As I was reading I was already imaging which classes I thought would enjoy it.! I think the simplicity of it makes it a better book than many other Halloween-themed books. Imaging the students trying to decide if that sound really goes with that animal and which one does, made me decide that it was a cute book for Kindergarten. I look forward to using it as a lesson around Halloween.

Book Review: Ghost Says Meow: A Halloween Story by Lauren Kukla
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 out of 5 stars)

Ghost Says Meow is a joyful Halloween tale perfect for toddlers through first graders. Lauren Kukla offers a playful twist on traditional spooky sounds, reminding young readers that not every ghost has to say “boo.” This story celebrates the fun of being different and encourages little ones to embrace their own unique voices.

The vibrant, colorful illustrations come alive and the lyrical, rhyming text makes it a fun read-aloud, though a few lines feel slightly stilted in rhythm.

Overall, this charming book is a treat for Halloween storytimes. With its inclusive message and cheerful artwork, Ghost Says Meow is a great pick for families and classrooms.

This was such a cute read for the upcoming spooky season! It reminds me of being small and my mom reading to me. I loved it! I don't have kids yet, but my fur babies enjoyed it, plus I did recommend to coworkers with kids to enjoy.

An absolutely charming book with fab illustrations for readers 4-8 about a little ghost who thinks "outside the haunted house." When she talks she says "meow" or "ribbit" or "moo" -- anything but "boo." She encourages her friends to think creatively too. Highly recommended for children and adults who also love to think laterally.

So wholesome with a beautiful message! Cute art as well. Loved it!
My only complaint is that I finished it in a few minutes :)

Ghost Says Meow is a charming and playful picture book that explores the spooky sounds of Halloween in a fun and unexpected way. Perfect for preschoolers, it’s sure to have them laughing out loud!

This book was absolutely adorable! The illustrations were gorgeous and there were lessons about being yourself and not being afraid to try something different.

This is such a fun and cute picture book. Just saying the cute noises and animal sounds made me laugh. It’s a great story with great art and will be a fantastic addition to a classroom and a home.

Thank you to NetGalley and North Star Editions for this DRC.
#GhostSaysMeow! #NetGalley

This book will circulate well in the library - it's cute enough, and it's about Halloween! But in comparison to all the many, many other Halloween picture books that are created every year, this is more of an "additional purchase" than a "must-have." It's simple and cute, but there's nothing to make it stand out or distinguish itself. Thank you for an advance copy for review.

I have a four-year old who was very confused by this story. I love when a story has some underlying message. Sadly, I just couldn’t find it with this one. Perhaps it was meant to be a way to inspire children to be different. However, learning animal sounds is literally a core standard and this story’s lesson seems to against that learning milestone.
We are a family that loves Halloween, even with this respect, this story just didn’t capture my child’s attention. The art was hard to make out on the digital copy. The characters were cute, but the pictures of the setting did not stand out.
I strongly dislike giving poor reviews to children’s books, but based off of the digital copy we received there, unfortunately, were not many redeeming aspects.


Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. All thoughts and comments are my own.

This is such a cute, quick read for the little ones. My niece who loves Halloween already loves reading this book over and over.

This is such a gem of a book and every kid that loves Halloween should read it or have it read to them. Ghost is a precious little being who just wants to be themselves and let's be honest, we all can relate to that. The message this picture book is transporting across its pages is so important and so beautifully wrapped that it should have a space on every kid's bookshelf. I wish it had been on mine.

The illustrations are beautiful and cosy and perfectly spooky. I'm so glad I got a chance to look at them in the comfort of my home.

Buy this book for every kid in your life, you won't regret it.

I thought this was very cute and had a great, easy to understand message for 4-8 year olds. The illustrations were also very cute and added to the narrative. Good story for any kid wishing they could be themselves and be different.

I'm always on the hunt for holiday/seasonally themed books for my kiddos. Ghost Says Meow would be a cute addition to a spooky season rotation! The little ghost in the story tries out a bunch of sounds other than boo. The other spooky season critters are super confused by this and try to tell the ghost to only say boo, but they encourage the others to try something new instead. The illustrations are very cute and colorful and the rhyming will help keep little listeners engaged.

Thanks to North Star Editions and NetGalley for an eARC of this book for an honest review.

What a cute little Halloween story. My kids had fun trying to guess what Ghost was going to say next. Illustrations were cute and the perfect colours for a Halloween story.

This is the cutest children’s Halloween Story!!

I love the message it teaches. Just be who you want to be, and encourage others to be who they want to be.


The illustrations are perfect. Wish I had a child to read this to, but I’ll just read it to my cats :)

Thank you Netgalley and Jolly Fish Press for the arc!

This was such a cute book !

In our house Halloween is every day so this book will be in our rotation all year round !! My little one loved trenera the sounds after me and point out where the ghost is.
Such a cute book!

I really liked the title until it ended up with the moral of be what you want to be - - - all the humor disappeared when you find out it is an identity tale - it didn't have to slam down on that but rather could have been more subtle and still maintain the humor. Nice, larger illustrations that could have made a solid storytime book. Ends with a 'meh'.

it a cute halloween story for young readers just learning to read filled with wonderful picture ebook made it hard to tell if it was all one picture that went together but other wise me and my son loved this book

This is just my personal opinion, but I don't love this book. I do love the concept of ghost saying the wrong sound and think kids will adore this concept. The illustrations are just now what I expected, that's why I don't love the book like I thought I would. That being said, kids will love being able to follow along and decide if the ghost indeed says boo or if the ghost will misspeak.