Children's Book Review for Halloween Harry: The Werewolf That Wasn't Scary by Larkin Campbell, and Shea Campbell, Beau Berkley (Illustrator)

 Halloween Harry: The Werewolf That Wasn't Scary by Larkin Campbell, and Shea Campbell, Beau Berkley (Illustrator)

Published:  October 17, 2023 by Blue Balloon Books

Taken from Goodreads:  Harry was a werewolf—not a scary werewolf but, still, a werewolf. Most werewolves were scary, but not Harry. Harry was smart, curious, and funny. Did he want to be scary? Of course! But he just wasn't. Werewolves are supposed to be scary, but Harry isn’t scary at all! In fact, he’s much more likely to make you laugh than cause you to scream in terror. His brother, Larry, one of the scariest werewolves around, does his best to teach Harry how to frighten others, but it’s no use. As Halloween approaches and Harry still can’t scare a single person, he starts to reflect on his unique talents. He may not be scary, but he is smart, curious, and funny. How can Harry make the most of spooky season with his special skills? You’ll just have to read Halloween The Werewolf That Wasn’t Scary to find out!

My Thoughts:   I am not a scary Halloween person, so this book is perfect for me.   It is a cute story of a werewolf that is more funny and smart than scary but he wishes he was scary.    Harry just wants to be like his scary brother but he just is not scary.  The story makes it okay that Harry is different from his family, they accept and love him as he is.

I love the illustrations, they are Halloween spooky but not scary.   The illustrations are perfect for a children’s Halloween book.   They are dark and creepy, I love the zombies and the old couple. 

Halloween Harry is the perfect book for a child who is not entirely in love with Halloween but wants to be.   There are the Halloween characters but the story is kid friendly. 

Thank you Blue Balloon Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

 

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5 W’s of Writing a book and being an author…

Who? Who are you besides a children’s book author?

My name is Larkin Campbell. I am 57 years old and live in Calabasas, CA. I have been and actor and a writer in LA for over 30 years. I have been married for 25 years and we have three children that I spent every second with that I could. I have coached youth sports for over 20 years. My wife is an Assistant Director in the movie business, so we have travelled the country together working on her movies, and shooting projects with our friends.

What? What helped you decide to write a children’s book? Or how do you decide what to write?

My wife and I are serious book readers. There has never been a day in my adult life that I don’t read for at least 30 minutes a day. We read hundreds of books to our kids and still do, to our youngest daughter, who is 11. I have written many short film projects that I have shot with friends, and continue to try and sell various projects including horror movies. My daughter inquired about maybe writing a book together, and we started right away. Writing a children’s book together sounded like a fantastic idea to me and so we ran with it.

Where? Where do you do most of your writing?

I like to write outside whenever I get the chance. I know where all the park benches are in town that have a clean tabletop with them. You have to bring your own cleaning supplies with many park tables to clean off the bird mess. I can write at home if I have too, but I like being out of the house if possible. Too many distractions at home. Writing outside is fun because you can talk out loud and hear how the day’s work sounds.

When? When do you do most of your writing? How do you find the time in a busy life?

I like to write at different times, depending on the amount of free time I have. Mornings are usually good to review work from the day before. I always find time to write, at least an hour a day. If I’m researching something, I count that as my hour if I’m pressed for time. No excuses, one hour a day.

Why? Why do you write? Do you write books other than children books?

Writing is my favorite hobby. You have to allow yourself time for your favorite things. I love the joy that writing something gives me. Even if it is just for myself and nobody else. When things are going well and my writing is flowing, it’s a wonderful feeling of satisfaction. They say you write for one person, yourself. I wrote a book about my thirty years as an actor. It’s the thing I’m most proud of, of all the things I’ve written. Screenplays usually amount to nothing but frustration. But writing books is different because no one can stop you and tell you your book can’t be published. There are more avenues with books and that makes it more fun.