Preteen girl looking at a cell phone with her parents

Personalized picks at your fingertips

Get the mobile app on iOS and Android

Parents' Guide to

The Good, the Bad, and the Spooky

By Angela Zimmerman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Sweet take on stress of picking the best Halloween costume.

The Good, the Bad, and the Spooky Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

This witty take on the stresses and challenges of life is packaged in a story that even young kids can understand. Many kids grasp the pressure that Halloween (or anything that's supposed to be fun) can inflict when you're focused on the wrong things. Now more than ever, recognizing and learning to manage mental health is essential. Author Jory John and illustrator Pete Oswald wrap these issues into a delightful story with positive takeaways, as they have in their other collaborations.

Oswald's illustrations are super cute and memorable, and the whimsical characters (and in this case, their costumes) are just the icing on the cake. The Good, the Bad, and the Spooky has it all: positive messages, memorable and imperfect characters, and an original, breezy story. It also comes with over 150 decorative stickers that may spark some costume creativity.

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate