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Books like Cross your fingers, spit in your hat
A delightfully quirky exploration of the strange little rituals and beliefs people use to navigate the uncertainties of life. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with Cross your fingers, spit in your hat.
- whimsical
- eerie
- nostalgic
- 01
Ghosts!
Alvin Schwartz · 1991
An accessible, spooky journey through global folklore that delivers mild chills for younger readers.
- 02
In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories
Alvin Schwartz · 1984
A delightfully eerie collection of bite-sized campfire tales that introduces young readers to the delicious thrill of being scared.
- 03
Throw Your Tooth on the Roof
Selby B. Beeler · 1998
A globe-trotting exploration that turns a universal childhood milestone into a fascinating cultural journey.
- 04
Under My Hat
Jonathan Strahan
A bubbling cauldron of magical coming-of-age tales that feels like a crisp autumn evening.
- 05
Never spit on your shoes
Denys Cazet
A playful, ironic look at the hilarious gap between a child's calm recounting of their day and the actual chaos that ensued.
- 06
From bad to cursed
Katie Alender
A chilling high school horror story where a seemingly harmless supernatural oath spirals into a terrifying loss of self.
- 07
Voodoo & hoodoo
James Haskins · 1978
An earthy, respectful immersion into the hidden roots and enduring power of African American folk magic.
- 08
The curse of the squirrel
Laurence Yep
A quirky, role-reversing romp through the woods that turns the classic hunter-and-prey dynamic hilariously on its head.
- 09
Phantom animals
Daniel Cohen
A brisk, eerie collection of supernatural encounters with furry and feathered phantoms.
- 10
Fortunately
Remy Charlip
A hilarious, whiplash-inducing read-aloud that turns the unpredictability of life into a game of page-turning suspense.
- 11
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Judith Viorst · 1972
A delightfully melodramatic and deeply validating romp through the escalating indignities of a day where absolutely nothing goes right.
- 12
It's Halloween
Jack Prelutsky
A delightfully eerie, bouncy collection of verses that captures the safe, sugary thrills of a childhood Halloween.
