Prepare to be Spooked

Three Little Vikings
Written & Illustrated by Bethan Woollvin
Age Level: 3-7 Years
Published August 30, 2022

I’m avoiding a family costume at all costs.

Funny, empowering, and the tiniest bit frightening, Three Little Vikings is the perfect spooky story to transition your crew into Halloween mode.

Something is off in the Vikings’ village. Night after night, the town is plagued by a series of odd events, including strange noises, fallen trees, and treasures gone missing. Three clever little girls grow increasingly suspicious, but each day their concerns are brushed off and dismissed by the Chieftain. Ultimately, the young trio uses their intelligence, intuition, and bravery to prove the Chieftain wrong and save the village.

“ ‘Nonsense,’ boomed the Chieftain. ‘I know the trees are just rotten . . . and I know best!’ ”

I love that this book encourages children to challenge authority when their views or feelings are being diminished; it’s also super fun for young readers to see kids outsmart the grownup in charge. I also cheered for the strong female characters, and applauded author-illustrator Betham Woolvin’s choice to represent one of the girls as differently abled by giving her a prosthetic leg. This book isn’t overtly Halloween themed in any way, so it will earn a permanent rather than seasonal spot on your shelf.