read between the lines. You revealed a part of your soul. Thank you for sharing. “You can’t know which dad will appear.” says it all.
Appreciate it! Wonderful forum here to support each other.
Bru, just read your comment on my other, “Fright on Calm”, but can’t reply to it for some reason. Such a thoughtful reading – thanks!
Nicely done . . . but kinda broke my heart.
Thank you so much, Jill. I’m taking that as a compliment! 😉
It WAS a compliment . . . emotion is so important.
Sad, but true, for more than a few innocent little ones
Yes. And their resilience is wondrous, isn’t it? Thanks, Patricia.
The emotions are very raw. I never thought of Halloween affecting a child this way. Nicely done!
What a compliment! Thanks for the encouragement, Judy!
Fright on Calm
By Sue Ko
92 words
Skull on roses
Broom with gown
Tonight’s the night
Surprise abounds.
Dead but golden
Alive but black
Daytime darkness
Werewolf pack!
Past rounded pumpkins
and sharp corn husks
Pick up the pace
They gain on us!
Superstition
Suburban streets
Fling our hexes
Snapping teeth!
Billowing fog
Licking flames
Wild green eyes
behind known frames
We dash and dash from
cold to warm, from
strange to home, from
sharp to soft
Hand on knob and
desperate fling of
a wild witch swaying from
a tasseled swing
Jagged shadow
Silhouette
Into Mommy’s
pillow neck.
Enjoyed the rhyme and rhythm ,and the ending is so sweet!
Thanks, Armineh!
You have a way with words which together have a deeper meaning. From darkness, the light does show itself. Love the ending too.
I especially like ‘pillow neck’ . . . a noun as an adjective.
Love this feedback on language.
“Dead but golden
Alive but black
Daytime darkness” … the contradictions are so intriguing
Thank you!
WEE WILLIE WEREWOLF
By Colleen Fogarty
WC 91
Wee Willie Werewolf
Howled at the moon.
It must be Halloween.
Time to add some gloom.
Wee Willie Werewolf
Wiggled his big toe.
Counted two times twice.
Made his body glow.
Wee Willie Werewolf
Walked along the street.
Ringing peoples’ doorbells,
Asking “Trick or Treat?”
Wee Willie Werewolf
Turned florescent green.
Kids called him Ghoul.
Most frightful thing they’d seen.
Wee Willie Werewolf
Cried, “I’m not a ghoul!
That’s a superstition.
I learned that in school.”
Wee Willie Werewolf
Decided to come clean.
“I really am a ghost,
Except on Halloween.”
Very nicely, neatly done!
THANKS! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Love the rhyme & twist ending! And that name just rolls off the tongue!
THANK YOU! HAPPY TREATING1
Fun! I like Wee Willie Werewolf.
Well done. I especially like: Counted two times twice.
Great job with this, Colleen! It’s a hit!
Thank you so much!
I loved it when Wee Willie Werewolf stood up for himself:
“Wee Willie Werewolf
Cried, “I’m not a ghoul!
That’s a superstition.
I learned that in school.” “
Very cute Colleen! I had about ‘Wee Willy Winkie going through my head as I read, love the familiarity, and rhythm of it! And funny ending for sure! Good job!
Thank you, Katie. It was fun to write (much easier when you have a rhyme pattern in your head!)
Colleen
The Who, What and Where Wolf
By Julianna Kurtz
77 words
A superstitious werewolf hated his hair.
He wanted to hide it but what could he wear
That wouldn’t give others a fright
When he went out on Halloween night.
He wished for a “wearwolf” to help him out.
Luckily, he found one flashing bling about
The wearwolf dressed him in a giant globe
From his ankles to his earlobe.
And he rolled happily here and there,
Changing the beginning of his name to “where”.
Haha – very funny! Love the giant globe idea.
Fun play on words!
What a great title and quirky concept – love it!
Clever! Good luck.
Hahaha – a werewolf with a wardrobe stylist:-)
haha! Love the idea of a “where” wolf!
Flora Won’t Get Scared
by Ashley Sierra
96 words
On Halloween, Flora froze in front of the Superstition store.
“The frightening decorations won’t scare me this time,” Flora whispered.
“Come!” her brother Jonathan mumbled, stuffing raspberries in his mouth.
Flora raced to the entrance.
“Raaaaaawr!” yelled a werewolf.
“Didn’t scare me,” Flora said.
When she turned the corner . . .
“Ha ha ha!” cackled a witch.
“Not today.”
Flora eyed the exit.
“Almost there. Nothing can scare me!”
Then a bloody vampire appeared!
“Muhhh!”
“Ahh!” Flora screamed.
“What’s wrong?” Jonathan said, wiping raspberry sauce from his mouth.
“Almost made it,” Flora laughed, passing her brother a napkin.
Haha! A raspberry sauce “vampire” – nice!
Thanks! 😊
How clever. Love the fact that you did not spell out the ending. The children will get it – and of course, illos will help. cool story
Hahaha. Well done. Great way to work in Superstition (a store!)
Thank you for reading, Jill. It was a nice challenge with the words this year.
