New crop of childrens books arrive just in time for Halloween

There are plenty of new books on the market for kids to read this Halloween season.

One of our favorite picture book creators, Mo Willems, has a monster of a book that would be perfect to share with kindergartners.

“Leonardo the Terrible Monster” is about a little monster desperately trying to find someone to scare. The unexpected ending will make you and your little monster smile.

Helen Cooper captures the flavor of fall in “Pumpkin Soup,” reprinted in paperback (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $6.95).

Her critters – a duck, squirrel and cat – live in a little cabin in the woods. But when the duck packs up and leaves, things go awry.

It’s a charming story, but what makes this book special are Cooper’s amazing paintings.

Award-winning British writer David Almond is well known for his young adult fiction, but this month he releases his first picture book, “Kate, the Cat and the Moon,” with illustrator Stephen Lambert (Doubleday, $15.95). The simple story of a girl dreaming that she’s out at night as a cat is delightful and has a Halloween feel.

“Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet!” (Scholastic, $16.96) is a familiar expression and also the title of a new book by Lisa Desimini. Two mischievous witches cook up a spell to make the neighborhood kids ask for candy by saying, “Smell my feet.”