Witches, Pumpkins, and Grinning Ghosts: The Story of the Halloween Symbols

I've started 2019 on the right foot...a spooky, Halloween-inspired foot!  Early on January 1st, I fought back the effects of a minor hangover, and read my new book, Witches, Pumpkins, and Grinning Ghosts:  The Story of the Halloween Symbols!

How I acquired this vintage treasure is a strange little bit of serendipity.  On New Year's Eve, the family and I headed into Charleston for our last lunch outing of 2018.  We wanted to try Tricky Fish, a popular eatery on the East End...which was excellent, by the way!  And, since we were in town, I wanted to stop by Taylor Books on Capitol Street to peruse the used book section.  I had some Christmas money that was burning a hole in my pocket, and the last time I had been there, I had a major score with some vintage paranormal non-fiction paperbacks.

I had found quite a few books to purchase, including a stack of Goldenseal Magazines, and even Luke had found a couple of books he wanted to read.  We were on our way to the register to check out, when I decided to take one last peek at the Young Adult shelf.  My back was hurting a bit, so I had put my hands out on the shelf, took a step back to stretch, and as I looked down, this glowing orangish-yellow book caught my eye.  I saw what it was and had to have it!

This past year, I've been really into collecting vintage Halloween children's books, and this example, published in 1972 by The Seabury Press was an awesome find! I wasn't around in the 1970's, but everything about this book just screams that decade to me! 

Written by Edna Barth, this is an informational text about the history of Halloween and why many of the symbols we associate with Halloween today have come to symbolize the holiday.  Although I had a few doubts that the information was 100% historically accurate, its actually a really neat, fact-packed non-fiction read.  Added to the text are the classically 70's illustrations by Ursula Arndt.  Done in black and orange, the simple drawings reek of nostalgia and are arguably the best part of this book.  It's just such a treasure trove of vintage Halloween imagery and I wish I could display every single page at once.  I've added just a few photographs to pique your interest, but if you'd like to see more, a re-issue of the book can be found on Amazon, as well as the 1972 edition.

Book Bonus:  Witches, Pumpkins, and Grinning Ghosts was challenged in 1992 by a parent of a Gilbert, Arizona elementary student.  The parent wanted the book banned because it 'promoted Satanism and occult.' In the end, the parent lost out.  You can read more about that case HERE. From the markings found inside my personal copy, it was once part of the Dunbar Public Library's collection, and was discarded around 1995, I think.  I wonder if anyone in West Virginia ever had a problem with its subject matter?

Anyway, let me know what YOUR favorite vintage Halloween book is and why! You can comment down below or join me over at my paranormal blog's (Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State) Facebook page for more discussion on Halloween, ghosts, and all things spooky in West Virginia and beyond! I'm hoping to really revive Theresa's Halloween Wonderland blog in 2019, so let me know what else you'd like to see here.  Happy Haunting, ya'll!