Even though Flora didn’t achieve her goal, she was such a good sport, laughing and passing her brother a napkin at the end.
I wasn’t sure where I would take the ending and her reaction. This one just came and seemed fitting. Thanks for reading!
Love this, Ashley! I love scary stuff in the Superstition store and the fun vampire surprise.
Thanks for all your help!
ENTRY POSTED FOR JANE
100 Words
Dotty didn’t listen. By Jane Helliwell
Walker farm’s, full moon shone mysteriously in the puddle that Dotty duckling was SPLASHING in. Mother told her the superstition. “Not to splash in the moon’s reflection on Halloween, because of the “Duck-down.” But Dotty didn’t believe in silly superstitions. Suddenly, K-SPLASH…… she disappeared!
“Duck-down,” down she fell in the Halloween tunnel, flapping her wings furiously in fright.
Hairy arms and legs appeared where her feathers should be and her golden beak, became a long, hairy werewolf’s nose. She SNIFFED. “Oh, why didn’t I listen?”
K-SPLASH straight into the witch’s caldron of werewolf soup. If only, she was a duckling!
Oh dear! Dotty should have listened! Very inventive – I enjoyed this.
Thank you Helen for enjoying my story.
The superstition about not splashing in the moon’s reflection on Halloween is just perfect!!!
Glad you liked it, Patricia. Thank you.
Poor Dotty! Love the drama and creative superstition.
Thank you Sarah for your comments. Hope you got the end bit, that if she were a duckling, she could swim in the soup!
Heart’s Halloween
by Ashley Sierra
94 words
Heart broke down in tears.
“I’m sorry, Triangle. I can’t go trick-or-treating,” she said.
“I’m scared of Halloween superstitions!
Werewolves sound frightening!
And I can’t pick a costume!”
Triangle’s three corners crumbled.
“You could be . . . Hearty Potter,” he said. “And superstitions and werewolves are pretend.”
Heart ached. She knew Triangle was pumped to go.
Heart stopped and pondered. She’d be lonely without her friend.
“I’ve had a change of heart. I can heart-ly wait to show you my costume!”
Triangle-ceratops and Lion-Heart crushed Halloween.
“Way to be brave, Heart.”
“I LOVED trick-or-treating with you.”
Triangle-ceratops – haha! Love the unusual character choice.
Thanks for reading! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
what an unusual set of characters. You fit them really nicely into the story. Heart stopped and pondered – ha I can see it!
Humor, emotions, friendship and more all rolled into one story – What a treat to read!
Love the premise and these costumes. Wonderful Halloween story, so full of ❤️
Thank you for reading. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I did have fun with coming up with these costume ideas.
What a terrific Halloween shape story! Love the costume ideas (Hearty Potter, Triangle-ceratops) and the sweet friendship theme. Wonderful, Ashley!
Thanks for reading, Jill! I hope you’re doing well. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I had fun brainstorming costume ideas.
I especially like: ‘heart ached’
It was fun to experiment with all the heart word play possibilities.
Yay for Heart and Triangle! Love these unexpected characters and this sweet story.
😊
Proffering the Offering
by Ms. Joy
Word count: 98
The day was October 31st and the werewolves scurried about, this way and that, making preparations.
They rarely get frantic like this, as they lived quietly, spending their time making music, baking bread, or penning poems.
But not today.
For today they would make The Great Offering to the Storytellers, who, in exchange for beautiful art and tasty food, made sure the werewolves kept their ferocious reputation. Storytellers spread the word far and wide that full moons brought chaos, fright, and rampages. The werewolves held the superstition that the better the offering, the worse their reputation. Challenge accepted.
Love this! Such a clever idea!
Thank you!
Love how you turn the tables on the usual narrative!
Thank you!
I especially like: they lived quietly, spending their time making music, baking bread, or penning poems.
I appreciate your feedback!
An interesting and creative twist on werewolf legends
A very original story Ms. Joy, compelling and drew me right in. Love your description of the werewolves usual lives! Great job!
I appreciate your feedback!
ENTRY POSTED FOR RHONDA
WITCH RIDE
By Rhonda T. Spear
96 words
The clock began to strike the midnight hour. Witches appeared, mounting their brooms. Higher and higher they climbed.
The witches performed magical maneuvers. The moon cast a frightening glow as they flew around and over it. The man in the moon smiled as they flew by. He looked like a werewolf tonight.
The clock continued striking. Brooms flew, slithered, spun, and circled.
The ride was almost over. The chimes got closer to twelve. The wind began to die. Witches can’t fly without it.
The ride ended. This superstitious ride is what makes Halloween exciting for witches!
I love the idea of a Halloween broomstick ride treat for witches.
Great line: The man in the moon smiled as they flew by.
I especially loved the “fact” that witches can’t fly on their broomsticks without the wind:-)
ENTRY POSTED FOR RHONDA
Haunted Hayride
By Rhonda T. Spear
100 words
The children arrived at the pumpkin patch. A tractor piled high with hay waited, driven by the old man who worked at the cemetery.
Mysterious shadows slithered on the ground. The children were nervous. It is superstition that the dead come alive on Halloween.
