Joanne Barkan

  • 31

    Catalog books

  • 27

    Works

  • 1987 to 2006

    Strongest span

Who This Author Is

Joanne Barkan writes playful, tactile picture books for young readers, best known for A Very Scary Haunted House (Glows in the Dark). Her work pairs simple, spooky storytelling with interactive elements—like glow-in-the-dark art—that invite children to explore mood and surprise at their own pace.

Barkan’s pages favor bold, accessible scenes and a gently eerie tone that suits early readers building confidence with spooky themes. Her concise text and visually driven approach make her books go-to choices for shared reading, seasonal story times, and youngsters first testing the thrill of being scared.

Best Place To Start

Author At A Glance

Best known for: Playful, spooky picture books • Glow-in-the-dark novelty element • Brief, engaging text

Genres and themes: Children's picture books • Halloween and spooky themes • Interactive/novelty format

Who this author is best for: Great for young children who enjoy gentle frights and tactile, glow-in-the-dark surprises.

Start with the glow-in-the-dark edition to appreciate the book’s interactive feature and short read-aloud text.

Top Books To Start With

  1. A Very Scary Ghost Story (Cartwheel)

    Scholastic • 1992 • quick commitment

    UPB note: one of the most common used-copy publishers for this author • year signal: 1992 • 24 pages.

  2. A Very Scary Haunted House (Glows in the Dark)

    Scholastic • 1991 • quick commitment

    UPB note: one of the most common used-copy publishers for this author • year signal: 1991 • 24 pages.

  3. A Very Merry Snowman Story (Sparkle-and-Glow Books)

    Scholastic • 1992 • quick commitment

    UPB note: one of the most common used-copy publishers for this author • year signal: 1992 • 22 pages.

  4. A Very Scary Witch Story (Cartwheel)

    Scholastic • 1992 • quick commitment

    readers who want a faster first book

  5. A Very Scary Jack-O-Lantern

    Scholastic • 1991 • quick commitment

  6. Binyah Binyah Hide-and-Seek! (Gullah Gullah Island)

    Simon Spotlight/Nickelodeon • 1996 • quick commitment

    UPB note: year signal: 1996 • 20 pages.

  7. Help! It's Halloween!: A Trick-Or-Treat Book: With 36 Glow-In-The-Dark Stickers! (Vno 2)

    Simon & Schuster Merchandise & • 1996 • quick commitment

    UPB note: year signal: 1996 • 24 pages.

  8. The Strangest Halloween (Trick-or-Treat Glow-in-the-Dark Books)

    Simon & Schuster Merchandise & • 1996 • quick commitment

  9. The Switching Hour (Real Monsters)

    Simon & Schuster Merchandise & • 1996 • quick commitment

    UPB note: year signal: 1996 • 59 pages.

  10. Merry Christmas, Santa!

    Troll Communications Llc • 1995 • quick commitment

    UPB note: year signal: 1995 • 24 pages.

How The Picks Compare

  • A Very Scary Haunted House (Glows in the Dark) gives you an earlier look at this author’s shelf, while A Very Scary Ghost Story (Cartwheel) leans later in the catalog.

More Books By Joanne Barkan

Browse Next