Spooky, Scary Skeletons: Based on the Hit Song

by Andrew Gold, Polona Lovšin (illustrator)

Spooky, scary skeletons…will send shivers down your spine in this adorable sing-along picture book based on the TikTok viral song by Andrew Gold (best known for writing The Golden Girls theme song, "Thank You for Being a Friend.")Follow along as five little skeletons go trick-or-treating on Halloween night. But when they take their scares too far, can a skeleton dance save the day?Andrew Gold released "Spooky, Scary Skeletons" in 1996. Since then, it has become a viral sensation, with over 8 billion views on both YouTube and TikTok... and counting! Now, fans of all ages can sing along to the complete lyrics, which have been paired with playful illustrations. Spooky, scary skeletonsSpeak with such a screech—You'll SHAKE and SHUDDER in surpriseWhen you hear these zombies shriek. An ideal read-aloud for Halloween or ANY time of year, this is sure to become a cherished part of family bookshelves for years to come.

Genres: Picture Books, Halloween, Holiday, Music, Childrens, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

Published August 27, 2024

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH. I freakin LOVE the song and I'm so happy a book was made about it. It was really cool to learn about the songwriter's background too! I had no idea. Illustrations are awesome!

[Lily]

you can't tell me that that's not My Chemical Romance on the cover

[Gmr · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great pick for the upcoming spooky reading season that turns a silly, and fun song, into a storybook celebration! Perfect for readers of all ages, and filled with illustrations that will have kiddos shrieking with delight.



*ecopy received for review; opinions are my own

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 2 out of 5]

I.am very unfamiliar with some Tiktok highlights....so as I didn't know the song, the book didn't resonate!

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute Halloween picture book that feels a little restricted because of the famous song it is based on. The text is written in such a way that forces you to sing (elongating letters like you would notes) and I didn't love that. The illustrations are darling, but don't really match the text. This will certainly be popular.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

What worked:
The entire narrative uses the same song lyrics as a 1996 YouTube video by the same title. The book begs to be read aloud as the lyrical lines take on a whole new life when they’re heard. Even better, readers should watch the video first so the tune is fresh on their minds. The descriptive words touch on different senses and young readers should be encouraged to notice this. “Shivers”, “shrieking”, and “screech” are a few examples.
The imaginative illustrations are the highlight of the book as they tell the real story. It begins with a group of kids applying their skeleton costumes before heading out for Trick or Treating. The background shades of color create the feeling of sunset which perfectly fits the story’s setting. Readers’ attention will focus on these children going door to door but be sure to look for other costumed characters and details in the setting. Drawings of skeletons mirror the children’s movements and help connect the book to the video.
What didn’t work as well:
The illustrations don’t clearly communicate the plot described in the book’s synopsis and they don’t directly reflect the narrative. It’s hard to see how the children “take their scares too far”. Young readers will probably need help interpreting facial expressions and summarizing the sequence of events.
The final verdict:
The author perfectly captures the mystique and frolicking of children on Halloween night. The colorful pictures will entrance young readers and I recommend you give it a shot!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

With the Halloween season a few weeks away, it's probably time to share books about the holiday with youngsters. With its fun-to-say lyrics, complete with drawn out sounds, this one fits the bill completely. While I wasn't familiar with the song before reading this picture book, youngsters will be, and they'll enjoy the scenes depicted in the artwork, created with acrylic, charcoal, and pastels, featuring five youngsters as they don their spooky costumes, masks or makeup, and head for neighbors' houses in search of sweet loot. It's not hard to love all the movement in the illustrations as well as appreciate the background on the song in the afterword. They may be little, but these are spooky, scary skeletons, at least for one night.

[Read Ribbet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This picture book is based on the song lyrics of Andrew Gold's Halloween song Spooky, Scary Skeletons. In the illustrations of Polona Lovsin, we see five Trick or Treaters dressed as skeletons take to the streets to scare the neighborhood. For those readers who know the song, this book becomes an accessible book to read or sing especially with others.

[Rowan's Bookshelf (Carleigh) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable and perfect for Halloween! If any kids already know the Spooky Scary Skeletons song, this is even better - with art that fills you with Halloween spirit (I especially loved watching the little black cat follow along with the group) as trick or treaters follow our group of spooky skeletons. A great homage to the song and an awesome way to garner attention to the songwriter!

[Jenn O'Brien · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars -- I dare you. Try not to sing the song when reading this book. It is really hard not to do. The illustrations in this book are lovely. I was especially keen to read the author's note at the back of the book to learn the origins of the song.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

My younger children love this "Halloween" song, so this book was a fun find. The text is taken directly from the song's lyrics, and the illustrations tell their own mini story. It's a great book for Halloween time!

[Juushika · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yes, the meme song; no, no one asked for a picture book adaptation, although I can envision the pitch. And so far as there is narrative, it doesn't translate, and little effort is made to produce a coherent story. But the art is all nostalgic Halloween vibes; not good, but fun to flip though.

[Alex Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book so much. From the classic song to the illustrations, my boys love when we read this book.

[Jeani · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a catchy song and the book is a really great companion!

[Haley Overstreet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe I didn’t get the hype, but the pictures were cool.

[Melanie Gaum · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite Halloween song!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big fan of this one.

[ᥫ᭡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Illustrations are beautiful

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

CUUUUTTTTEE! I love this and the viral song that inspired it.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this Halloween song and look forward to singing this in storytime!