They turned onto the cemetery road. Creatures stumbled out of opening graves. Hands tried to pull them off. They screamed! The creatures kept coming!
The tractor sped away. Frightful laughter followed them. Finally, the scary sounds faded.
Back at the pumpkin patch, they looked for the old man. There was a werewolf in the driver’s seat!
Ooh! Delightfully spooky!
Great job . . . spooky.
Such a spooky creepy image created with your words about creatures stumbling out of opening graves and hands grabbing for the children:-0
HALLOWEEN TRICK
by Mary Beth Rice
(100 words)
Autumn winds whirl,
twirl,
howling color and crunch into a swirl.
This leafy pile invites a romp!
WAIT! Something creeps beneath the heap.
Rustle, whisper—A frightful moan?
Backyard superstition suspects
a Ghoul with that gripping groan. “
Shiver, shake, shudder—a wary Werewolf and me, brassy Bumble Bee.
Collecting courage we count: One. Two. Three!
Ruuuuuuuuuuuuun and jump!
Woot! Whoop! Wheeee!
Grasping for hands, we wonder,
“Is that you?”
“No.”
“Eeeek!”
“A Ghoul?”
“No?”
“MOM?!!”
Crumpled black hat. Familiar face smirks. Three bellies laugh.
A trick AND a treat for Mother, brother and me—Werewolf, Witch and brassy Bee.
Awww, lovely! A trick *and* a treat 🙂
Thank you for making time to read my story!
I especially like this line: This leafy pile invites a romp!
Thank you, Jill!
Mom sure knew how to join in on the leaf pile jumping fun with her little Werewolf and Bee
The Kittens Halloween Party
By Dianne Borowski
100 words
The kittens were having a Halloween party. They invited everyone except
Mittens. She is a black kitten.
Mama Cat said, “You should invite Mittens to the party or she might feel sad.”
“Mama,” said Sparky, ” everybody knows black cats bring bad luck!”
“That’s not true!” said Mama. “That’s a superstition. Don’t let a superstition frighten you.”
“Is a superstition like make-believe” asked Sparky.
“A superstition can make someone fearful. Make-believe is fun.” said Mama.
The kittens invited Mittens to the party. She came as a werewolf. She had the
best costume at the party. Mittens had the best time ever!
Yay for Mittens! I find the unlucky black cat thing so odd – they were definitely a symbol of *good* luck when I was little and I don’t know why that changed!
Thanks! I just lost my own sweet black cat Shiloe several weeks ago. She was a rescue 13 years ago. I took her home and we had 13 great years together. She was the inspiration for my story.
How nice . . . nobody was left out.
Thanks! In a perfect world no one would ever be left out.
I love this distinction between superstition and make-believe:-)
Need a Snack
WC: 93
Halloween’s here! Need a snack.
Costume ready, got my sack.
Solo stroll, moonlit night.
Shadows lurk, what a fright!
What is that? Are those howls?
Must be hoots, lonely owls.
What is that? Are those eyes?
Light refraction, starry skies.
Superstition, scary thoughts.
Ghastly shivers, stomach knots.
Odor wafting, smelly fur.
Coming closer, makes a stir.
From the darkness, it appears.
Pitter, patter, drawing near.
Scary teeth, nostrils flaring.
Eyes aglow, it is staring.
WEREWOLF thoughts, as it pounces.
Licks my face, fear renounces.
Furry canine! What an end,
Trick-or-treating with a friend.
This is great. I like the pace and alliteration. Fun to read out loud. Nice ending too. Well done!
I like everything about this!
I need to update my authors name on this post but it’s Yessi Robles Holm!
Here is the link to my blog post entry:
https://yesseniatr.wixsite.com/main/post/halloweensie-writing-contest-2023
Love how you built all that mysterious tension in the first four stanzas
Such a fun read-aloud, and I love the ending! Great job, Yessi!
WEREWOLF BABY
by Vashti Verbowki
100 words
The moon shone red that fateful night.
“It’s time!” mom howled. She looked a fright.
It was bad luck. I told her “Wait!”
Her eyes turned wild. I was too late.
I took a breath and thought good thoughts.
Like, brothers share and play robots.
But then HE came, and what a show!
It wasn’t superstition—No.
He growled and drooled and pulled my ears.
He clawed my face. I shed real tears.
But then, I smiled at Augustine.
A werewolf baby? On Halloween?
It meant more candy. All for me!
And now, what’s this? “You bit my knee!?”
ArwoooooooO!
What a cute story and twist!
Your words made it so easy to imagine the action of this story/poem. I especially liked, “He growled and drooled and pulled my ears. He clawed my face. I shed real tears.”
POCKETS OUT
by Lynsey Folkman
(86 words)
Tim scoffed at the village tradition–
The All Hallow’s Eve superstition–
To keep pockets turned out
To ensure without doubt
They’re not filled due to ghostly ambition.
With pockets defiantly in,
And a werewolf mask hiding his skin,
Tim prepared to cause fright
On this Halloween night–
But the ghosts were aware of his sin.
He tricked and he treated ‘til late.
