3 Fantasy Books for Halloween

I’ve always been a fan of fantasy stories. When I was a little girl, I always wanted to be a princess, Little Red Riding Hood, Alice, or Dorothy for Halloween. Things don’t change much… I’m a big girl now, and I still want to dress up for the holiday! Here are three of my favorite fantasy books. Fun reading for kids of all ages!

Fantasy Stop 1: Lewis Carroll’s Alice‘s Adventures in Wonderland

Our first fantasy stop takes us to Lewis Carroll. I wonder if he knew how popular his heroine Alice would be when his book, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, was first published in November, 1865.This year is the 150th anniversary of the book’s publication, and adaptations are still being produced. The most recent film offering by Tim Burton is a very imaginative interpretation of the original story. The first film was made in 1903 starring May Clark as Alice. That production was based on this book and its sequel, Through the Looking-Glass. Alice and other characters such as the Mad Hatter and Queen of Hearts are Halloween favorites year in and year out. Which one do you want to be this year?

Fantasy Stop 2: Frank L. Baum – The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Our next fantasy stop takes us to Frank L. Baum. Did you know that he wrote 15 stories about Oz? The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, published in 1899, is the most popular and the one with the most adaptations. Our vision of Dorothy Gale is based on the 1939 movie starring Judy Garland in that blue check pinafore, but in the original illustrations by W.W. Denslow, she looked a little bit different – the vision of a young Victorian lass. Whichever Dorothy suits your fancy, wouldn’t it be fun to be her, or the Wicked Witch of the West, or Glinda, or better yet, have a party filled with the denizen of Oz!

Fantasy Stop 3: Grimm’s Fairytales

Our final fantasy stop takes us to the Grimm brothers. Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were forward thinkers who captured stories passed down through oral tradition. Through interviews, they wrote down 200 stories they heard and compiled them into a volume first published in 1837. The stories in this first edition, however, were not meant for children. It wasn’t until the final version printed in 1857 that the stories started to resemble the Grimm’s Fairytales we know today.

Grimm’s Fairytales capture our imagination, which is one reason why they continue to endure through the written word, in movies, on TV, and in video games. Characters from their stories are perennial favorites at Halloween. From princesses to fairies and beyond, Grimm’s Fairytales is filled with Halloween inspiration. Some of my favorites include (in no particular order):