Master Edgar Dreadbury finds Halloween utterly boring until he happens on a machine called a "Monsterator". For just one dime, he gets a lifetime of eMaster Edgar Dreadbury finds Halloween utterly boring until he happens on a machine called a "Monsterator". For just one dime, he gets a lifetime of excitement!
With the back several pages cut into horizontal quarters to allow readers to create 625 different monster combinations, I don't think this book will last long in the library, but I'll bet it won't sit unread for one day!...more
A 700-year-old woman and an 800-year-old man go looking for their missing Halloween pumpkin and meet several ornery spooky critters along the way.
I'mA 700-year-old woman and an 800-year-old man go looking for their missing Halloween pumpkin and meet several ornery spooky critters along the way.
I'm always looking for new Halloween stories to share, so I picked this one up. While it's not the greatest, I think kids will laugh at the old-man's tricks, and the silliness that goes along with the chase. ...more
Super-cute, much better than I expected it to be. I will definitely use this as a class read-aloud at Halloween. 1st- and 2nd-graders should really geSuper-cute, much better than I expected it to be. I will definitely use this as a class read-aloud at Halloween. 1st- and 2nd-graders should really get into it....more
Two mice both find the same little pumpkin growing in a garden and start to nurture it, each without the other's knowledge. [Whose garden is it? BeatsTwo mice both find the same little pumpkin growing in a garden and start to nurture it, each without the other's knowledge. [Whose garden is it? Beats me, it never says, so these mice may be stealing! :)] One wants the pumpkin to grow large for a contest. The other wants to make a fantastic jack-o-lantern with it.
I was pleasantly surprised that when these two mice realize they've both been caring for the same pumpkin, they are not angry, but decide to cooperate. While there's nothing particularly spectacular here, little ones will like the idea of a giant pumpkin as big as a house, and the spirit of cooperation exhibited by both the two mice and their neighbors is kind of refreshing. I'll probably add this to my Halloween read-alouds for 1st grade....more
An old witch's broom serves a widow well until her nosy neighbors decide it's evil and must be destroyed.
I like this one. Van Allsburg has woven an iAn old witch's broom serves a widow well until her nosy neighbors decide it's evil and must be destroyed.
I like this one. Van Allsburg has woven an interesting tale and added just a hint of creepiness to capture the attention of kids who love scary stories. The twist at the end is nice, too. I'm adding this to my Halloween read-alouds for second- and third-graders....more
Hazel & Michael convince their parents to let them keep the sweet puppy someone left in a basket on their back porch. They name her Angel because she'Hazel & Michael convince their parents to let them keep the sweet puppy someone left in a basket on their back porch. They name her Angel because she's sweet and cuddly and almost perfect...except when the moon is full. After their kitchen is destroyed by some big-footed creature, the kids track footprints all the way to the door of Mrs. Mingle, a woman the entire neighborhood fears. What now?
Kids will be interested in hearing about a werepup, and the story is kind of cute, but I would have enjoyed it more if we'd seen more of the dogs after we meet Mrs. Mingle and learn they are werepups. ...more
Three short stories are combined into one, telling the story of that one spooky night. In the first story, which was my favorite, a young girl, GisellThree short stories are combined into one, telling the story of that one spooky night. In the first story, which was my favorite, a young girl, Giselle, picks out her witch costume for trick-or-treating. On her way home from the costume shop she accidentally bumps right into a genuine witch and they unknowingly switch brooms. When the real witch magicks her broom back to her, Giselle follows it and spend the evening flying around with the witch delivering homemade soup to other monsters. It's the night of her life!
In the 2nd story two obnoxious twin boys who haven't listened to their bedraggled father even once throughout the Halloween night discover their bubble bath suddenly leads to a mermaid-filled lagoon. The mermaids, though, are not all Disney-and-Ariel-sweetness, and the boys' efforts to escape them lead them into even greater dangers. (Personally, I thought the boys were little snots, and since this was supposed to be scary, I wanted them to get the fear of God put in 'em. Instead, the poor, pitiful, exhausted dad just got yelled at some more by the overbearing mother.)
The last of the trio of stories centers on a group of girls who head out for a night of trick-or-treating and scaring, as they turn their girly costumes into frightening, monstrous ones. They enjoy frightening other trick-or-treaters until they are invited to a Halloween party inside a house they've never seen before. A house which happens to be inhabited by genuine vampires.
The stories here aren't really scary, but they have a playful sense of Halloween fun. Elementary kids will probably like it, though some will still ask for something scarier. ...more
Farmer Brown does not like Halloween. Jack o'lanterns are creepy, witches are frightening, and the crunch, crunch, crunching of their feet on the lawnFarmer Brown does not like Halloween. Jack o'lanterns are creepy, witches are frightening, and the crunch, crunch, crunching of their feet on the lawn, the creak, creak, creaking of the barn door, and the tap, tap, tapping on the window make the holiday even more scary. The animals like it, though, and cook up a Halloween party in the barn.
