Floris Books – Mom Read It

The Slightly Spooky Tale of Fox and Mole, by Cecilia Heikkil, Translated by Polly Lawson, (Aug. 2025, Floris Books), $19.99, ISBN: 9781782509530

Ages 4-8

This cozy animal tale is charming and perfect for spooky season storytelling that never gets too spooky. Fox and Mole are friends who gather to enjoy some snacks and a spooky story, The Legend of the Scuffling Monster. Fox is a generous host, baking and preparing food and drink his friend, but Mole is not a thoughtful guest. He interrupts and makes a mess; he even eats all of the cookies while Fox is reading! On the next night, Fox hits his limit when Mole doesn’t even remember Fox’s birthday – and complains about the lack of cookies! Life becomes art as Fox, in his anger, transforms into a monster that seems very similar to the antagonist of the earlier story! It’s up to Mole to figure out how to calm Fox down by telling – and finishing – the whole story. The story is sweetly amusing while offering a cautionary tale to readers about being a gracious guest. Fox’s transformation will resonate with readers as they see Fox sit with his frustration until he finally hits his limit. The illustrations are lovely with a touch of the eerie; the deep oranges and greens give a nice Fall feeling, and the bright blacks and bent postures add wonderfully to the macabre vibe. A delightful story for Spooky Season, The Slightly Spooky Tale of Fox and Mole was a Foreword Reviews and Shelf Awareness pick. The tale was originally published in Swedish in 2024.

The Grumpy Ghost Upstairs, by Mamiko Shiotani/Translated by Polly Lawson, (Aug. 2025, Floris Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781782509264

Ages 3-6

A ghost enjoys the solitude of his attic until a little girl makes her way upstairs and disturbs his peace. What is a solitary ghost to do? Determined to get his attic back, he starts a ruckus, but the girl isn’t scared off: in fact, she seems kind of fascinated. When the ghost decides to visit her room and attempts to scare her on her own turf, she disarms the specter with an offer of friendship. The ghost accepts the offer and learns that “it is good to leave his attic once in a while”, saving his nights for his alone and time and spending his days getting to know his new friend. The primary use of gray and muted colors gives the story a dreamlike quality, and the ghost moves between translucence and a soft white, giving him an almost ethereal quality; his body language is humorous as he tries to hide from his inquisitive new neighbor, changing size, shape, and opacity to inhabit paper bags, shrink to hide behind a stack of books, or become see-through to cause a ruckus. The girl’s colorful outfits make her stand out against the murkiness of the attic, bringing life and color to the little ghost’s world. A sweet story about friendship in unlikely places, this is a fun storytime selection. The Grumpy Ghost Upstairs was originally published in Japan in 2020.

Tag: Floris Books

The Slightly Spooky Tale of Fox and Mole is a charming tale of manners

The Grumpy Ghost Upstairs – for the introvert!