I adore Halloween, and not just for all the yummy chocolate! I’ve been drawn to creepily enticing books ever since I was in elementary school, and it’s my pleasure to introduce you to Vikki VanSickle and her two wonderful picture books, Into the Goblin Market and Mother Boo: Poems from Spookytown. Geared toward children 4-8, these books are perfect for Halloween reading or any time you and your young readers crave that delicious shivery feeling.
Now for the extra special treat! Tundra Books is generously offering BOTH of Vikki’s picture books to THREE lucky readers. To be entered in the giveaway, leave a comment on the blog. Winners (U.S. and Canadian mailing addresses only) will be notified on October 29, so make sure you check back then to see if you won.
Laura: Vikki, welcome to the Writers’ Rumpus blog. Though Into the Goblin Market was published in 2024, I became aware of it in 2026 when Tundra Book Group generously gifted me a glorious box of books. When I spied the cover of this book, intricately rendered in black and cream with a hint of red by talented illustrator Jensine Eckwall, I eagerly picked it up. When I cracked it open, this book immediately sunk its sharp teeth in and wouldn’t let go until the very satisfying conclusion.
Here’s the story in a nutshell: When younger sister Mina can’t resist the pull of the dastardly Goblin Market, older and wiser sister Millie risks her own life to save Mina from a “beastly fate.” Please share your inspiration and writing process for this spine-tingling (and impressively rhyming) tale.
Vikki: Thank you so much for your kind words! Sometimes when I’m experiencing writer’s block or looking for a new idea, I will consider subgenres or niches and think about what my contribution in those areas would be. In the case of Into the Goblin Market, I had been thinking about what my version of a fractured fairytale would be. I’ve always loved the classic Victorian poem “Goblin Market” by Christina Rossetti. It’s incredibly visual, a little scary, and best of all, the story revolves around female agency and women saving women—there are no princes to be found! While not a traditional fairytale, it had enough fairytale elements that I decided to write a sequel of sorts. I kept the same general plot but decided to add in a few more fairytale elements by making the goblins fairytale (or famous children’s literature) villains. In the original poem, Laura is entranced by a troop of goblin men, eats their forbidden fruit, and immediately starts to waste away. Her sister Lizzie travels to the market, but refuses to partake of the fruit. The goblins become angry and attack her, throwing fruit at her, covering her with juice. She then goes home and instructs her sister Laura to “Hug me, kiss me, suck my juices/Squeez’d from goblin fruits for you” in order to cure her.
There are poisoned apples in my story, but that is the only instance of fruit. Instead, I used other treacherous fairytale wares – the pipes from The Pied Piper of Hamelin and the poppies from The Wizard of Oz.
Vikki: I love how you updated the original poem, and know readers will, too. I also noticed that you changed the sisters names from Lizzie and Laura to Millie and Mina. As I mentioned in my first question, I was drawn to Into the Goblin Market‘s intricately stylized illustrations, not just on the cover but throughout. Jensine’s illustration style reminds me of one of my favorite childhood books (I’m truly dating myself here): The Witches of Venice (1963), which was lushly written and illustrated by Beni Montresor, though those illustrations used a yellow-gold background. What was the relationship between the writing and illustration of this tale? Did you have any input in choosing Jensine, and did you work together throughout the publication process? It certainly seems so!
Vikki: As with all of my picture books, the fantastic team at Tundra provides suggestions for artists, and we talk about what each one would bring to the story. This is my favourite part of the process! I adore art, and having my words turned into a whole world by an artist I admire is a true honour. Jensine was our number one pick, and I’m thrilled she said yes. I loved her attention to detail, which would be important for the market stall scenes, as I wanted them to be very busy and almost chaotic. I also thought she had a classic style that still felt fresh.
Jensine considered many different approaches for the book. At one point it was in full colour, and at another, she considered creating original woodblock art as a nod to the Victorian era the original poem was written in. I love the final art, which includes borders that suggest her woodblock idea. I think the simple pop of red in select objects adds to the spookiness and symbolism of the story. It is simultaneously old-fashioned but contemporary.
Laura: Now I’ll move onto Mother Boo: Poems from Spookytown.Though ghosts float about, werewolves dance, and there’s a slimy, grimy, witchy baby and more, this book feels a bit lighter on the creep-o-meter. There are so many levels of frightful delight in this poetry book, it’s hard to know where to start. I especially adore (and know kids of all ages will too) the Countdown to Halloween section, which begs the question of whether these are costumes or not, but also highlights the joy of trick or treating for sweet candy delights no matter what. Equally compelling are the pages about the special moons for each month, and how Mother Boo, with her rather creepy wrinkled face, is actually a wonderfully warm, soothing, and protective grandmotherly figure for all of Spookytown. What was your inspiration for this poetry collection, published in 2026 (also by Tundra Book Group), and how did all the compelling yet unique pages come together?
Vikki: This is definitely geared toward younger readers than Into the Goblin Market. I refer to Mother Boo as Into the Goblin Market’s spooky little sister. I had one of the poems, “Werewolves Dance,” kicking around for years. I didn’t think it warranted an entire book, but I really liked it. I’ve always been a fan of poetry collections, particularly those that have a unifying theme. One of my favourite children’s collections is A Visit to William Blake’s Inn, which is a series of children’s poems inspired by William Blake. I adore Halloween and am almost always thinking of Halloween stories to write. One day I was looking at my picture book bookshelf and got the idea to write a Mother Goose-style collection for Halloween creatures. The idea of Spookytown, full of little witches, goblins and other spooky residents, was born!