This benign offering will satisfy young ones, but it lacks the humor of the original, Click, Clack, Moo. ...more
Jasper has a passion for carrots. Especially the carrots in Crackenhopper Field. They're the fattest, juiciest carrots, and they're all free, waiting Jasper has a passion for carrots. Especially the carrots in Crackenhopper Field. They're the fattest, juiciest carrots, and they're all free, waiting for Jasper to come along and pluck them out of the ground. He eats them for a snack on the way to school and on the way home; any time he passes Crackenhopper Field, Jasper plucks a few carrots and enjoys a delicious snack.
Until the day the carrots rise up from Crackenhopper Field and begin stalking him. (If this was called Creepy Celery, I'd be really happy with that pun.) He sees carrots with looks of evil on their faces in his bathroom, in his bedroom, everywhere he goes. His parents assure him that creepy carrots do not exist, but Jasper is certain they do. The only solution, he's sure, is to build a fence around Crackenhopper Field, dig a moat, and fill it with alligators. That way no carrots will be able to escape and follow him. It's a great plan, and it works...for Jasper and the carrots.
I love the black-and-white "B-movie" feel to Brown's illustrations. He was slightly brilliant to have orange as the only color on the pages; it really makes the carrots and orange objects stand out, so readers notice them just like Jasper does.
This is a fun one to read aloud. I always ask the kids about halfway through the book, "Were the creepy carrots real, or just Jasper's imagination?" Most will say they are a product of his imagination. After I read the last page, I ask them the question again. Some of the kids will get the twist and it will have flown right over the heads of others. I always like watching the light bulb come on when kids finally understand something. This tends to be a "light bulb book". Lots of fun at Halloween....more
Sadly, I just read this book and cannot remember a thing about it. Clearly, I didn't find it memorable. I do remember it wasn't horrible, but that's aSadly, I just read this book and cannot remember a thing about it. Clearly, I didn't find it memorable. I do remember it wasn't horrible, but that's about it. ...more
These poems are a little sophisticated, with some tough vocabulary, but read aloud in just the right creepy tone, some of them will send shivers up anThese poems are a little sophisticated, with some tough vocabulary, but read aloud in just the right creepy tone, some of them will send shivers up and down the spine.
The poem I find creepiest? "The Ghoul." Seriously. He's just waiting outside, sitting on the monkey bars, waiting for school to let out.
So he can drag you away by your hair and EAT YOU. ...more
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld remembers his childhood nights spent trick-or-treating for Halloween in this picture book that's for...well, I think it's for Comedian Jerry Seinfeld remembers his childhood nights spent trick-or-treating for Halloween in this picture book that's for...well, I think it's for adults. Remembers is the key word here: lots of things he talks about will make kids laugh (see getthecandy getthecandy getthecandy), but it's the personal memories of Halloween moments that hold the real appeal, and those belong to grown-ups (thin rubber bands on cheap plastic masks that snap the first time you put them on, separating the "good" candy from the "crummy" candy, trick-or-treating as an almost-teen). It's funny, but it feels less like a story and more like Seinfeld dictated a stand-up routine to the editor of Little, Brown and Company. Which brings me right back to that "it's really for adults" feeling.
The illustrations are bright and colorful, and just a liiittle bit creepy when you realize just how much that little kid really does look like Jerry Seinfeld.
This would probably make a good Halloween read-aloud for middle school and high school classes, and a nice lead-in to creative writing assignments on holiday memories....more
This book is so cute! From the gorgeously eerie opening spread of haunted houses to the barn full of boogey men at the end and on every page in betweeThis book is so cute! From the gorgeously eerie opening spread of haunted houses to the barn full of boogey men at the end and on every page in between, Vasilovich's illustrations of the brave, big-eyed little girl, grinning skulls, werewolves and witches are delightfully creepy. Once they catch on to the "12 Days of Christmas" tune, kids will sing along at the top of their lungs in between giggles and gross-outs. This is a Halloween holiday read-aloud winner....more
I was excited about this one because I really like Cox's One Is a Feast for Mouse and I use it every year with lower grades. I found this a little disI was excited about this one because I really like Cox's One Is a Feast for Mouse and I use it every year with lower grades. I found this a little disappointing, though. Jeffrey Ebbeler's illustrations are adorable, as always; I particularly love Mouse's costume on the very last page. The story doesn't grow the way One Is a Feast did, though, and I felt like it was more a series of little Halloween happenings than one big, building adventure....more
Duck & Goose look everywhere for a pumpkin of their very own, but they just can't seem to find one until someone directs them to the pumpkin patch. ToDuck & Goose look everywhere for a pumpkin of their very own, but they just can't seem to find one until someone directs them to the pumpkin patch. Toddlers will like this cute, colorful, and sturdy board book. ...more
Halloween story of a lady who's being followed by all the pieces of a scarecrow. Initially, she's afraid. Then she realizes she can just put him back Halloween story of a lady who's being followed by all the pieces of a scarecrow. Initially, she's afraid. Then she realizes she can just put him back together and use him in her garden!...more
babyhippoface
>
Books:
halloween
(32)
Loading...
