A just-scary-enough romp for the brave.
A Goblin Moon on Halloween night brings the goblins out to frolic.
As the moon rises, a costumed family—turbaned fortuneteller mom, cowboy dad, toddler bear, and pigtailed pirate (eye patch askew)—sets off trick-or-treating. The creepy shadows cast by the moon clearly have the little buccaneer on alert (the accompanying picture’s dark, but nothing’s too scary, and adults are close). “Better get home now / and snug up inside. / The goblins are coming— / we better go hide!” From beneath the protection of covers, the young pirate peers out to see the goblins frolicking. But when they disappear from sight, the protagonist starts seeing and hearing things inside the house, and readers will spy the adorable little green monsters as they hide from the searching flashlights of the adults. Emboldened, the kid tells the goblins to go back to their moon, but perhaps they need an incentive? A trail of Halloween candy leading away from the house just might do it. And perhaps they’ll offer something in return? Rogers’ gouache and digital illustrations are magical when depicting the night outside, with sinuous trees in deep blues and greens highlighted in the white light from a gently smiling moon. And while the premise of monsters in the house that are invisible to adults is a creepy notion, the goblins are delightfully fun and not at all scary.
A just-scary-enough romp for the brave. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 23, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-06-279229-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2019
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience.
The How to Catch A… crew try for Comet.
Having already failed to nab a Halloween witch, the Easter Bunny, a turkey, a leprechaun, the Tooth Fairy, and over a dozen other iconic trophies in previous episodes of this bestselling series, one would think the racially diverse gaggle of children in Elkerton’s moonlit, wintry scenes would be flagging…but no, here they lay out snares ranging from a loop of garland to an igloo baited with reindeer moss to an enticing candy cane maze, all in hopes of snagging one of Santa’s reindeer while he’s busy delivering presents. Infused with pop culture–based Christmas cheer (“Now I’ve already seen the shelf with the elf”), Comet prances past the traps until it’s time to gather up the kids, most of whom look terrified, for a group snapshot with the other reindeer and then climb back into harness: “This was a great stop but a few million to go / Christmas Eve must continue with style!” Though festive, the verse feels trite and unlikely to entice youngsters. A sprinkling of “True Facts About Reindeer” (“They live in the tundra, where they have friends like the arctic bunny”) wrap up this celebration of the predatory spirit. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
ISBN: 9781728276137
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2022
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BOOK REVIEW
Not enough tricks to make this a treat.
Another holiday title (How To Catch the Easter Bunny by Adam Wallace, illustrated by Elkerton, 2017) sticks to the popular series’ formula.
Rhyming four-line verses describe seven intrepid trick-or-treaters’ efforts to capture the witch haunting their Halloween. Rhyming roadblocks with toolbox is an acceptable stretch, but too often too many words or syllables in the lines throw off the cadence. Children familiar with earlier titles will recognize the traps set by the costume-clad kids—a pulley and box snare, a “Tunnel of Tricks.” Eventually they accept her invitation to “floss, bump, and boogie,” concluding “the dance party had hit the finale at last, / each dancing monster started to cheer! / There’s no doubt about it, we have to admit: / This witch threw the party of the year!” The kids are diverse, and their costumes are fanciful rather than scary—a unicorn, a dragon, a scarecrow, a red-haired child in a lab coat and bow tie, a wizard, and two space creatures. The monsters, goblins, ghosts, and jack-o'-lanterns, backgrounded by a turquoise and purple night sky, are sufficiently eerie. Still, there isn’t enough originality here to entice any but the most ardent fans of Halloween or the series. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Not enough tricks to make this a treat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-72821-035-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
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