Some of the poems in the collection are direct references to particular poems (“Countdown to Halloween” uses the same structure and rhyme scheme as “One, Two, Buckle My Shoe,” for example) and others represent styles of poems (limericks, lullabies, abecedarian, etc). Some of the inspiration poems are more contemporary than traditional Mother Goose. The poem ‘A Year in Moons’ is loosely inspired by Maurice Sendak’s ‘Chicken Soup with Rice’ (which has the subtitle ‘A Book of Months.’) Some of the poems are completely my own invention, such as ‘The Secret to Flying,’ or ‘The Pumpkin Parade.’
‘The Pumpkin Parade’ is one of my favourites and is inspired by the actual pumpkin parades held in Toronto, ON (where I live) the day after Halloween. Many neighbourhoods bring their Jack O’lanterns to a local park at dusk, line them up along the walkways, and then the communities can come and see them lit up one last time. Some parks have cider or other fun elements (my community choir sings a selection of spooky songs at the Sorauren Park Pumpkin Parade). The next day, the city comes to pick up the pumpkins and dispose of them. In my research, this event seems relatively unique to Toronto, but I think it’s a great idea that other municipalities should implement! I’d love for this poem to inspire more pumpkin parades!
Laura: I’m equally impressed by how your poetry collection came together as with Toronto’s Jack O’lantern festivities! Mother Boo was cleverly illustrated by Jennica Lounsbury. What was the publication process like for this book, especially the dance between your poems and Jennica’s pictures?
Vikki: I absolutely love Jennica’s art. I knew it would be special, but I was still blown away by the end results! I generally don’t like to give the illustrator too much direction. I think it’s more fun to see how they interpret the story. I had some structural directions, for example I knew there needed to be a page turn to separate the two halves of ‘The Pumpkin Parade’ for maximum effect. The other main direction I had was that the book should feature a recurring cast of characters, which adds a nice layer of comfort or ‘seek and find’ to the book. I wanted Spookytown to feel like a real place, with faces that became familiar over the course of the book. Jennica made these characters very warm and inviting.
Laura: Are all your books delightfully spooky/creepy? What else can you share about your creative endeavors, current and upcoming?
Vikki: Not all of them, although I’ve definitely been on a spooky streak! I also published my first adult novel this year, a mystery with a tinge of the supernatural called The Mystic and the Missing Girl. It’s about a tarot reader in a small town who investigates the cold case of a missing teenager—the same case that ruined the reputation of her aunt, a TV psychic, in the 90s. There are psychic visions, tarot cards, astrology and all sorts of spooky adjacent elements, but it’s also funny with a dash of romantic intrigue. I can’t say too much about my next kids’ book yet, but I will say that I just completed a really fun middle grade book for Tundra that is structured like an advent calendar, with one chapter for each night leading up to Christmas. Stay tuned for more info on that in 2027!
Laura: I’m impressed that you can write so well across genres, and I look forward to reading your adult novel! What advice can you give to aspiring authors about any aspect of the writing and publishing journey?
Vikki: One of the most helpful pieces of writing advice I was given was to not confuse drafting with writing. I used to feel that if I wasn’t writing full cohesive sentences, I wasn’t actually writing. But thinking, brainstorming, jotting things down, or talking them out with a friend is all part of the process. I am much kinder to myself now on those days when I’m in drafting mode.
The road to publication can be very long, and there can be lots of rejections, but remember that you only need one editor to like your work. It’s worth the wait to find someone who understands your work and knows how to champion you and your book.
Laura: I appreciate your advice! Giving myself permission to write in drafting mode would help my writing process immensely. Now for a question totally unrelated to writing: Inquiring minds want to know 3 fun things about you!
Vikki: I am a tarot reader, an aquafit instructor, and I once sat next to someone on a plane with my exact same name!
Laura: That’s all very cool! Thank you for interviewing with me. Happy Halloween to you and yours, and to all our faithful bloggers and reader!! Vikki, please provide a short bio and let readers know how they can contact you.
Vikki: Vikki VanSickle is an award-winning author and children’s literature advocate. Frequently referred to as Canada’s Judy Blume, her novels include P.S. Tell No One, The Lightning Circle, and the Red Maple award-winning The Winnowing. Her picture books include Mother Boo, How to Decorate a Christmas Tree, Into the Goblin Market, the official Dolly Parton Imagination Library selection Teddy Bear of the Year, and the best-selling If I Had a Gryphon. Vikki has worked across the industry as a children’s bookseller, reviewer, jury member, and spent eleven years working in children’s book marketing at HarperCollins and PenguinRandomHouse Canada. Her first adult novel, The Mystic and the Missing Girl was published this year. In addition to writing, she curates and presents a monthly reading segment for a national Canadian morning show. Vikki lives in Toronto, Canada with her semi-wild kitten. Visit her website vikkivansickle.com or connect with her on Instagram @vikkivansickle
Thanks for sharing how these books came to be, and your suggestion for when stuck with your writing. I love turning to poetry!
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