Creepy(ish) Picture Books for Hallowe'en

On 31st October, kids everywhere will be transforming into vampires, werewolves, ghosts and witches for a night of trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving, and all sorts of fiendish fun! We've put together a list of some creepy (and not-so-creepy!) picture books to keep your little terrors entertained as the nights grow darker...

Seen and Not Heard by Katie May Green

In a big old house, up creaky stairs, in a silent little nursery full of dolls and teddy bears, you'll find the children of Shiverhawk Hall. They're children in pictures on the wall – seen and not heard...  

Original, atmospheric and delightfully spooky, this is the story of dainty little Lily Pinksweet, the Plumseys, clever Billy Fitzbillian, kind Percy and the De Villechild twins. They all look so sweet and good, but when night-time comes and there's no one to see, the children climb out from the quiet of their picture frames and they run riot and they run free! Perfect for children with wild imaginations and anarchic spirits, this magical book is filled with unforgettable images and free-spirited joy.

Find out more about Seen and Not Heard and download an activity sheet here.

Ghost in the House by Ammi-Joan Paquette and Adam Record

And a skeleton makes four in the house,
In the creepy haunted house,
On this dark, spooky night, cold and bleak.

When a little ghost goes slip-sliding down the hallway, he suddenly hears... a groan! Turns out it’s only a friendly mummy, who shuffles along with the ghost, until they encounter... a monster! As the cautious explorers continue, they find a surprise at every turn – and add another adorably ghoulish friend to their gruesome group. But you’ll never guess who is the scariest creature in the house... 

What's In the Witch's Kitchen? by Nick Sharratt

 
What's in the toaster in the witch's kitchen? 
Open it left or open it right, 
Will it make your mouth water or turn your hair white?
A grumpy, burnt GHOST!

The witch has hidden a trick and a treat in her magical kitchen cupboards - which one you find depends on how you open the doors! Whether it's frogspawn or popcorn, lollipops or rabbit plops, there are hilarious rhymes to discover inside in this spooky book from Nick Sharratt!

Find all of these terrifying titles at your local bookshop.

Colour, Snap, App!

This week we are publishing a colouring book like no other! Colour, Snap, App! is the first ever colouring book to turn pictures into animated films!
 
Do your kids love colouring in? Are obsessed with apps? Are they mesmerised by magic? In this amazing, new colouring book, children (and grown-ups!) can colour in 16 pictures, create 16 animated episodes and make a total of 8 minutes of animated film! 

All you need is a copy of the book, something to colour in with and a smartphone or tablet. It's as easy as colour, snap, app! As you colour in and watch the pictures move, you’ll also discover how animals use their colours and markings in surprising ways.  

If you'd like to try it out, you can download this free activity sheet and have a go at the first picture in the book. 

Be the first to get a copy of Colour, Snap, App! and find it at your local bookshop. 

WIN
We've got three copies of Colour, Snap, App! plus sets of Crayola colouring pencils to give away to three lucky winners. To enter the competition, just email your name and address to competitions@walker.co.uk with 'Colour Snap App' in the subject line before 30 November 2015. Good luck!

By entering this competition, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions. Your details will not be shared with third parties. 

Books are my Bag

This week we are celebrating Books Are My Bag, a nationwide campaign to celebrate bookshops!

This brilliant collaboration between publishers, bookshops and authors is the biggest EVER promotion of bookshops. So if you love bookshops as much as we do, then please continue to celebrate - and shop in! - our fabulous high street bookshops (both chains and independents) to ensure they are not under threat.

The campaign kicked off yesterday on Super Thursday and will continue through to Christmas 2015.
Check out some of the amazing illustrations our Walker illustrators have created to show their support:

Oh No, George! by Chris Haughton

Mango & Bambang by Clara Vulliamy

Julius Zebra by Gary Northfield

Maisy by Lucy Cousins

Little Mouse by Petr Horacek

Visit the Books Are My Bag website to find out more.

WIN a backstage tour of the National Theatre for your family

"A brilliant introduction to the world of theatre and the people who make it." - Benedict Cumberbatch

If you and your kids love the theatre as much as we do, then All About Theatre is a must for your family bookshelf. From first idea to final curtain, from backstage to front of house, go behind the scenes in this illustrated book and discover all about how a play is made!

With fascinating facts, surprising stats and activities to try at home, you can delve into the world of the National Theatre's most memorable productions, including War Horse and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Discover secrets and learn how shows are created from writers, actors, directors, designers and craftspeople who reveal the tricks of their trades!

Take a peek inside the book here.

Yesterday, as part of our celebrations to launch the book, a few of us were lucky enough to go on an amazing backstage tour of the National Theatre. We got to take a sneak peek at the props department where they were making lots of exciting things for As You Like It and Husbands and Sons and got to visit the auditoriums and learn about how the stage and set are put together. From the dressing rooms to the props workshop, we were blown away with the amount of detail that goes into putting on a play!

WIN A backstage tour of the National Theatre
We're giving you the chance to win one backstage tour of the National Theatre for you and your family (up to two adults and three children aged 15 and under). You'll have the chance to go behind the scenes, visit unseen and backstage areas and handle props from previous productions. Five runners up will win a copy of the book.

For your chance to win, just fill out your details below before 7th November 2015:

Name

Email Address

I’d like to receive the Picture Book Party newsletter to keep up-to-date with new books, events and exclusives.

I’d like to sign-up to receive emails from our friends at The National Theatre.

Please tick this box if you are over 13, if you wish to sign-up to the newsletter. If you are under 13 years old you must ask a parent or guardian sign-up on your behalf.

 By entering this competition, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions (below).

For an exciting sneak peak at some of the things that go on behind the scenes at the National Theatre, check out this short film:

Competition closing date: 07 November 2015

Terms and conditions: 1. This prize draw is promoted by Walker Books Ltd. incorporated in England under registered number 1378601 (the “Promoter”) and is not open to employees of the Promoter or their families. 2. Entrants must be residents of the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland. 3. There will be 1 prize winner and 5 runners up, who will receive the prizes stated. All prizes are non-transferable and there is no cash alternative. 4. The closing date is 7 November 2015. 5. Winners will be notified within 30 days of the closing date. 6. Only prize claims received on or before the closing date will be honoured; the Promoter accepts no responsibility for claims received after the Closing Date. 7. The Promoter accepts no responsibility for any entries that are late, lost, damaged, illegible or corrupted in transit. Proof of entering is not proof of receipt. 8. The Promoter’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. 9. Any personal data obtained and/or gathered by the Promoter shall be used only for the purposes of the competition. All personal details shall be held in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. 10. Only one entry will be accepted per email address used. 11. The first prize is a backstage tour of the National Theatre for 2 adults and 3 children (age 15 and under). Five runners up will receive a copy of the book, All About Theatre. 12. There is no cash alternative. 13. The prize is not transferable. 14. UK/Eire travel to the National Theatre will be reimbursed following provision of receipts for such expense, up to a value of £100. Accommodation is not provided. 15. The backstage tour is subject to availability and the National Theatre reserves the right to alter the itinerary of the tour if necessary. 16. The prize must be taken by 30 April 2016. 17. The rules of this prize draw are governed by UK law and entry is conditional on acceptance of these terms and conditions which may be amended at any time by the Promoter.