Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been a fan of horror stories since I was a kid. As an introverted and shy kid, I used to joke with my best friend about how I felt like a ghost and wished I had the power to be invisible. After I became a children’s book author/illustrator, I became fascinated with ghost picture books and started collecting them. Ghost picture books not only fulfilled my spooky necessities but also gave me warmth and heartfelt emotions.


I wrote

Wolfgang in the Meadow

By Lenny Wen,

Book cover of Wolfgang in the Meadow

What is my book about?

Wolfgang is a ghost who lives in the meadow. Along with his friends, Wolfgang loves to practice supernatural things, such…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Gustavo, the Shy Ghost

Lenny Wen Why did I love this book?

Gustavo is one of the most adorable ghosts, and his story is so relatable. As an introverted and shy person, I can relate to all of Gustavo’s struggles, especially the struggle with making friends.

Flavia’s artwork is so fantastic, expressive, and vibrant. I love the characters and textures. I also love how Flavia applied Mexican culture to the artwork.

By Flavia Z. Drago,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Gustavo, the Shy Ghost as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, 5, and 6.

What is this book about?

A story of friendship and courage - perfect for the spooky season or all year round!

Gustavo is a ghost. He is good at doing all sorts of paranormal things, like walking through walls, making objects fly and glowing in the dark. And he loves playing beautiful music on his violin. But Gustavo also has a problem. He is SHY. Which means some things are harder for him to do, like getting in a line to buy eye-scream or talking to the other monsters. But Gustavo longs to be a part of something, he longs to be seen. More than…


Book cover of How to Make Friends with a Ghost

Lenny Wen Why did I love this book?

Rebecca Green is one of my favorite artists and storytellers. So, when I saw her debut author-illustrator picture book, I was so thrilled.

This book is one of the most adorable books I’ve ever read. Written in like a guide step-by-step style, I learned not only how to befriend a ghost, but the fantastic art is a feast to my eyes.

I love the limited palette and soft pastel tone in the book. It created a vintage and warm feeling for the story.

By Rebecca Green,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked How to Make Friends with a Ghost as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

What do you do when you meet a ghost? One: Provide the ghost with some of its favourite snacks, like mud tarts and earwax truffles. Two: Tell your ghost bedtime stories (ghosts love to be read to). Three: Make sure no one mistakes your ghost for whipped cream or a marshmallow when you aren't looking! If you follow the essential tips in How to Make Friends With a Ghost, you'll learn how a ghost can be the perfect companion for rest of your life and beyond...

"Green's picture-book debut is a guidebook that will be useful for anyone lucky enough…


Book cover of Sir Simon: Super Scarer

Lenny Wen Why did I love this book?

This book is super funny. Sir Simon’s expressions are priceless. I love how Sir Simon looks grumpy but kind inside.

The layout and comic-like style make this book dynamic and fun to read. Cale’s artwork is super expressive, vibrant, and funny.

By Cale Atkinson,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Sir Simon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

A delightful, funny story of friendship, ghost chores, a spooky house and a professional haunter.

Meet Sir Simon, Super Scarer. He's a professional ghost who has been transferred to his first house. And just in time! He was getting tired of haunting bus stops and forests and potatoes. And to top it off, this house is occupied by an old lady -- they're the easiest to haunt!

But things don't go as planned when it turns out a KID comes with this old lady. Chester spots Simon immediately and peppers him with questions. Simon is exasperated. . . until he…


Book cover of The Shadow and the Ghost

Lenny Wen Why did I love this book?

It’s a heartwarming book about how a friendship could cross any barrier. I love how Cat contrasted the world of Shinbi—the ghost, and Greem—the shadow. The dark, starry night and the colorful, greenish day.

I adore Cat Min’s watercolor artwork and how she handled the colors. The book is so beautiful and delightful!

By Cat Min,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Shadow and the Ghost as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

Shinbi is not a particularly ghosty ghost. At night she likes making tiny bouquets of things, and gazing at the far away stars. Haunting? Not so much. Even if that’s what the other ghosts like.

In the daytime, in a meadow, sits a single rock, casting a single shadow, named Greem. He’d really like someone to talk to. But who? He writes one word on his lonely rock: “Hi” and hopes someone will see it. Sure enough, in the darkness of night, Shinbi finds the note! But who could have written it?

In a profound exploration of how friendship can…


Book cover of The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt

Lenny Wen Why did I love this book?

The cover of this book immediately captured my attention. I love ghosts and quilts, so I knew this book was for me from the get-go.

I love the gloomy atmosphere of the artwork, in which the grey tone makes the little ghost who was a quilt stand out. The story itself is also so relatable and heartfelt. The ending and twist in the end give me a satisfactory feeling.

By Riel Nason, Byron Eggenschwiler (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, 5, and 6.

What is this book about?

When you're a quilt instead of a sheet, being a ghost is hard! An adorable picture book for fans of Stumpkin and How to Make Friends with a Ghost.

Ghosts are supposed to be sheets, light as air and able to whirl and twirl and float and soar. But the little ghost who is a quilt can't whirl or twirl at all, and when he flies, he gets very hot.

He doesn't know why he's a quilt. His parents are both sheets, and so are all of his friends. (His great-grandmother was a lace curtain, but that doesn't really help…


Explore my book 😀

Wolfgang in the Meadow

By Lenny Wen,

Book cover of Wolfgang in the Meadow

What is my book about?

Wolfgang is a ghost who lives in the meadow. Along with his friends, Wolfgang loves to practice supernatural things, such as hiding and making things fly or twirl in the air. But he also enjoys non-spooky things like picking wildflowers or stargazing.

Most of all, Wolfgang dreams of becoming a great spirit and haunting the Dark Castle like his hero, The Mighty Hubert. When he finally reaches his dream to haunt the Dark Castle, will he truly be fulfilled?

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Serendipity

By Maria de Fátima Santos,

Book cover of Serendipity

Maria de Fátima Santos Author Of Serendipity

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been fascinated by the richness of fairy tales since I was a child. The fantasy writing offers endless possibilities to nourish my mind’s eye and pearls of wisdom that I can transfer to real life. I remember from childhood that I cried reading the Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen. This childhood memory never left me. Fantasy writing is interwoven with the realm of nature and beings other than humans that offer a tapestry for the tradition of storytelling and nature writing, which I found a fascinating field to explore. I hope you can find the same in the books on this list.

Maria's book list on nature and fantasy storytelling for children

What is my book about?

Serendipity is a magical story told by a grandmother to a granddaughter, introducing us to the traditional way of living of the Scottish Travellers and their Cant language.

A fantasy tale for children of 8 years old and older inspired by three real places in Scotland. Serendipity takes us to Helge's Hole in Forres, the Hermitage Forest in Dunkeld, and Glen Lyon in Perth on a quest for Truth, Beauty, and Goodness. It's a story of a grandmother's greater love for a granddaughter, a mother for a daughter, and the boundless bounty of the natural realm for each one of…

Serendipity

By Maria de Fátima Santos,

What is this book about?

Not so long ago, nomadic communities in Scotland told stories around camp fires and slept in bow tents made of hazel and canvas. In this book, their culture is introduced through Cant's vocabulary, a dialect spoken by Scottish travellers. Following them, Serendipity takes you to Helge's Hole in Forres, Hermitage Forest in Dunkeld, and Glen Lyon in Perth, meandering through the valleys and cragged peaks of the Scottish Highlands, in a quest for Truth, Beauty and Goodness.

Dive into Scottish culture as the old grandmother, Julia, recounts to her granddaughter Gaia the tale of a little girl of pure heart.…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in ghost story, ghosts, and presidential biography?

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