A riotous think-outside-the-box lesson disguised as a how-to-draw book.
Abbott and Wagner take a decidedly different approach to teaching young people to draw.
“So you want to learn how to draw a zombie, huh? *Sigh.* Well, it’s really not that hard…” Our unseen narrator has lots of drawing advice to go along with this attitude. Regarding the pupils in a zombie’s eyes: “Make them askew and oddly shaped. Like this.” Abbott and Wagner furnish examples of two different-size eyeballs, under which is written “YES! YES!”; on the facing page, we see two same-size eyes over the words “NO NO!” The narrator’s strong opinions and hilariously unconventional suggestions continue (“Instead of putting the hair on the head, you could put the hair on the teeth”), and before long, readers who follow these instructions will have made what looks like a comically unrefined drawing of a zombie. The book’s message seems to be to eschew perfectionism, but it could also be that one should follow one’s own artistic vision rather than obediently following an instructor’s. Abbott and Wagner use ink, pencil, and construction paper (there are intermittent highlighter-bright color backdrops and accents) to illustrate the book, which concludes with a zombie driving a fancy car (its arm having flown off).
A riotous think-outside-the-box lesson disguised as a how-to-draw book. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: yesterday
ISBN: 9781665990899
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Caitlyn Dlouhy/Atheneum
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Halloween is used merely as a backdrop; better holiday titles for young readers are available.
A ghost learns to appreciate his differences.
The little ghost protagonist of this title is unusual. He’s a quilt, not a lightweight sheet like his parents and friends. He dislikes being different despite his mom’s reassurance that his ancestors also had unconventional appearances. Halloween makes the little ghost happy, though. He decides to watch trick-or-treaters by draping over a porch chair—but lands on a porch rail instead. A mom accompanying her daughter picks him up, wraps him around her chilly daughter, and brings him home with them! The family likes his looks and comforting warmth, and the little ghost immediately feels better about himself. As soon as he’s able to, he flies out through the chimney and muses happily that this adventure happened only due to his being a quilt. This odd but gently told story conveys the importance of self-respect and acceptance of one’s uniqueness. The delivery of this positive message has something of a heavy-handed feel and is rushed besides. It also isn’t entirely logical: The protagonist could have been a different type of covering; a blanket, for instance, might have enjoyed an identical experience. The soft, pleasing illustrations’ palette of tans, grays, white, black, some touches of color, and, occasionally, white text against black backgrounds suggest isolation, such as the ghost feels about himself. Most humans, including the trick-or-treating mom and daughter, have beige skin. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-16.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 66.2% of actual size.)
Halloween is used merely as a backdrop; better holiday titles for young readers are available. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7352-6447-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
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