A Not-So-Scary Story by Barney Saltzberg is a clever, charming, and thoroughly engaging picture book that deserves every bit of its five stars. With a playful approach to the idea of “scary,” the book turns expectations upside down in a way that feels both reassuring and fun for young readers.

Saltzberg’s interactive storytelling style shines, inviting kids to participate as the story unfolds. The pacing is spot-on, building just enough suspense before delivering moments of humor and surprise that keep the tone light and enjoyable. It’s the perfect balance—never truly frightening, but just spooky enough to feel exciting.

The illustrations are bold and expressive, adding to the humor and helping guide readers through the story’s twists and turns. There’s a wonderful sense of personality on every page, making it ideal for animated read-alouds.

What makes this book stand out is its ability to empower kids by showing that “scary” things can be transformed with a little imagination. It’s both comforting and entertaining, making it a go-to choice for storytime.

Overall, A Not-So-Scary Story is a delightful, interactive read that brings laughs, surprises, and just the right touch of spooky fun—an easy five-star favorite.

Cute picture book perfect for little kids. Fun story about being scared and not liking it vs liking it. Not everyone is the same and I love that message.

A Not-So-Scary Story by Barney Saltzburg was a wonderful story. The chargers are cute and relatable to children. It's nice to put some fun into being scared and changing the trajectory . I highly recommend it to all of my fellow educators and parents.

This story was perfect for my toddler. He is starting to understand what scary is. He enjoyed the pictures and the laughs this book offered. Great way to educate that you can make something scary fun.