His pockets, they bulged with the weight!
He was in for a shock
Finding pebbles and rock
Amidst wrappers from sweets the ghosts ate.
Ooooh! Nice! Never scoff at a village tradition!
A nice historical piece for Halloween. Charlie Brown always got a rock. He must have forgot to turn his pockets out.
Great title. I love the last stanza!
Hahaha – I guess Tim learned his lesson:-)
This is my second entry. A haiku. Happy Halloweensie!
Halloween moon
the werewolf’s frightful howl
fueling superstition
This is a totally sweet tinsie Halloweensie story!
Thanks 😊
Nice! Well done for getting the three key words into a haiku!
Thanks 🙏
Well done, Corine. I like it.
I knew this one was coming! Bravo!
EIGHT WORDS!!! I especially like how the werewolf’s howl fuels superstition.
A totally perfect Halloween haiku!
WENDY WEREWOLF’S BIGGEST FRIGHT!
Word Count 100
by Amy LaMae Brewer
Hello, I am Wendy Werewolf.
I can walk wherever I please.
Even on a crack.
I’m not afraid of a simple black cat.
I’m not afraid of this-
or that.
Not even a mummy,
or a suspicious KNOCK.
If it is a ghost, I’ll say, “hello.”
If my rabbit foot is left behind,
I won’t mind.
But alone on Halloween night
is the biggest fright!
So, if Draco says,
“No one wants to be with me.”
I’ll say, “I’ll be your friend,
I’m not superstitious.”
I am Wendy Werewolf! And…
friends hold tight–
when there’s a bump in the night.
https://www.amylamae.com/post/happy-halloweensie-contest
Haha! I love “even on a crack” – took me back to being a kid! Wendy is a great character.
Thanks!
Nobody wants to be alone on Halloween. I like Wendy.
I agree, thank you!
great choice of words: a suspicious KNOCK.
So glad you noticed. That is always a boost. Thanks!
“Friends hold tight” is such a great phrase:-)
Thanks for kind thoughts!
The Ballad of Wolfgang A. Werewolf
by Melissa Miles
99 words
In a cozy cabin nestled in a dark Austrian forest,
a group of children huddle close.
For each Halloween, their grandmother tells
them the frightful tale of a famous musician turned
werewolf she’d known in her youth.
She tells of his fame and glory.
The countless masterpieces he composed.
His banishment, due to ancient superstitions.
A haunting melody begins
in the trees beyond the cabin walls.
Their grandmother names each tune, eyes misting.
Not for the first time,
the children notice something strange…
on nights when the moon is full,
something is just a little different
about their grandmother.
Great work mixing classical music into a Halloween story
Thank you!
OOoooo! This is a great MG and YA story too! I see this as a beginning to a chapter book possibly. Wow! lots to do with this. Nice job!
Ooh, I like ending – leaves a lot to the imagination of the reader. This also felt like quite a fresh take on werewolves – nice job!
Like the ending too. Questions? What next?
Thank you!
I think you could include most of this in a middle grade novel.
Thanks! It would be a fun one to write. 🙂
Intriguing ending – It made me wonder what we would find out about the grandmother if the story continued.
The witching hour by S. J. Barratt (98 words)
Granny Anne pointed to the purple-flowered plant. ‘Wolfsbane – they say it can poison a werewolf.’
Roxanne laughed, ‘Like black cats bringing bad luck – just superstition!’
Suddenly, Richard jumped out from the bushes, giving them a fright. ‘What are you doing in the dark?’ he asked ‘It’s time for us to go.’ He pointed to the bright full moon – a “wolf moon,” the year’s first.
Granny Anne sighed, cherishing their Christmas holiday visit. Sadly, the twins prepared to leave. As they ran into the woods, Granny Anne heard their howls. She whispered, ‘See you next year. I love you’.
Great opening line.
Agreed!
Using the full moon as a signal go gives such eery, mystical feeling to your story.
Happy Halloween, everyone!
I am enjoying reading all the entries – so GOOD!
WEREWOLVES OF HALLOWEEN
“You want to see a werewolf?” Alyssa clutched her treat bag tight to her witch costume.
“Yeah!” Christa said. “Imagine…a full moon then…AWOOOO! Exciting!”
“I think you mean frightening.”
Christa laughed. “Very superstitious,” she sang as the moon emerged like a white, wet fang.
AWOOOO!
They froze as a hairy figure approached.
“Run!” yelled Alyssa.
But Christa ran towards the figure, pulling out a silver lasso.
“Christa’s a werewolf hunter?” cried a small, wide-eyed werewolf.
“Shh, it’s only a story,” Grandpa said, “But on Halloween if you listen closely, sometimes you can hear the whoosh and snap of a lasso!”
Whoops! Forgot:
By Karen LaSalvia
WC 100
Nice title! and I love the silver lasso to the story.
My favorite part: pulling out a silver lasso . . . such vivid imagery.
Christa is one fearless little werewolf hunter:-)
Little Dead Riding Hood
by Marlee Fuller-Morris
WC 100
Once there was a zombie named Little Dead Riding Hood who lived in a dark forest. One foggy Halloween she learned her grandmother was sick.
