Gentle scares for little ghouls and boys

"Leonardo the Terrible Monster" by Mo Willems (Hyperion, $16.99)
This monster of a book by picture book creator Mo Willems would be perfect to share with kindergartners. It's about a little monster desperately trying to find someone to scare. The unexpected ending will make you and your little monster smile.
"The Spooky Smells of Halloween" by Mary Man-Kong with illustrations by Viviana Garofoli (Golden Books, $8.99)
Sammy has his friends over for a Halloween party. There's a very smelly surprise at the end.
"Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet!" by Lisa Desimini (Scholastic, $16.96)
Two mischievous witches cook up a spell to make the neighborhood kids ask for candy by saying "smell my feet."
"Pumpkin Soup" by Helen Cooper (Farrar, Straus & amp; Giroux, $6.95)
Reprinted in paperback, Cooper captures the flavor of fall. 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 for the season are Cooper's amazing paintings.
"Peek-a-Boooo!" by Marie Torres Cimarusti (Dutton Juvenile, $9.99)
Marie Torres Cimarusti's work is sure to delight the littlest readers. The illustrations by Stephanie Peterson are more sweet than scary as each lift-the-flap has the reader guess who's who.
"Kate, the Cat and the Moon" by David Almond (Doubleday, $15.95)
Award-winning British writer David Almond is well known for his young-adult fiction, but this is his first picture book, with illustrator Stephen Lambert. The simple story of a girl dreaming that she's out at night as a cat is delightful and has a Halloween feel.
"10 Trick-or-Treaters: A Halloween Counting Book" by Janet Schulman (Knopf Books for Young Readers, $8.95)
Follows the costumed kids as they are scared off one by one while they seek treats. Linda Davick's illustrations are cartoonlike.
"Noises at Night" by Beth Raisner Glass and Susan Lubner (Abrams Books for Young Readers, $15.95)
A little boy settles into bed, imagining all the sounds in the house -- from the hiss of the heater to the whoosh of the wind -- as the keys to adventures. The creaking of his bed, for example, is really a treasure chest opening wide, and he's an explorer with gold in his hand. It's a great book for children who fear nighttime noise. Bruce Whatley is the illustrator.
"Halloween Night" by Elizabeth Hatch (Doubleday Books for Young Readers, $15.95)
All sorts of creatures come out on Halloween night. And Jimmy Pickering's gothic-inspired folk art illustrations add atmosphere to the story of a dog that sets in motion a trick that ends with treats for a mouse living inside a jack-o'-lantern.
"I'll See You in the Morning: A Lullaby" by Mike Jolley, illustrated by Mique Moriuchi (Chronicle Books, $12.95).
After all the spooks and scares, try this sweet bedtime tale with a very reassuring for children who have trouble falling asleep as soon as their parents leave the room.
Combined dispatches