Roll up, roll up, Spookeville!
Meet Skelfie, the cheeky skeleton ringmaster who wakes up every Halloween to play tricks on the family. Spooky picture books, a dress-up costume and plenty of not-too-scary fun for preschoolers right up to ten-year-olds, and the grown-ups who read with them.
Skelfie wakes up on Halloween night in
The books
Picture books full of humour, heart and Halloween tricks. Lola is written for preschoolers and the Circus for 6 to 10-year-olds, but the whole family will enjoy both. They're great for bedtime, the classroom or the long wait until trick-or-treating.
Admit one · Book 1
When Grandpa dusts off an old family toy, Skelfie the skeleton ringmaster comes to life. Socks vanish, toys go missing and decorations move by themselves, and Lola the miniature dachshund gets the blame. Can Lola catch the bony trickster in the act?
Buy on Amazon
Admit one · Book 2
This Halloween is going to be unforgettable. Two sisters are spending two whole weeks of October with Grandma, Grandpa and Lola the dachshund. There's just one catch: they have to keep up with their schoolwork. But homework is the least of their worries once Skelfie comes out of the box. Things go missing, decorations move on their own, and Lola barks at him like she knows a secret. As Grandpa's big Halloween event, the Spookeville Circus, gets closer, one thing is clear: Skelfie isn't just a toy.
Spooky surprises, laugh-out-loud moments and plenty of family fun, for kids who love a little mischief and a lot of heart.
Buy on AmazonMeet the characters
The trickster
A skeleton ringmaster with a mischievous grin, a grey top hat and a pumpkin-topped cane. He sleeps in the toy box all year and wakes up on Halloween ready to play.
The detective
Grandma and Grandpa's mischievous miniature dachshund. She keeps getting blamed for Skelfie's tricks, and she barks at him like she knows a secret.
The keepers of the toy box
They go all out for Halloween. Grandpa has the hilarious jokes and runs the Spookeville Circus. Grandma makes delicious homemade treats and says Skelfie is "special".
The visitors
Two sisters who stay with Grandma and Grandpa for two weeks every October. They soon suspect Skelfie isn't just a decoration.
Help Lola!
Skelfie has hidden five things around Grandma and Grandpa's lounge room. Tap each one to find it before Lola gets the blame.
0 / 5 found
Lola is sniffing around. Where could everything be?
The look
Make it yourself
Sew your own Skelfie costume with our print-at-home patterns. There's a ringmaster tailcoat, an orange waistcoat with a bow tie, and trousers. There's even a lion outfit so your dog can dress up like Lola.
Size 7–8 years · Length 53.5cm · Chest 63.5cm · Waist 57cm · Sleeve 42cm
Skelfie's purple tailcoat with collar, side panels and a split coat skirt. Velvet or stretch velvet gives the best ringmaster look.
Download coat pattern PDF · 25 pages
Size 7–8 years · Length 26.5cm · Chest 63.5cm · Waist 57cm
The bright orange waistcoat plus the pieces for Skelfie's bow tie. Cotton, linen or a satin-look fabric all work well.
Download waistcoat pattern PDF · 11 pages
Length 62cm · Waist 76cm
Front and back panels with a waistband. A cotton twill, ideally with a little stretch, is comfortable for trick-or-treating.
Download trouser pattern PDF · 14 pagesMaking the whole outfit? Get all three Skelfie patterns in one zip file.
Download all Skelfie patterns ZIP · 10 MB
Chest 42cm · Back length 29cm · Neck 28cm
The outfit Lola wears for Halloween. It has a body, neck, under-panel and front and back legs. Use soft, breathable cotton so it stays comfortable on sensitive skin. These measurements suit a miniature dachshund, so check your own dog before you cut.
Download dog pattern PDF · 14 pagesSpooky, not scary
Easy ideas for families, classrooms and outside school hours care services to bring the books to life this October.
Game
Hide odd socks around the house or room. Whoever finds the most gets to be "Skelfie" and hide them next round.
Kitchen
Bake plain biscuits, then pipe white icing bones on top. Add a dot of yellow for Skelfie's gold bow tie.
Movement
Play "Simon says" with a ringmaster twist: "Skelfie says rattle your bones!" "Skelfie says tip your hat!"
Craft
Roll grey card into a tube and add a brim, just like Skelfie's. Perfect for story time or the costume parade.
Read-along
While reading, pause on each page and ask: what has Skelfie moved this time? Who will get the blame?
Tradition
Start your own family tradition: bring a toy skeleton out of the cupboard on 1 October and see where he turns up each morning.