Hello, friends! I’m Ryan, and I’m Craig Toby. We’re so happy you’re here for Story Time with us! If you enjoy our stories, you can find more on our website or follow us on Instagram. We love hearing from you, so feel free to send us a message!
Today, we’re reading a fun and spooky story called “Terrible Halloween Night” by James Stevenson. Are you ready? Let’s dive in!
One day, Grandpa was talking to Louis. “What day is it today?” Grandpa asked. “Today is October 31st,” said Louis. “That’s Halloween!” But Grandpa didn’t seem to remember.
“Let’s give Grandpa a little scare!” said Louis. “But not too scary,” added Mary Ann. “Grandpa is pretty old.”
“I know!” said Louis. “Let’s put a mask on Leonard, the dog, and surprise Grandpa!”
Mary Ann giggled, “That might just do the trick!”
When they tried to scare Grandpa, he just smiled and said, “I don’t get scared easily anymore, not since that terrible Halloween night.”
“What happened, Grandpa?” asked Louis and Mary Ann, curious to hear more.
“A long time ago, when I was your age, I dressed up for Halloween and went trick-or-treating. I came to a strange house with spooky noises. Should I have gone inside?”
“No, no, no!” said Louis and Mary Ann.
“Well, I did,” Grandpa continued. “When I opened the door, bats flew out! I heard scary sounds, but I went inside anyway.”
Grandpa told them about the dark house. He saw yellow eyes and a giant spider that ran away giggling. Then, a pumpkin rolled toward him and asked, “Do you like pumpkins?”
“Oh yes, very much!” Grandpa replied.
“Then maybe you’d like to be one,” said the pumpkin.
“No, thank you!” Grandpa said and tried to run away. But the stairs disappeared, and he fell into a dark, wet cellar.
There were cobwebs everywhere, and he heard a voice saying, “No, no!”
Grandpa saw a strange creature that warned him, “Don’t go through that door!” But it was the only way out.
“I opened the door, and it was the worst mistake I ever made,” Grandpa said. “When I came out, I was an old man, and I’ve been old ever since.”
Louis and Mary Ann were amazed and a little scared. “That’s the most terrifying story ever!” they said.
Grandpa’s story left them with lots of questions. How did he grow up and have a family? It’s a mystery!
And that’s the end of our spooky story! Thanks for joining us. Remember, sometimes the scariest stories are the ones that make us think!
Create Your Own Spooky Story: Gather some paper and crayons or markers. Think about a spooky story you would like to tell. Draw pictures of the characters and scenes from your story. Then, write a few sentences to describe what happens. Share your story with a friend or family member and see if you can give them a little scare, just like Louis and Mary Ann tried to do with Grandpa!
Halloween Costume Design: Imagine you are going to a Halloween party. What would you like to dress up as? Use craft materials like paper, scissors, glue, and colored pencils to design your own Halloween costume. Think about how you can make it spooky or funny. Once you’re done, show your costume design to your classmates and explain why you chose it.
Explore Your Senses: Just like Grandpa’s story had spooky sounds and sights, let’s explore our senses! Close your eyes and listen carefully to the sounds around you. What do you hear? Now, open your eyes and look around. What do you see that might be spooky if you were in a story? Write down or draw what you notice. Discuss with your class how our senses can make stories more exciting and real.
Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hey, I’m Ryan and I’m Craig Toby, and welcome to Story Time with Ryan and Craig Toby! Remember, if you like what you see, follow us on Instagram or visit our website. You can watch all of our read-alouds there or send us a message. You can say anything!
I have something to say, Ryan. Lizards are slippery and scaly! Today’s book is “Terrible Halloween Night” by James Stevenson. Let’s get started!
What day is it today? Grandpa asked Louis. Today, said Grandpa, according to the paper, it is October 31st, and the paper is generally correct.
“Grandpa doesn’t know tonight is Halloween,” said Louis. “Aha!” said Mary Ann. “What can we do to scare Grandpa?” asked Louis. “Something not too scary,” said Mary Ann. “Grandpa’s pretty old.”
“I have an idea,” said Louis. “Let’s put a mask on Leonard and go see Grandpa!”
Oh, a mask on the dog? That’s gonna scare Grandpa! He might be terrified!
We better try something a little more scary, said Mary Ann.
“I beg your pardon,” said Grandpa.
“Why are you sitting all glowy and wearing those strange clothes?” asked Grandpa.
“To scare you!” said Louis. “It’s Halloween!”
“Oh, of course,” said Grandpa. “Were you scared?” asked Mary Ann.
“Yes, indeed,” said Grandpa, “but I don’t get very scared anymore. Not since that terrible Halloween night.”
“What terrible Halloween night?”
“I prefer not to talk about it.”
“Please, Grandpa!”
A long time ago, when I was about your age, I put on a mustache and hat and went out on Halloween. I knocked on doors up and down the block getting candy. Then I came to a strange house. There was a light inside, and I heard some terrible noises.
I didn’t know whether or not to go inside. Do you think I should have gone inside?
“No, no, no!”
Well, maybe just for a minute. That’s what I thought. I went up the steps. When I opened the door, bats flew out! I heard awful wailing and screeching, but I went inside.
It was very dark at first. I couldn’t see anything. Then I saw yellow eyes at the top of the stairs with huge pointed teeth.
“Weren’t you scared?”
Not really. It was only a giant spider. It ran away giggling.
At the top of the stairs, I saw a pumpkin coming toward me.
“Hello! Do you like pumpkins?”
“Oh yes, very much!”
“Then perhaps you would like to be one.”
“No, thank you!”
I ran for the stairs, but suddenly they gave way, and I fell down and down. I landed in the cellar. It was cold, dark, wet, and smelly.
I kept getting caught in the cobwebs. I heard a horrible voice saying, “No, no!”
There were a couple of warning signs here. The stairs disappeared, and I landed on a floor covered in slippery frogs.
Then I saw an awful creature.
“What are you?”
“I am the worst parts of a lot of things, but I know what I’m talking about. Don’t go through that door!”
But it was the only door, and I wanted to get out.
I opened the door, and it was the worst mistake I ever made.
“What happened in there?”
“It’s too scary to tell you, but when I came out of that house, I was an old man, and I’ve been that old ever since.”
This is the most terrifying story I’ve ever heard!
So he went in as a young boy and came out as an old man? When did he get married and have kids? How does he have grandchildren?
This is scary and leaving me with a lot of questions!
That’s the worst kind of scary—question scary!
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This version removes any inappropriate or unclear language while maintaining the essence of the story.
