Fun Halloween Facts for Kids

With Halloween fast approaching, Time Home Entertainment, Inc. and the editors of TIME For Kids bring you a selection of Halloween-related facts straight from their two new books, That’s Awesome ($19.95, Ages 8 and up) and The BIG Book of Why ($19.95, Ages 8 and up). Both books are available in-stores now and feature the vivid illustrations and comprehensive reporting for which TIME For Kids is famous.


The Big Book of Why - The BIG Book of Why answers the biggest questions kids commonly ask and adults can rarely answer. With 1,001 facts, the 192-page hardcover book, it goes beyond just answering the questions, but dips into the science or history to further explain the answer in an easy to follow, straightforward and fun way.

Why do vampire bats drink blood? (page 8) - There are many different type of bats, but there’s only one type that drinks blood – the vampire bat. They are the only mammals that feed entirely on blood. A special enzyme in the saliva of a vampire bat keeps the blood of animals from clotting, making the blood easier to drink. Scientists say the first vampire bats that emerged were related to bats that gorged themselves on parasites of prehistoric beasts. Vampire bats slowly evolved into drinking the blood of animals.

Why do spiders spin webs? (page 15) - Spider-Man spins his web to swing from building to building and to catch villains. Real spiders spin webs for the same reasons – sort of. Spiders release a sticky type of silk from their abdomens when they spin a web. Spiders use webs to climb from place to place. Spiders also spin webs to trap their next meal and to make egg sacs to hold their eggs.

Why do I get goose bumps? (page 64) - You’re watching a scary movie. Just before the zombie pokes its head out of the closet, you get goose bumps on your arms. Goose bumps, or chicken skin, are short-lived changes in your skin caused by cold or fear. Small muscles are attached to the tiny hairs in your skin. When you are cold or scared, the muscles contract, pulling the hair upright and causing goose bumps.

Why can eating chocolate candy make people hyper? (page 130) - Chocolate candy and many soft drinks contain sugar and caffeine. It’s the caffeine, not the sugar, that can make a person jumpy or hyper. Some parents blame sugar for their children’s hyperactivity. But most researchers now say that sugar does not make most children “bounce off the wall.” Some studies show that artificial, or human-made, food dyes are responsible for increased hyperactivity in kids.

That’s Awesome - That’s Awesome brings kids awesome facts guaranteed to impress and remain with the reader long after they are finished with the book. The book is written in an authoritative, age-appropriate and clear style, while incorporating fascinating photos and diagrams.

The Sweetest Job of All (page 150) - Does your sweet tooth rule your life? Think about being a professional chocolate taster, like Rose Potts who works for a chocolate maker in Pennsylvania. Each morning Potts prepares product samples to taste with a group of co-workers. They look at the color of the chocolate, smell it, and feel how it melts in the mouth. They listen to the sound it makes sand decide if it’s fruity or nutty or spicy. When they’re done, they decide if each piece of chocolate tastes right – or if it has to be changed to make it taste better.

Gumming Up the Works (page 153) - Stepping on cast-off chewing gum is really annoying. Luckily, in some cities there are squads of workers who, armed with machines called GumBusters, go forth to remove the sticky wads. With the GumBusters, it takes about five seconds to unstick a piece of gum from the sidewalk.

Is It a Bird? Is It a Plane? (page 190) - Or is it a UFO – an unidentified flying object? UFOs are exactly that: objects we see in the sky but can’t quite recognize. That doesn’t stop millions of people around the globe from believing that every UFO is a spaceship carrying aliens from another planet or galaxy.