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TRICK-OR-TREATING IN THE CITY

In a sea of trick-or-treat books, this one keeps it real.

An upbeat young New Yorker finds a way to have a happy Halloween.

Janelle has her doctor costume, her trick-or-treat bucket, and a pumpkin ready to be carved. Usually, her mother drives her to the suburbs to trick-or-treat, but this year, both her parents are working. At school, Janelle asks her friends how they’ll be celebrating. Niko tells her that he trick-or-treats in his cousin’s 30-story building, while Nayara walks down Court Street, where shop owners pass out treats—including, in true New York City fashion, mini-bagels. That night, as they carve their pumpkin, Janelle’s father tells her that when he was a child, he stayed home out of fear of “real monsters.” Some of his neighbors opted to stay home even when his community tried to have a safe candy-sharing and costumed event at the nearby playground. YA novelist Jackson conveys the pleasures of Halloween while acknowledging that, due to safety reasons, many city dwellers find their own ways to observe the holiday. Janelle’s compromise—giving out candy from her dad’s store—is a realistic and, ultimately, joy-filled solution. Cloud’s soft cartoon artwork depicts an urban neighborhood full of supportive residents and business owners. Janelle, Niko, and Nayara present Black; their community is diverse.

In a sea of trick-or-treat books, this one keeps it real. (Picture book. 4-6)

Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024

ISBN: 9780593110287

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Dial Books

Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024

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DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE SLEIGH!

A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.

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Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.

This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”

A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)

Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023

ISBN: 9781454952770

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Union Square Kids

Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023

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IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.

A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.

Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)

Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024

ISBN: 9780593702901

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Random House

Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024

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