“Grandmother can’t be sick on her favorite holiday!”
Little Dead packed food and medicine in the folds of her cloak and stepped outside. Her Mummy moaned…
“Beware of monsters on full moon nights!”
But Little Dead wasn’t at all superstitious, so she set out into the mist. Suddenly, Little Dead’s skin prickled. Her hair tingled.
“AWWWOOOOOOOOO!” A werewolf lunged into the moonlight.
“Grandmother! You gave me such a fright! Let’s get you back to bed.”
Oh dear! Such a great twist in the end! I loved “Her Mummy moaned…”
What a clever retelling! Little Dead Riding Hood – unique and fun!
This is so clever. Love the title, too.
Love the title! Great character and fractured fairy tale twist.
Little Dead Riding Hood … Her Mummy: the word play in your story is so much fun:-)
Love it!
TREAT OR BE TRICKED
by Diana Sussman
100 words
Many superstitions
Relate to Halloween.
They inspire several
Costumes that you may have seen.
Avoid black cats, they’re bad luck.
It’s not good if bats fly about
Kids themselves dress as ghouls
so ghouls can’t pick them out.
Turning away any spirits
Seeking food is quite unwise.
But it’s hard to know who the spirits are
‘cause they come in a disguise.
So feed all trick-or-treaters,
Every Werewolf, vampire, or sprite
Or spirits may seek their revenge —
Raise a ruckus, cause a fright.
One non-believer didn’t give
The trick-or-treater at the door.
CRASH! FLASH! BOOM! BANG!
He’s not here anymore.
I’d like to see the spirits ‘raise a ruckus.’
So many good lines…My favorite is, “Kids themselves dress as ghouls
so ghouls can’t pick them out.”
Werewolf on Halloween, Valerie McPherson
Werewolf felt fear.
Rumor held that tonight tiny creatures travelled in groups carrying sacks.
Sacks that grew bigger as they left each house.
He hid in the bushes, waiting. . . . watching the creatures run from house to house. Two-legged, just like the werewolf.
“Trick or treat,” they chanted at each house. Yes! Their sacks got bigger! So it was not a superstition. What did they carry? What was a trick?
Werewolf felt fright. Might one creep up behind him?
The bushes shook. A hand reached in and a face, yelled, “Great Costume!”
Werewolf fainted dead as a rock.
Poor darling. Talk about courage. The suspense is excellent. I can see him imagining being trapped in a sack.
What a totally fun reverse story! Nice job!
Hahaha . . . great rumor: Rumor held that tonight tiny creatures travelled in groups carrying sacks.
“Tiny creatures travelled in groups” … “Sacks that grew bigger as they left each house” … “Might one creep up on him” : Your phrases really build a lot of suspense
THE MONSTER UNDER THE BED
by Diana Sussman
100 words
When kids go to sleep
their hearts fill with dread
Of monsters lurking
Underneath their bed
They freak at each creak,
Sheets up to their eyes,
hoping their parents
respond to their cries.
But one night each year,
on Halloween
Kids dress as monsters
You know what I mean.
Witches, werewolves,
black cats galore
Vampires, Mummies,
and much, much more
Nothing gives monsters
a bigger fright
than trick-or-treaters
on Halloween night
Despite superstition,
it’s my suspicion
their fear’s so strong
It lasts all year long.
So, know that monster
underneath your bed?
Is hiding from YOU!
Have sweet dreams, instead.
This is a lovely entry with a positive ending. Trick-or-treaters giving monsters enough fright for a a whole year. What a nice idea. Sweet dreams. 😴
Nice ending.
Hahaha – Such a great twist at the end of the story/poem. It feels like the old advice that something is more afraid you than you are of it.
Fur Moon
by Christina Shawn
98 words
Moon beckons, “Come child, don’t be frightened.”
But Ingrid doesn’t want to change.
Moon gleams and Ingrid’s betraying eyes glow in return.
Her bones stretch…tearing her t-shirt. Hairy toes burst through her shoes.
“I’m not ready!”
“Release your resistance,” croons Moon.
Fur prickles Ingrid’s neck, chest…nose.
“It tickles!” she says.
“Just a phase,” says Moon.
Sharp teeth poke against Ingrid’s tongue.
“I don’t want to bite anyone,” she argues.
“Silly superstitions,” chides Moon. “Al-most-FULL!”
She beams with pride and light…and Ingrid howls into the night.
“Aaaa-woooo!”
“There’s my little werewolf,” says Moon. “Happy Halloween.”
So kind this story is. I would love to see the illustrated end.
Thank you so much!
I like the voice and the interaction between Moon and Ingrid. The inevitability of facing ourselves.
“Just a phase,” says Moon. I love that.
haha! I like that part too. Thank you!
Great phase . . . from a moon!: “Just a phase,” says Moon.
I could see this being developed further into a longer piece. Nice job.
Oh! Thank you – that would be awesome! 😉
FUR MOON – Such an appropriate title!
You had me at your title! Great job, Christina!
Thank you, Michelle!
