Kids Book ‘The Year Without Halloween’ Tackles 2020 Pandemic

Award-winning writer Shane Bitterling and illustrator Robert Kern III are publishing their first children’s picture book, The Year Without Halloween, a 31-page paperback, which oozes with holiday traditions and the theme of making the best of what you have to overcome the hardships of celebrating Halloween amid a pandemic in 2020.

Bitterling came up with the idea for this story at the beginning of the pandemic, when he was sure everything would be back to normal by Halloween. But the New Normal reality hasn’t ended and just this week the CDC issued health safety guidelines discouraging traditional activities like trick-or-treating and haunted houses.

Bitterling took a break from selling his infamous pizza out of his driveway as a means to see friends (from a safe distance) and made pumpkinade out of pumpkins. His imagination has never been so timely (or scary).

The official synopsis for the book: Something scary has crept into town and stopped Boone’s favorite holiday from happening. The stores are closed. His friends are all stuck inside. This year, it’s all tricks and no treats. With hard work and a big imagination, Boone sets out to make this the best Halloween ever. But does he have a ghost of a chance?

Described as a “spooktastic new picture book for Monster Kids from ages 2 to 102 about keeping the spirit of Halloween alive 365,” this certainly sounds like our kind of book for all kind of children.

You can order The Year Without Halloween for $13 here.

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Matt Artz

Founded Halloween Daily News in 2012 and the Halloween International Film Festival in 2016. Professional writer/journalist/photographer since 2000.