Review: Halloween Titles from Harper Collins

Quick break from reviewing Cybils nominations to take a look at some new Halloween titles! While my biggest problem at Halloween is narrowing down my read-alouds, it's always good to have something fresh in the mix.

9780062366405

$17.99

What do you do before you go to bed at night?

Bigfoot hugs his wooby extra tight, while aliens have pillow fights.

Nessie gets a drink, then swims down deep.

But in the end, everybody needs to sleep . . . even monsters!

The little cutie on the front cover is being chased by a very determined, and much harrier Daddy on the back cover. I like the illustration details like the little bits of torn wallpaper and the claw marks. Looks like my house! The alien children are adorable in their fuzzy one-piece sleepers, and the expressions on the dragon parents' faces as Logan the baby dragon chatters away is just perfect! The kitten playing with Frankenstein's big toe...and I think I once had the same slippers as Yeti!

Back-cover-Daddy is reading to front-cover-cutie in rhyming lines of varying length, each ending with "Even ___ needs to sleep." Perfect for our monster-themed story time next week, when I need to engage my audience!

One of my favorite monster read-alouds is "Bunnies", written and illustrated by this guy:

9780062408716

$17.99

The rhythm is a bit tricky on this one, so you'll want to practice it a bit before a read-aloud. It would be even better read one-on one, but I wouldn't suggest it for bedtime - too funny! Expect your little one to pick up on a favorite line or to. You'll be hearing for the next few weeks that he loves you "as much as blood-sucking ducks".

9780062198709

$6.99

Remember when I said something about a series driven more by marketing than by anything else? Yeah. Just stop. Please.

9780062264497

$16.99

With the right spell Grimelda knows she can make her cat Wizzlewarts spooktacular in seconds. But when her spell book goes missing in her untidy room, will Grimelda find another spooktacular pet to win the prize, or will her magic make an even larger mess?

We met cutie pie Grimelda in The Very Messy Witch. As you can see from the description, her home is not any neater, but her illustrations and rhymes are great! As adults will predict, Wizzlewarts turns out to be just the right pet in the end, but with a few fun twists along the way. Another fun read-aloud, especially paired with the earlier title!

Three out of four isn't bad! What is your favorite Halloween read-aloud?

***with apologies to illustrators Diana Murray and Chris van Dusen because I ran out of characters and couldn't tag everyone. Dang Blogger.

Review: Halloweeny Picture Books

It's October! Let the Halloweening begin! (Yes, I know, it began at Walmart in July, but I'm a purist on somethings.)

Two books today from Harper Collins:

9780062264480

$16.99

Grimelda’s house may not be tidy, but it’s cozy, and that’s just the way she likes it. She also likes pickle pie. There’s only one problem—she can’t find the main ingredient in her messy house!

Okay, my house may always be a bit of a mess, but NEVER my cooking supplies! This, after all, is my spice rack:

One of them, anyway. Yes, it's alphabetized, why are you even asking?

Grimelda, on the other hand, really needs that pickle root, so after trying everything else, she finally has to resort to...cleaning the house. She finds all manner of neat things she hasn't seen in a long time, scaring up wonderful puns along the way (her ratty clothes have rats peeking out of the pockets - the illustrations are a treasure trove!) 

The pickle root, of course, is not found until everything is spic and span, and Grimelda is amazed at how neat everything looks. What does she decide to do about it? Well, you'll just have to read and find out. A silly, sing-songy crowd-pleaser, just right for story times. Plenty of craft and activity extensions - making up spell words, drawing goofy ingredients, or even - gasp - cleaning your room!

9780062380616

$17.99

When Halloween comes around, Enzo doesn’t know what to expect. Jack-o’-lanterns light up the streets, giant spiders weave webs on porches, and ordinary lawns become creepy graveyards while every child and dog transforms into a creature of some kind—including Enzo!

Enzo the dragon is determined to protect fairy princess Zoë from the monsters and goblins in their neighborhood, but when things get a little too scary, his family is there to reassure him that everything is make-believe and only meant to be fun—just like the wonderful trick-or-treat parade that ends this spook-tastic night! 

We are not into dressing dogs up in costumes.

Well, okay, but only if it's really cute and it matches ours.

This is one of those picture book series spun off of a popular adult novel/movie. Those usually have mixed results (hello Marley, I see you.) I have mixed feelings about this particular title. While it is meant to be reassuring (Enzo is afraid of the Halloween sights and sounds, but of course ends up having fun), there is much said at the beginning about demons being released into the house - really?? Not the wording I would have chosen - nor is it wording I care to explain to a four-year-old. While the story line in general shows how confusing pretend things can be to a dog or small child, it was a bit too much on the scary side for the intended age group. It will go on the shelves, but not into a story time.

***Neither of these titles has been nominated for Cybils yet!