Right Where They Belong
by Mona Pease 100 words
Zilly heard whispers.
No warts!
Afraid of heights?
Crackles instead of cackles!
Willz heard too-
A werewolf scared of his own shadow!
Wears deodorant?
Sings instead of roars!
Every afternoon they sneaked to the playground and peeked at kids playing ball, swinging, digging, enjoying wherever they fit in. No whispers. No judgment. Zilly and Willz wished they could be themselves but wouldn’t frighten grownups who still believed the superstitions. Until…
Goblins, ghosts, witches, and werewolves cackled and roared and paraded. Zilly crackled, Willz sang while they marched along too. No whispers. Acceptance! Their differences made no difference here.
Happy Halloween!
I like the title and the message. No whispers. Acceptance!
Love their perspective.
I love your characters’ names and the through line of acceptance.
I was glad for the happy ending in which Zilly and Wills found acceptance.
Unless
by Gail Hartman
WC 98
“Sleepover in a haunted house. Fun!” said Fred.
“Ehh?” said Ted.
“Let’s go!” said Fred.
In the haunted house was a chest filled with costumes and a book. Fred put on a wolf skin.
“Read this,” said Fred. “Silly superstition: Wearing a wolf skin will turn you into a werewolf.”
“Ehh?” said Ted.
Fred and Ted fell asleep. A full moon shone on them.
When Fred woke, he had fur, claws, and frightful teeth.
“Ahhh!” cried Fred and Ted.
Ted grabbed the book. He turned the page. He read, “. . . unless you sleep under a full moon on Halloween!”
Ah, no wonder some people read the ending first. Cute story.
The perfect title for this story.
Hahaha – What a great story ending!!!
PINK UNDERWEAR
by Melissa Lasher
Bernard knew werewolves had one job: to scare children on Halloween. The holiday depended on it. To prepare, Bernard took a Be Scary class at the School for Frightful Creatures. He studied. And practiced. And did all the extra credit…until finally: he was assigned to a human child. On Halloween, Bernard donned his lucky outfit—he was a little superstitious. When the big moment came, Bernard leaped. He ROARED. He flashed his sharp claws. HE WAS TRULY FRIGHTFUL!
Wait. Was this kid…giggling?
“Why aren’t you scared?” Bernard said.
And his kid said, “Werewolves don’t wear pink underwear!”
Nice twist at the end. Good luck!
Funny! Love the surprise ending!
What a great visual: a werewolf in pink undies.
Be Scary Class . . . Hahaha.
Love the idea of The School for Frightful Creatures.
I’ll bet Bernard was crushed after working so hard to achieve his goal, BUT this was truly funny:-)
Rowl sounds like a cheeky cutie!
A Grave Mistake
Keatley Eastman
86 words
Cinder wasn’t superstitious.
“Quackery and poppycock!
Self-respecting felines simply
turn their tails at all that talk.”
…’til the Halloween when Cinder
happened on a frightful scene.
“Something inauspicious surely
muddled up this Halloween!”
Skeletons were jitterbugging.
Vampires turned to butterflies.
Werewolves sunbathed in the moonlight.
Mummies whispered lullabies.
Banshees serenaded sweetly.
Goblins giggled! Gargoyles grinned!
Poltergeists politely nodded
as they floated on the wind.
“Oh my whiskers!” Cinder stammered,
taking in the aftermath.
“That’s the last time that I’ll ever
let a human cross my path!”
Great story! Such fun pictures I see with this and I loved, “Mummies whispered lullabies.”
I particularly like: Mummies whispered lullabies.
Nice twist ending.
“Cinder” is the perfect name for what I’m picturing as a black cat:-)
Mother Goose on Halloween! So precious! Loved picturing these beloved characters dressed up! 😊
Grounded
by Becky Danks
100 words
Ten years ago in the middle of the night,
Wesley the werecub was wound up tight.
His friends were trick-or-treating as ghouls and ghosts,
While he was stuck at home eating beans on toast.
Afraid he would transform and give the neighbours a fright,
His Mom had locked him in his room and out of sight.
Through the window he leapt without permission,
To embrace the jack-o’-lanterns and superstition.
Bedazzled by the moonlight, out shot his claws,
And he shredded some candy in his grizzly jaws.
He wouldn’t be a killer ‘til he turned eighteen,
In 2023 – on Halloween!
Scary! Everyone watch out!! A werewolf can’t be locked in a room forever eating beans on toast. Bedazzled by the moonlight, out shot his claws!
Thanks Corine! Such a fun competition 😊
I especially liked: And he shredded some candy in his grizzly jaws.
Thanks for the feedback, Jill! I really enjoyed writing it.
“Through the window he leapt without permission” – I love these words that describe Wesley’s great escape:-)
Thank you so much, Patricia!
The Scariest Thing of All by Jeanette Fazzari Jones (WC: 100)
Wally’s secret stayed safe his whole Were-life.
Tonight,
the full moon’s light,
would make him
into the most frightful sight…
A human.
His Were-friends laughed at superstition.
Wally knew the truth.
Every Halloween, his pack prowled the town for tricks and treats.
