Sure to inspire future slayers to take on the monsters in their closets (thankfully readers’ monsters won’t be real).
Even future vampire slayers can be afraid of the dark.
Eight-year-old Buffy is afraid of sounds coming from her closet at night. She invites her friends Willow and Xander to sleep over. They have a great night—but can’t bring themselves to open the door to the noisy closet. They ask school librarian Giles for help, and he tells Buffy that someday she’ll be a great warrior; for now, if she acts bravely, the monsters will be scared. Xander and Willow stay over again, and the trio find a closet full of smiling monsters (that every fan of Buffy’s TV show will recognize, although none of them are likely in this book’s target audience). Buffy attacks, and the monsters are cowed…and join the party—until Mom comes in. Though Buffy couldn’t have been friends with Xander and Willow at 8 according to the extensive mythos of the series/movie/comics (she moved to Sunnydale in high school) and turning some of the horrifically violent monsters into doe-eyed, glorified teddy bears is kinda creepy, Rekulak’s newest nostalgia-inspired picture book has fantastic comic-style, action-filled, colorful art by Smith and a fine (but not preachy) lesson that even rockin’ (female) heroes can be afraid sometimes. Caregiver fans will enjoy sharing their obsession with a new generation, who will enjoy reassurances that the monsters in the closet aren’t a threat. Buffy and Co. all present white, but they have some diverse classmates.
Sure to inspire future slayers to take on the monsters in their closets (thankfully readers’ monsters won’t be real). (Picture book. 4-9)Pub Date: Sept. 4, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68369-069-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Quirk Books
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
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
Disconcerting and possibly deadly dealings are afoot; certain to charm younger fans of the macabre.
In the latest installment of the delightfully disturbing chapter-book series, the mundane once more takes on supernatural qualities, this time in the form of veggies.
With this follow-up to Troubling Tonsils! (2025), our host, Jasper Rabbit, once more channels Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling. As Jasper narrates, we meet our heroes: fourth graders Thaddeus Badger and Oliver Possum, who love nothing more than eating junk food, particularly the hamburgers at Hurt-A-Burger (a mildly brilliant corporate name on the author’s part). When Oliver’s parents trick the two into a dinner of salads at their favorite fast-food joint, Thaddeus feels betrayed, but Oliver experiences something a little more dire. Soon after, Oliver starts acting strangely, and his parents begin behaving even more oddly. What’s going on? And does it have anything to do with the full moon? Tone is the true star of the show in this series; the mystery unspools thanks to the buildup of unnerving moments. Reynolds combines suspense with a keen ability to artistically frame both sunny innocent sequences and those rich with dark foreboding. Notably, this is no morality tale about eating your vegetables—this tale is fully on the side of its child readers. Brown’s black-and-white images, punctuated with eerie pops of green, heighten both horrifying and comedic moments.
Disconcerting and possibly deadly dealings are afoot; certain to charm younger fans of the macabre. (Chapter book. 6-9)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9781665961110
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2025
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