He couldn’t hide, they’d search.
He couldn’t go out, they’d see.
So he created a costume.
No more flat teeth, smooth skin, or clear eyes.
When his best-wolf Willamina never showed, Wally worried.
He wound his way to her den.
Wally gasped!
Willamina was a human!
Wally removed his costume. Together they braved the scariest thing of all.
Wally and Willamina are a match made in moonlight.
Wally and Willamina were clearly meant for each other – I liked your ending and can almost hear somebody saying, “… and they lived happily ever after.”
Weirdwolf
by
Searra Simpson
(99 Words)
Halloween- the perfect night for her
first werewolf transformation.
Finally, she could gift her friend, Moon, a proper howl.
The clouds parted.
Moon’s glow embraced her.
She twisted and contorted until…
Her body and senses heightened.
She breathed in deep…
*Snort, Snort*
Snort, Snort?
Peering into a puddle, a squishy, slobbery pug stared back.
A frightful sight indeed.
She’d been warned something could go wrong.
But she’d followed every superstition to the T.
She plopped down to think…
This must be who I’m meant to be.
Plus, Moon still needs me…
So she lifted her wrinkly head and… “SQUWEEEEEEEE!”
I enjoyed reading this. How sweet to want to gift her friend, Moon, a proper howl. I like Pug’s attitude. SQUWEEEEEEE!
So funny, I love the SQUWEEEEEE!!!
She has probably waited her whole life to do this: Finally, she could gift her friend, Moon, a proper howl.
Love this title! Fun story.
“This must be who I’m meant to be.” This is such a good line about self-acceptance.
This is adorable! Love the title and cute ending.
Aunt Howla’s Big Book of Recipes: Spooky Halloween
Sarah Stauffer
100 Words
Wendal the werewolf sat, wondering, “How can I make this Halloween the spookiest ever?”
“I know! I’ll check Aunt Howla.” He grabbed his biggest cookbook.
Flipping through, he found the perfect recipe:
Spooky Halloween
Take a dash of ghost gloop and a splash of superstition.
Whisk well.
Add a cup of frigid fright.
Stir slowly.
Mummy membrane and snake snot to taste.
Sprinkle surfaces for superior spooky celebration.
Wendal sprinkled and ghosts grew, mummies meandered, and snakes slithered all around. The air filled with fright and superstitious smells.
Wendal the werewolf grinned, “I’m ready for the spookiest Halloween of all!”
Super fun spooky Halloween recipe! Loved “a cup of frigid fright.”
Thanks so much! =)
There is so much alliteration in this story! I’m aghast.
All along alliterations aim to aghast. ; )
The idea of using a recipe to cook up a spooky Halloween is so clever:-)
Thanks so much, Patricia! =)
ENTRY POSTED FOR JEN
Lazy Eddie
By Jen Keenan
Word count – 100
Tonight’s overrated.
It’s just a lot of work.
The costumes and the walking,
Plus everyone’s berserk.
Hordes of frightful creatures
Crowd doorways in the din.
Suffocating masks distort
The “Trick or treat!” within.
Silly superstitions
Make this night too hard.
I’d rather be at home
Than traipsing through a yard.
Santa Claus delivers,
Easter Bunny too.
A fairy brings me money
When teeth are lost anew.
Halloween needs shipment –
A spooky “BOO-P-S,”
Or bonbons thrown from broomsticks –
A kind of “Witch Express!”
Werewolves bearing candy-grams
Should show up at the door.
Then we wouldn’t have to work
For candy anymore.
Ha-ha! Lazy Eddie is too funny! Very creative and intuitive.
This is fun and unique. Well done! Halloween needs shipment. Too funny!
Hahaha. My favorite line:
bonbons thrown from broomsticks
A spooky “BOO-P-S” … Witch Express … Candy-grams: The names of your Halloween delivery services are so clever:-)
ENTRY POSTED FOR JEN
Strange Encounters
By Jen Keenan
Word count – 100
Once a year a princess meets
Ghosts and werewolves in the streets.
Voldemort, to my delight
Wants to be a friend tonight.
Hey there’s SpongeBob! Can it be?
Holy cow! He waved to me!
Racing now, home to home,
I see ghouls, then a gnome.
Oh that witch! What a fright!
Not the first I’ve had tonight!
Jack-o-lanterns on the stoop,
We arrive in one large group.
Superstition in the air,
“Trick or treat!” we all declare.
Wow, my bag is heavy now.
I’ve got more than I can chow.
Plenty here for Mom and Dad.
Butterfingers… they’ll be glad.
This is fun. Love the rhyme and the costumes in your story. I can see them as they pass the kid. And the win at the end. I mean, who doesn’t like butterfingers?
Such vivid imagery. I adore the last line.
Your story/poem perfectly captures the pure joy of trick-or-treating on Halloween:-)
ENTRY POSTED FOR KELLIE
Stingy Jack
By Kellie Tune (@FableFiddler)
89 words
Wolf shivered, surrounded by superstitions. Bewitched by bleeding beets and tortured turnips that carried the mark of demons, werewolves, and the frightful face of Stingy Jack, She heard footsteps.
Stomp…. Stomp… Stomp.
Stingy Jack was coming.
Stomp… Stomp… Stomp.
She saw him point.
She saw him laugh.
Slash.
All went dark.
Wolf sat on the table, flickering from the inside out.
She smelt the sweetness, and felt her emptiness.
He pointed and spoke “look at the harvest from this wolf pumpkin jack-o-lantern! Who wants mash? Who wants pumpkin pie?”
Oh, this would be a fun Halloween table to see!
Good one: Bewitched by bleeding beets
Oh boy – You nailed writing a creepy, scary Halloween story:-0
ENTRY POSTED FOR LYUDMILA
Lyudmila Danova
A night of magic. Kevin got out of bed and went to the kitchen for water. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. And through its window, he saw a horrible werewolf. All furry. Kevin wasn’t superstitious, but fear made him shiver. He dropped the glass of water on the floor, and it broke with a bang… Then Kevin quickly went back to bed headfirst under the cover. After a moment, he remembered it was Halloween. Night of the Monsters.
Oh, no! It sounds like Kevin is suffering from Teraphobia. A warm bed can be so comforting. It’s only superstition.
Great ‘showing’ Kevin’s fear.
Diving “headfirst under the cover” makes it perfectly clear that Kevin is super scared:-0
ENTRY POSTED FOR DOROTHY
Dachsie and Beagle’s Halloween Plan
Dorothy Kohrherr
99 words
Dachsie said, “ We can’t let Werewolf frighten pets and destroy Dogville.
Beagle nodded, “I have a plan. The superstition is that a man becomes a Werewolf when he dresses in wolfskin on the night of a full moon. On Halloween night, we can fight the superstition with the magic of cinnamon and black pepper.”
On Halloween Eve, they spread cinnamon and black pepper over the wolfskin. Then, Dachsie’s tail painted a picture in the powdery mix. Under a full Halloween moon, there was frantic howling as the man became a Werewolf and then a warm and friendly sheepdog.
I had a beagle and several dachshunds . . . so this was fun to imagine.
So creative to come up with some new and different magic to fight off a werewolf: cinnamon and black pepper
ENTRY POSTED FOR DAWN
Dawn Renee Young
I’LL BE BRAVE
werewolf – superstitious – frightened
WC-100
Wally loved his Werewolf costume.
It was his first Halloween to go trick or treating with his older brother.
He glanced at the full moon lighting up the sky.
“Uh-oh, Dad says bad things happen on nights with full moons.
He is super-ish-ous about black cats and ladders too, but I’ll be BRAVE!”
“Are you s-u-r-e?” asked his brother.
A Vampire pushed Wally from behind.
Trying not to be frightened he stared at the moon and whispered, “I’ll be brave.”
Turning the corner for home, Wally yelled, “I’m a brave werewolf, H-O-W-L H-O-W-L!
How was that for brave?” he smiled.
Brothers unite to combat spooky season–this was a sweet treat to read, Dawn!
I adore ‘new’ words: super-ish-ous . . . good one.
Wally is such a lovable character in your story – How can we not love somebody filled with all that spunk and bravery:-)
Cute, Dawn! And maybe he is a brave werewolf, who knows? The ending makes one think!
Wally and his brother are so cute – I love their voices!
The Scariest Halloween Night
By Carol Jones
100 words
Werewolf’s mummy was very superstitious.
So was Werewolf.
They would NEVER walk under a ladder.
They would NEVER step on a crack in the pavement.
They avoided black cats.
It was Halloween.
“I forgot a pumpkin, “squealed Mummy. “We have nothing to keep out the evil spirits!”
Werewolf raced to the shop…
THERE WERE NO PUMKINS LEFT!!
“Oh no!” cried Mummy.
“We’ll be haunted by ghosts,
turned into frogs by witches,
or bitten by vampires!”
“We’ll be eaten by zombies,” Werewolf wailed.
They were sooo frightened they huddled together all night.
CREEEAAAK…
“Morning!” cried Daddy, “You two are up early!”
The first sentence tickled me . . . Werewolf has a mummy.
What great dialogue from Mummy and Werewolf when they discovered there were no pumpkins left … There was no doubt in my mind how frightened the two of them were.
A Werewolfington Trick-or-Treat
By Jan Schwaid
Word Count: 100
There was always barking in Werewolfington – the werewolf residents were, after all, part dog – but never so much as on Halloween.
Tilly Wolf was superstitious about the full moon; it gave her shivers. To avoid getting spooked, she decided to hand out candy instead of trick-or-treating.
DINGDONG. Tilly resisted the urge to bark – she was, after all, part dog – and opened the door. A vampire trick-or-treater? Not so scary.
DINGDONG. Tilly tensed. Just candy-crazed mummies.
DINGDONG. Tilly peered into the shadows, only to find her nightmare fright – A VACUUM! She HOWLED, then played dead.
(She was, after all, part dog.)
Hahaha – So funny for a vacuum to be what eventually scared Tilly, and the repetitive use of “She was, after all, part dog” was a perfect set up for your final line:-)